An Introduction to The Cornerstone Foundation, Inc. (1 of 2)

 This is our first installment in an arena where we could not have imagined ourselves being just a few years ago. 

First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Helen Syriac; I have been a resident of Vernon, CT for over fifty years.  Although this is a story about The Cornerstone Foundation, I think my endeavors to help those less fortunate began in Haiti. These events I believe were preparing me for what was to come.

I have been to Haiti several times working in the Mother Teresa home for the dying and her orphanage filled with children left at her doorstep. I also worked in the soup kitchen where you would see volunteers standing over big pots stirring the soup. Lines of children, always happy, would come with any container available to them to get their soup and bread. They were grateful. I was humbled. It was a learning experience for me.

The Cornerstone came out of my first hand experience back in 1980 I saw a young man crawl out of a clothing box near Tri-City- City Plaza. I could not believe my eyes. This could not be happening, not in my town... I stopped and asked what he was doing in the box. He said that he had been sleeping there because he had no other place to go. I asked him his name and he told me Vern Cook. I asked if there was anything I could do to help him. Vern said yes, and asked me to take him to his friend’s house. As it turned out Vern’s friend lived directly across the street from me. I handed him a twenty dollar bill and asked him to promise me that he would not smoke it or drink it. I did my duty.

A few months later I read that Vern had been murdered. I was devastated and depressed. I knew that by handing him money that I had taken the easy out. I should have offered to call his parents. I was so troubled by Vern’s death that I went to my Pastor and asked him if we could use our church library for a shelter, suggesting that if one person was sleeping in a clothing bin there had to be others. He agreed; as a result the first homeless shelter was located at Sacred Heart Church in Vernon.

 Since this was an “Overnight Shelter” it presented a problem, because when the people left the shelter in the morning they had no place to go. We soon realized that something had to be done on a more full-time basis. Other churches opened their doors to help us care for the homeless.

 I had a strong urge to open a Drop-in Center in Rockville, to provide a Christian environment for those who needed a “listening ear “and sandwiches and a coffee for those in our shelter. So I called a few friends and shared the vision. Although we did not have a penny to our name we trusted that we would be taken care of.   We found a location in the center of Rockville. An empty store front. It was a perfect location. So we gathered in prayer and prayed “If this is from you God open the doors” We needed money for rent and security. We ended the prayer trusting that we would be taken care of. That evening I received a telephone call offering us the money needed to open our drop-in center. The Cornerstone Drop-in Center was founded!

 We soon realized that as the need for shelter grew we needed a more permanent base. The coffee and sandwiches served at our drop-in center was not enough. As it turns out, it was a homeless person who told us of the location we continue to use to this day--One Prospect Street, Rockville, CT.  Again we prayed for the money to be able to rent the building, and our prayers were answered. Going through the proper channels we were able to open a fifteen- bed shelter. We were filled every night.

As time went on we saw a need for a bigger facility. As the need for shelter grew, we began to look for a new location and found one on 15 Prospect Street, perfect for a new and bigger shelter. It was a cold, icy, wintery night when a group of people from the state came to look at this facility.  They liked it and to our surprise since we already had a shelter we were told what we needed was a soup kitchen. ”God had a different plan for us,” so we went for it. With the blessing of the Union Congregation Church who had been serving Friday evening meals , the Cornerstone Soup Kitchen came into existence. Since then with hundreds of volunteers we now serve over 40,000 meals a year!

 The legal paper paperwork that formed our 501 (c) (3) requires that I be listed as Executive Director of The Cornerstone Foundation Inc. Please just call me Helen. I like to tell my friends that God is our CEO.

 It was at that time a new Board of Directors was formed and the name of the Cornerstone shelter was changed to Tri-Town Shelter and they pursued a different mission.

 Several years later the Tri -Town Shelter found a new location and moved on... As a result, the original Cornerstone Shelter location was grandfathered in and we were able to able to reclaim our shelter. I believe that all that transpired was God’s plan. The homeless need is great and with two shelters, more people could now be helped.

The Cornerstone Foundation, Inc. is a multi-faceted Faith-based agency consisting of a shelter, soup kitchen, clothing bank and community center. In coming blogs we will be having various members of the Cornerstone family contribute their thoughts. You will be able to hear from our faithful volunteers, our dedicated staff and our clients.

I have seen many miraculous things happen throughout my years serving the needy in the greater Vernon area. And I have learned that “Much can be accomplished if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

...to be continued...

CORNERSTONE FOUNDATION, INC

Feeding the Hungry, Clothing the Naked, Sheltering the Homeless (Isaiah 58:6-7)

 A Place of Caring and Sharing

P.O. Box 2036    Rockville, CT  06066-1436
Tel. 860.871.1823             Fax 860.896-5057

Our Mission Statement

The Cornerstone Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit ecumenical outreach organization. It is a safe non-threatening atmosphere where one can be listened to, affirmed and encouraged.

Our primary endeavor is to improve the quality of life among the people we serve. We are committed to a set of values and objectives which we believe are essential to achieving our mission and realizing our vision.

• Soup Kitchen (860)871-1823
• Youth Center (860)870-0500
• Clothing Bank (860)870-0500
• Cornerstone Shelter (860)875-6343