Groundworks Drop-In Center—a program of Groundworks Collaborative

Douglas Fisher

They were very helpful to me, and I am in a nice apartment now.

Michael Tallman

What can I say..... Good bless them and the work they do. Residents there and staff would give you the shirt off there back if they could👍👍💯💯🥰🥰

Jon Stewart

They are open until noon on Saturdays and not open on Sundays. Great place, great staff /most of the people there show respect. of course, some don’t know what respect is. this place is very helpful, nonetheless. I come here get what I need and keep to myself - Ask them if they need help with anything like throwing out their garbage.Then I thank them and leave

Tim Sanborn

I have been a member of the first Baptist church for 12 year's in that time I have been a youth group teacher and a sunday school teacher. When the opportunity arose I was more then thrilled and happy to donate some of my time to volunteer at the Brattleboro Over flow Shelter. After speaking with Jen Bido the hiring manager I got signed on to work mostly the 1am to 7am Shift. Jen Bido had me sign a bunch of papers and I was all set. After witnessing a hostile act of violence the week earlier where a man threw a womans plate of food it hit the table and hit her in the face. I was a little nervous that if any of the men became violent towards me I could get hurt. I bought a canister of pepper spray as a back up protection plan. After asking Jen was it okay her response was I'm not sure I will ask my bosses.. The issue was never brought up again I was told that one of the rules was that no homeless were not allowed in the church kitchen.. The first two weeks were great and smooth. However on Feb 17 at 6am I was making my rounds waking up the homeless people the ladies sleep upstairs after waiting for twenty minutes and nobody coming downstairs I went back up and some were still sleeping one woman was packing and griped that me coming up so much could be looked at as sexual harassment. Okay whatever I ignored her and went back downstairs There was a homeless gentleman in the kitchen who I had never seen before and I said I'm sorry you can't be in here. He told me I can do whatever the F I want too. I asked him two more times to leave the kitchen when he did he was yelling and swearing and acting out of control. I bcame concerned for not only myself but that he would rile up the rest of the people there and I said okay you need to leave. He refused to leave I asked him again and he refused after the third time I said you are a guest here and he yelled no I live here your the guest. At this point he began to charge towards chest puffed out and arms wide at his side when he got inches from my face I grabbed for my pepper spray and told him to back off or you will get sprayed. He stomped away screaming and cursing carrying on at that point it was all out of control so I dialed 911 explained what was happening. While I was on the phone with the Police my drop in center higher up boss Farris came in and got a little control of the man. A couple minutes later three Brattleboro Police officers showed up talked to Farris talked to the man and talked to the director of the drop in center and escorted the man off the property. Farris said I did the right thing and that was that. Later that morning Jen Bido called me and confirmed my shift for the following day with me. A couple hours later I was awoken to a second phone call from Jen who then said her boss the director of the drop in center Rihanna Kendrick had asked her to call me and tell me I was no longer a volunteer. When I asked why Jen said I had not followed policy that I was supposed to give someone staying there three strikes on three different occasions before I could call the Police even if they were violent and out of control I was supposed to call Rihanna and have her handle it. I got dressed and went to speak with Rihanna. Rihanna Kendrick told me that she had let me go because I had overreacted by calling the Police that she didn't like the idea of me having pepper spray and that she had gotten other complaints about me. She refused to listen to anything I had to say even when I explained that her policy does not trump the law. I tried to file a written Police complaint against Rhinna for Endangering the Welfare of the Public by allowing that homeless man to be there anthor volunteer had told me the man was prone to violent outbursts and had pulled this stuff before. Rhiannas policy for three strikes also restricts volunteer's acess to 911. The Brattleboro Police refused to take my complaint and said I would have to speak to Rhiannas supervisor. Update the head of the drop in center Rhianna Kendrick had me illegally trespassed from the church claiming she owned it