Governor Ned Lamont cut the ribbon yesterday, at the rededication of the Gillespie Center and Hoskins Place in downtown Westport.
With 15 and 5 beds respectively — and a newly expanded food pantry, renovated kitchen, and additional meeting rooms — the Homes with Hope facility is better equipped than ever to serve underhoused and hungry residents.
Lamont was joined by Connecticut Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquerra-Bruno, State Senator Ceci Maher, State Representative Jonathan Steinberg, Selectwomen Jen Tooker and Andrea Moore,, Homes with Hope CEO and president Helen McAlinden, Homes with Hope co-founder and former director Rev. Peter Powell, Westport Human Services director Elaine Daignault, and several Representative Town Meeting members.
The Gillespie Center is named for the shelter’s co-founder, Dr. Jim Gillespie. Hoskins Place honors another early housing supporter, Rev. Ted Hoskins of Saugatuck Congregational Church.
The ceremony also included Susie’s Place. Formerly known as Project Return — and named for that organization’s former director Susiei Basler — the Compo Road North house has room for 6 at-risk women, ages 18-24.
After renovations, it will open April 1.
To learn more about Homes with Hope and its services, click here.
Homes with Hope CEO, 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker nad Governor Ned Lamont (center, holding scissors and ribbon), at yesterday’s Gillespie Center rededication.
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A statewide organization reacted swiftly to yesterday’s story about a snowman fashioned to look like Adolf Hitler, in the Newman Poses Preserve.
Calling themselves “deeply concerned,” ADL Connecticut said: “The swastika is the symbol adopted by Hitler as the primary emblem of the Nazis. The Holocaust was a singularly evil event, and it is inappropropriate and offensive to make light of it. At a time of rising hate and antisemitism, we call upon community leaders to speak out against this hate. Hate is not child’s play.”
The ADL sent a report about hate and harassment. “Swastikas are very prevalent in gaming and online, and kids see them often,” they said. Click here to read.
Westport’s Democratic Town Committee reposted the ADL’s message, echoing it in “the strongest of terms.”
TEAM Westport chair Harold Bailey Jr. sent a statement to “06880.” Noting it was “personal” — not from the town’s multicultural organization — he said, “Whether hidden on a remote trail or in plain sight, such homages to hatred are heinous and must be condemned.
While some forces within our nation are pushing us pell-mell toward the outlawing of even their discussion, we must steel ourselves at every level to call them out and see them for the poison they represent to our community, and humanity itself.”
The “Hitler” snowman, in Newman Poses Preserce.
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The Representative Town Meeting Planning & Zoning, and Environment, Committees meet jointly tonight (Tuesday, February 11, 7 p.m., Town Hall room 201).
There is one agenda item: “Review of the Old Mill Pond walkway, gate and properties.”
Discussion is expected to include whether the public has the right to access Compo Cove, via the formerly open, now locked gate at the end of the walkway.
Click here to see the entire meeting packet, including documents.
Access to Compo Cove will be discussed at tonight’s RTM committee meetings.
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Tonight also marks the first of 3 consecutive nights of Board of Finance 2025-26 budget discussions.
All meetings take place in Town Hall room 309, beginning at 6 p.m.
The schedule:
Tonight (Tuesday, February 11): Human Services, Parks & Recreation/Wakeman Town Farm, Public Works/Sewer Fund.
Wednesday, February 12: Transit District, Police, Fire.
Thursday, February 13: Earthplace, IT, Library, Health District, Pension/ Insurance/Transfers/Other General.
Click here for a link to the full proposed 2025-26 budget.
Budget discussions begin tonight at Town Hall.
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Layla’s Falafel is known for its great Middle Eastern food.
Now it’s helping hungry folks, in our back yard.
The Post Road East restaurant has partnered with local non-profit Filling in the Blanks. They have pledged $12,000 to fund their Fresh Food on the Move mobile pantry in Bridgeport, at the end of this month. The pantry feeds over 475 families in need, offering fresh and healthy food.
Layla’s is donating $2 for every pint of $8 hummus sold at their Westport, Fairfield and Stamford locations. It’s made fresh daily; it’s vegan, gluten-free and seed oil-free — and includes 3 fluffy pita breads.
Donations can also be made through the QR code below.
Layla’s hummus.
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Everyone needs a warm hug.
