A Long Road: Neighbor To Neighbor's New Headquarters Unveiled

GREENWICH, CT — After years of campaigning, planning, moving and delays, the Cohen Center for Neighbor to Neighbor is officially open.

The roughly 6,300 square foot facility, which serves as the headquarters for the nonprofit and its food pantry, first opened on Aug. 29 to the rear and east of the Tomes Higgins House at 248 E. Putnam Ave. in Greenwich.

Nearly 100 people gathered for a grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration on Tuesday afternoon.

Neighbor to Neighbor is a nonprofit organization which aims to create access to food, clothing and basic living essentials. They serve about 500 Greenwich families each week.

"This is a testament, a culmination, exaltation; you name the word, it's just such a wonderful, rewarding reinforcement for the work we're doing for the community. We're so proud of what we do," said Neighbor to Neighbor Executive Director Margaret Tjimos Goldberg.

The road to Tuesday's ribbon-cutting was long and arduous.

Following the financial crisis of 2008-2009, Neighbor to Neighbor saw an influx of clients, so they wanted to find a bigger space.

"After a thorough, but unsuccessful search, for a place we could lease, Christ Church kindly offered us this space to build our dream facility," said Pamela Kelley, a member of the nonprofit's board of directors, at Tuesday's ceremony.

"It took 14 years and a ton of work and perseverance, but here we are with a handicap accessible, energy efficient, environmentally friendly building that we can all be proud of," she added.

Neighbor to Neighbor had been operating out of the basement of a building at Christ Church Greenwich when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Looking for a bigger space to still operate under COVID-19 guidelines, Neighbor to Neighbor moved to the Arch Street Teen Center.

In partnership with the town's department of human services and the Transportation Association of Greenwich, Neighbor to Neighbor provided critical grocery deliveries to those in need during the height of the pandemic.

Neighbor to Neighbor left the teen center in April 2021 and moved to the North Congregational Church in the backcountry for six months while construction on the new building continued.

But a more centralized location was needed, so the nonprofit moved to the temporary building in the Horseneck Lane parking lot near the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, where they stayed until last month when construction was complete.

The project had been delayed due to the pandemic and a shortage of materials.

The building is ADA compliant and has many sustainable design features. It has an energy-super-insulated building envelope, high- efficiency heating and cooling system, and LED lighting throughout.

The food pantry features shopping carts, a refrigerated section, aisles of shelves, with canned goods and a fresh produce section. Clients are greeted as they enter, and can take what they need based on the size of their household.

There are three avenues clients can take to get the items they need: delivery for those who are not able to visit; full client choice and picking up items in-person; or an online grocery ordering system which should be finalized soon, Goldberg said.

Upstairs is a clothing distribution closet, and a variety of personal hygiene and toiletry products. Goldberg said the second level isn't ready to be opened yet.

Several people spoke briefly before the ribbon-cutting and tour of the new building.

Karen Royce, who led the building campaign, thanked the community for helping make the dream project come to fruition.

"This building embodies the values of dignity and respect that we seek for Neighbor's clients, volunteers and staff," she said.

State Rep. Stephen Meskers (D-150) echoed those sentiments, and said he was humbled and inspired by the work of so many people.

The Rev. Marek Zabriskie, of Christ Church Greenwich, said the building represents the best of Greenwich.

First Selectman Fred Camillo thanked Steve and Alexandra Cohen, and the Cohen Foundation, for donating $1.5 million to the project. Steve Cohen is a Greenwich resident and the owner of the New York Mets. He's also the founder of Point72 Asset Management, a hedge fund company headquartered in Stamford.

"This building really symbolizes I think Greenwich's commitment to make sure that anyone who lives in our town does not go to bed hungry, or walks around cold," Camillo said. "It's one of the many things that's great about our town, and now it's just in a much nicer building."

Residents in need of Neighbor to Neighbor's services can contact the Greenwich Department of Human Services.

For more information, visit Neighbor to Neighbor's website.