OLD TOWN, Maine — A nonprofit in Old Town is helping families in need establish a sense of normalcy after a year that's been anything but normal with holiday decorations.
Welcome to Housing has been around since 2011. Designed as a sort of home-goods bank, the nonprofit originally helped people coming out of the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter -- but its mission has expanded since then. Now, it serves between 40 and 50 agencies -- and helps people who are moving into houses from shelters or correctional facilities; who are displaced by domestic violence or natural disasters; and immigrants.
Through donated items and monetary contributions from the community, volunteers at Welcome to Housing run on a mission of "helping people in need to succeed". The nonprofit's founder Christopher Olsen says hotels, businesses, and people who are downsizing have donated items before -- and the items he and his team give away this time of year aren't just the basics.
"You really need not just your bed to sleep on and your cookware and so forth and your bedding -- but it's also nice to have like a little bit of artwork, holiday decorations, things like that," Olsen expressed to NEWS CENTER Maine.
Olsen says that having something as simple as holiday decorations can allow people to find a sense of normalcy in their lives -- noting that's key when trying to get back on track.
The message resonates with volunteers who donate their time to give back to the community -- and are pleased by the community's willingness to help.
"It's just very helpful that people out there are willing to donate their items that they don’t need anymore -- and are willing to give it to a nonprofit organization to be able to give it to someone in need at no cost," Roxanne Watson, who has been a volunteer at Welcome to Housing for three years, expressed.
Two of those people in need include Jennifer Lieberman and Brian Harris of Old Town. They came into the facility late Tuesday morning looking for furniture but say the volunteers there know they have children -- nine and 10-year-old boys -- and that's how they ended up walking out with a box of Christmas decorations.
Lieberman says it means a lot to help her boys re-discover that holiday cheer after a challenging year.
"It's that little joy in them that sparks that almost costs nothing at all," Lieberman smiled.
"We're trying to put smiles back on faces. We're trying to bring joy. We're trying to just forget all that happened for right now," Harris also noted.
At Welcome to Housing, one of the most important messages is that it doesn't matter who you are -- you should never be afraid to reach out in a time of need.
"Mainers have a lot of pride, and they don’t like to ask for help -- but it's okay to ask for help when you're down and out," Watson said.
"Mental health doesn't care how much money you make or how many friends you have. A lot of things can happen to people," Olsen emphasized.
Olsen says Welcome to Housing isn't limited geographically and serves between 40 and 50 agencies. If people can get to the Old Town location, they can get items they need, usually through a caseworker. To get the process started, Olsen says they should reach out to him at 207-745-0729. He noted his facility is also taking precautions during the coronavirus pandemic by keeping everything clean and encouraging people to wipe things down before bringing them home.