This Thursday (February 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) marks the Westport Farmers’ Market’s annual Operation Warm Hug. It was postponed a week, by snow.
At their Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center winter home, Market volunteers will collect lightly used coats, hats, mittens, sweaters and sweatshirts, to share with nOURish in Bridgeport.
Our neighbors are cold. Let’s warm them up!
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For the first time ever last night, Staples Orphenians — the high school’s elite a cappella group — joined Bedford and Coleytown Middle Schools’ cameratas for a joint Choir Festival.
The event, at Bedford, follows a similar three-schools jazz show at Staples.
Choir members enjoyed rehearsing together during the day. More joint music programs are planned for the future.
Choral directors (from left) Christina Dominguez, Lauren Pine and Jason Phillips, sporting their respective school logos.
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Timing is everything.
Yesteray, “06880” posted a story on Stitch Haven. Beth Berkowitz is the new owner of the store formerly known as Westport Yarns.
When the piece was published, a new sign was not yet ini place.
Just hours after the story appeared, the “Stitch Haven” sign was installed.
You can find all your knitting and crocheting needs there on Post Road East, next to Westport Hardware and Cava, across from Fresh Market and Terrain.
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The Y’s Women were recently treated to a chair yoga session, by practitioner Paula Schooler and model Katherine Ross.
Members enjoyed the expansive mind-body session.
Y’s Women yoga, at Green’s Farms Church.
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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo is a bit unusual.
Bob Weingarten writes: “A large tree was slated for removal from Center Street by the town in December. A town crew removed most of the top of the tree and sides in early January. but left what is shown below — probably because of all the wires.
“This removal is now waiting for (probably) Eversource.”
(Photo/Bob Weingarten)
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And finally … in honor of the rededication of the Gillespie Center and Hoskins Place, and the upcoming reopening of Susie’s Place (story above):
(“06880” is your home for hyper-local news about Westport — our non-profits, businesses, schools, residents, beaches, history and much more. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Thank you for publishing this and and giving our community a chance to respond to this act of hate. Turning snow day fun into an antisemitic demonstration is devastating. We are better than this and need to educate our children and our neighbors. It is heartbreaking that someone would use their playtime in the snow to spread hate.
Yes, we need to talk about the snowman.
Yes, we need to acknowledge that building a snowman with a Hitler mustache and a swastika is a despicable act of antisemitism.
Yes, we need to understand how terrifying it is for Jews to see sneaky and outrageous acts of antisemitism in our nation and seeping into Westport.
Maybe kids did it.
I’m sure we can agree that this does not make it okay.
I’m sure we can also agree that when children – or adults – do something hateful, hurtful, and wrong, someone needs to let them know that what they did was hateful, hurtful, and wrong. That their actions have impacts and consequences.
For kids, we hope parents do this. Coaches do this. Teachers do this.
For our community, we have ADL and the DTC* quickly denouncing the snowman and acts of hatred in all forms.
And we have commenters. I am grateful for the brave commenters whose worthy voices and ideas are unfortunately quickly buried at the bottom of a blog post.
Of course, we have those ugly comments where people attack other people.
And…well…that’s it.
Where are our leaders?
We need leaders who act quickly to stand with members of our community who are targeted, attacked, and hurt. Who let our town know that Westport won’t tolerate antisemitism or any hate, big or small, against any group, by adults or kids. We need leaders willing to have hard conversations about challenging topics. To tell people that we can have different views, but that attacking each other doesn’t move us forward.
Leaders who know that the way communities come together, understand and appreciate our differences, and build empathy is by calling out hate and having difficult conversations.
We definitely don’t “move on” by doing nothing.
We don’t move on by ignoring this.
So, where is our town leader and why hasn’t she said a single thing about this?
Once again, Westport is waiting for her to say something.
Silence is acceptance.
Silence is permission.
Silence is consent.
Do something. We’re waiting.
*I am an officer of the Westport DTC and proud of our immediate response. This letter is my own.
I hope they reopen the gate. That meeting packet is 270 pages of legal documents dating back to the 1930. That’s going to be quite a meeting.
Three chairs for Homes With Hope and the reopening of the Gillespie center. So pleased to see tremendous support from our elected officials. It’s a special place many of us Should Support to serve dinner, donate food or volunteer anyway you can. Having volunteered there several times with my son I can tell you it is deeply rewarding and fills you with appreciation for the community that is Westport.