Hartford Neighborhood Center, 38 Lawrence St, Hartford, CT 06106, US

The Cornerstone Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Rockville, a former textile mill city about 15 miles northeast of Hartford. The foundation was started in 1982 by Helen Syriac, a local resident and parishioner at Sacred Heart Church in Vernon. She was so moved by the death of a homeless man, Vern Cook, that she decided to create a place for caring and sharing. She went to her pastor and asked him if they could use the church library as a shelter. "If one person was seeking shelter, there must be others," she reasoned. Her pastor agreed, and the first shelter for the homeless in the Vernon area was opened at Sacred Heart Church. During the first year, 143 people were sheltered, many of whom were single mothers with children. This original shelter still exists today. But Helen wasn't finished. She felt a strong urge to open a drop-in center in Rockville to provide a Christian environment for those who needed a listening ear. She called a few friends, shared the vision and prayed. An initial site was identified, and after praying for the startup money, within a few hours a person called and offered a jar of coins he had saved for several years. It was the exact amount needed!From those humble beginnings, the Cornerstone Foundation has become the multifaceted community resource it is today. Cornerstone provides overnight shelter, a soup kitchen, a clothing bank and more.