The Spooner House at 30 Todd Road opened its doors Sunday so visitors could see the results of years of public support.
“The community has been very supportive and interested in what we do we wanted to open our doors to let them see the building, meet the staff, find out about what we do and how they can be a part of it if they aren’t already and also see the results of the support that they’ve given over the years,” said Susan Agamy, Executive Director of ACT.
The Spooner House is a homeless shelter that opened last year.
On Sunday, the non-profit organization Area Congregations Together, Inc. (ACT), hosted its 2nd Annual Community Open House.
ACT provides shelter, food, and support services for people in need in the Valley. It also runs the Valley Food bank.
Admission to the open house was free, but visitors were asked to bring cleaning supplies if they could.
“There isn’t a cleaning staff at the Spooner House, so all housekeeping is done by staff and residents, internally,” Agamy said.
The 14,000 square-foot shelter goes through cleaning supplies very quickly.
It provides 13 beds for men, 13 beds for women and two family suites allowing up to five family members to stay together. Currently there are two open beds, but they are expected to fill quickly.
Residents who enter the shelter are encouraged to stay for six months and go through various enrichment programs including parenting courses, computer training, a nutrition program that teaches them to make healthy choices using food stamps, along with other programs.
While six months may seem like a long time, Agamy said this longer enrollment has proven more successful in helping families transition, stay financially self-sufficient, and not have to seek re-admittance.
The Valley Food Bank, located inside the Spooner House, provides a week’s worth of food, to needy families. The Food bank relies on donations from local churches, corporations, hospitals, and the community.
Those making donations included Vanessa Rose, 52, of Seymour.
“I had been to the facility in Derby a few years ago and this is a vast improvement, it’s well organized, a beautiful facility and it looks like it meeting the needs of the community,” Rose said.
The open house was held to commemorate the opening of its new location in Shelton last August. Prior to that, ACT was located at the Hotchkiss Hose Fire House in Derby.
“People can come anytime; we always accept donations of food, cleaning supplies and paper goods. If it’s something outside of that like clothing or something unique, it’s best to call first to see if we can accept it due to our small population,” Agamy said.
The Spooner House was named after Mike Spooner, one of the first paid employees at the shelter back in the early 1980’s. Spooner was killed in a construction accident in 1997 and the shelter was renamed after him.
For information about ACT or how you can donate call 203 – 225-0453 or visit www.act-spooner.org. The shelter is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
