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| The mission of the Gibson Center for Senior Services is to offer programs that enable seniors in New Hampshire's Northern Carroll County to live independently and actively, with purpose and dignity. Make a donation to support us to achieve our mission and goals. Why support us? |
Director Message
Thank you everyone for being here today. My name is David Smolen and I am the Executive Director of the Gibson Center.
Today we are celebrating a significant milestone in the history of the Gibson Center. Last week we served our two millionth meal since our founding as an independent organization in 1979. It took 27 years to get to one million and nineteen to get to two million.
How did we get to one million? How did we get to two million? How are we going to get to three million?
It was done through a combination of forces that brought together a strong mission and vision for the organization, a caring community of volunteers, donors, voters, and foundations, dedicated staff, and a Federal social safety net that created the framework for the organization to thrive.
The Older Americans Act of 1965 created the modern-day Meals on Wheels system.
The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 created Community Action Programs (CAP) and prior to becoming independent in 1979 GCSS was a part of Tri County Cap.
This dining room was funded in part by the Community Development Block Grant, we receive support through the Nutrition Services Incentive Program, our bus service is supported in part by the US DOT, and our status as a non-profit organization is conferred upon us by the IRS.
It is this public-private partnership that makes us the organization we are today and has paved the way for two million meals.
I’ll conclude by looking to the bible, where we can see our work goes back to the beginning.
The Book of James Chapter 2, Verses 14-18 tells us:
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
We are a place of works that “welcomes the stranger in our midst,” which is how we have built a community over the last forty six years and that will take us to three million meals.
Thank you