Derek Fox, left, chats with Michael Lungren on Saturday at the Drop-In Center at 121 Mill St. in Auburn. Fox appreciates the social aspect of the Drop-In Center, which he credits for giving him a place to connect with friends. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

AUBURN — The new Drop-in Center opened its doors on Saturday at 121 Mill St., offering a space for breakfast and lunch to the local homeless population, as well as a small store of clothing and camping supplies.

Previously located in the basement of the First Universalist Church of Auburn: Unitarian Universalist under the name Pleasant Street Drop-in Center, the center has moved to a larger, more accommodating space. It will continue to operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

One homeless man, who wished to remain anonymous, shared his gratitude for the new space: “The building is phenomenal. It’s great. It’s kind of what we had in the church, but now there’s more space, more room for everybody. You don’t feel crowded. The food’s always great. I think they go above and beyond, which we all need.”

Derek Fox, another guest at the Drop-in Center, talked about how the space has impacted his life beyond just providing meals. “What I like about this place is I come here and I can meet my real family. I met my real family here,” he said. “They’re not related to me, but it’s a real family.”

Ty Asselin enjoys a gluten-free lunch Saturday at the new Drop-In Center at 121 Mill St. in Auburn. Asselin has severe gluten allergies and finds it difficult to trust food others give him. He says he completely trusts the volunteers at the Drop-In Center, who ensure he gets food that is safe for him to eat and pack him to-go containers of leftovers. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Fox, who previously worked in a well-paying job, found himself struggling after a job loss. “I was working probably a minimum of 40, sometimes 58 hours a week. I was exhausted. Then I lost my job,” he said. “Now I’m not working, but hopefully, that won’t last much longer.”

Fox has found other support through the center. “A lady here gave me advice on getting free counseling. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have known about it,” he said. “I follow dirt bike racing, and I saw this guy talk about sports counseling improving his performance. That made me think maybe counseling could help me, too.”

The move to the new location was made possible through the efforts of an ad hoc committee working with the city of Auburn. Peter Floyd, a member of the committee, explained the process: “The council has done a great job moving forward with some of these actions to have services available.” He credited Mayor Jeff Harmon for supporting the initiative and pushing for expanded services.

Funding for the Drop-in Center comes from a mix of grants and personal donations.

“We are a nonprofit now paying rent here,” Floyd said. “It’s just lots of personal donations that make this happen.”

Peter Floyd sweeps the floor Saturday at The Drop-In Center, located at 121 Mill St. in Auburn. Floyd volunteers at the center and has been active with the organization since it began in the basement of the First Universalist Church of Auburn: Unitarian Universalist. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

The volunteers have also noticed positive reactions from guests. Jen Eugley, a volunteer, observed the welcoming atmosphere: “Everyone who has come in so far says it’s super beautiful, and there’s so much light. They say the walk over here is even closer than before, so it doesn’t seem to be a problem.”

For many, the Drop-in Center represents more than just a place to stay warm. “This is a very good sanctuary,” said one guest who wished to remain anonymous. “Thank God for this place. Three, four, five years ago, we didn’t have this. The city wasn’t stepping up. But now, we finally have something that helps.”

Anyone wishing to learn about how to become a volunteer can contract the Drop-In Center at PleasantStreetDropInCenter@gmail.com.