homeless Archives - The Inside Press

(L-R): Michael Bailey and Dr. Jeff Gilbert
Photo courtesy of Dr. Jeff Gilbert

A Chappaqua neighbor famously coined the phrase, “It takes a village.” When Dr. Jeff Gilbert befriended Michael Bailey, a homeless artist, he proved her words true.

Gilbert was on his way back to his home in Chappaqua after the June 22nd Yankee game when he spotted a shoeless man sitting on Babe Ruth Plaza surrounded by pictures of baseball player Aaron Judge and football player Saquon Barkley. He stopped to purchase the five-dollar Judge print, and as he boarded the train, he regretted not buying the Saquon picture. He tracked down the artist via the artist’s website – artofzebra.com – listed on the print.

The artist, 60-year-old Bailey, has been down on his luck and living on the street after a bad marriage, difficult partnership, bout of depression, and subsequent drug problem. Bailey, an architect with an MBA from the University of Chicago, opened the Zebra Gallery in 1990. In 1995, he expanded the Zebra Gallery, establishing Zebra Art, Inc., an art publishing and distribution business. “I had a million-dollar business, and I lost everything. It was going very well for a while. Then, with my divorce, and my son being taken away from me, everything went bad,” says Bailey.

Bailey grew up with his mother and his sister, Helen, in Chicago. Helen, who now lives in California, still maintains Bailey’s site. Bailey’s son, who lives in Tampa, stores some of Bailey’s original artwork. But since 2007, Bailey has lived on the streets of Chicago, New York, Dallas, Cleveland, and various other cities to which he’s traveled, trying to promote his artwork. “I’m trying to show my work,” relays Bailey.

A Friendship Forms

Gilbert became more than another person whom Bailey met in his travels. They became fast friends when Gilbert gave Bailey a copy of his children’s book, Milton’s Moment. “That was a gesture of friendship,” according to Bailey, who refused to take money for the Saquon print Gilbert wanted to purchase.

“I felt like I knew Michael from somewhere as soon as I met him,” says Gilbert, who just “knew Michael was a good person.” Overwhelmed by Bailey’s story and kind nature, Gilbert invited Bailey to dinner and then to visit him up in Westchester. “We have so many resources available up here. Things that Michael could never access on his own,” notes Gilbert.

A Supportive Community

But Gilbert couldn’t change Bailey’s life on his own. So, he reached out to his wide circle of friends and to the Chappaqua, Briarcliff, Pleasantville, and Armonk communities via FaceBook to tell Bailey’s story.

Thanks to the power of positive social media and community support, Gilbert witnessed “so many members of our community mobilizing to make a difference in this man’s life.” Helena Terilli, Co-President of the food pantry at the Methodist Church in Pleasantville, bought Michael almost $300 of new clothes. And the community has contributed almost $5,000 to the gofundme.com page that Gilbert established for Bailey.

“I meet a lot of people in different cities,” noted Bailey, “but it was Jeff who changed my life.” For the first time since 2007, Bailey is no longer sleeping on the streets. While he does not have a home yet, he is staying in hotels as he travels the country to show his work.

Thanks to Gilbert’s efforts, Bailey’s artwork is also being exposed to a significantly wider audience. In June, he was invited to show and sell his work in Pleasantville at Yogolicious and The Village Bookstore.

The opportunity to connect to more people and to show and sell his work to people who didn’t know anything about him six months ago, is deeply meaningful and life-altering for Bailey, who sees art as his spiritual calling. “Art is my gift from God. When someone buys a piece of art from me, I tell them that I am sharing this gift.” Bailey generously shares this gift with others, often giving children free prints of their favorite athletes, superheroes, or musicians.

Late this summer, Bailey spent some time in Chicago, working on a painting of the New York Yankees’ veteran pitcher, CC Sabathia. He showcased it at the table that The Rotary Club of Chappaqua donated to him for Chappaqua’s Community Day on September 14th. Gilbert also arranged for Bailey to show his art at the Chappaqua art gallery, The Art Closet.

Future Plans for Bailey

After Community Day, Bailey spent a few days selling prints outside of Yankee Stadium before he hit the road once again. He then returned to sell his prints at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival on October 5th. In the coming months, Gilbert will continue to look for “creative ways to help Michael.” No doubt, he will continue to rely on his “village” for help.

Screenshot 2015-10-15 13.48.21 — Jack Desmarais helps unpack fresh produce.

By Miriam Longobardi

Thanksgiving is a time when we reflect on that for which we are grateful as well as share our abundance with others. The holidays can be a time of year when those in need experience a sense of lack more keenly than other times, but, thankfully, there are many local organizations and houses of worship that offer nourishment for bodies and souls. Although some programs are specifically geared toward the holidays, others are ongoing throughout the year.

Nils Chittenden, rector of St. Stephens Episcopal Church on Bedford Road in Armonk, said that the influence of the worshipping community is far-reaching. Members of his congregation participate in ongoing work with the Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry.

AnnLee Malani and Sue Brown coordinate food deliveries to homebound adults, and, not only are the recipients grateful for the food, but, because the women have developed relationships with these people, they look forward to the weekly visits as well as the deliveries of food.

The sense of companionship and someone checking in on them is as important as the food itself. Each year before the start of the annual Frosty Parade in Armonk, St. Stephens holds a winter fair in their main hall, and there are family-friendly activities as well as tables set up for non-profit groups to promote their causes. There are roving carolers as well as a bake sale to raise money for a different charity each year.

This year the bake sale proceeds will go to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for biliary cancer research. Another important ministry of his church is hosting one of the largest Alcoholic Anonymous meetings in Westchester. Hundreds of people attend weekly, and meetings are held every day except Sunday. “The holidays can be a time when people with alcoholism experience an extraordinarily high need for support and we are glad to be able to provide that here,” Chittenden said. St. Stephens also regularly hosts Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts and the focus on citizenship and volunteerism also positively impacts the community.

At Temple Beth-El of Northern Westchester in Chappaqua, mitzvahs, or any good or praise-worthy deeds, abound throughout the year. Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe shared some ongoing work as well as special missions happening near Thanksgiving. A group of his congregants will be collecting donations for the people of Cuba and will then travel there to help the Jewish community as well as the larger Cuban community by providing much-needed medical supplies. “They are a communist country so they aren’t starving. What they can really use are a variety of medical supplies and some types of clothing. We will be collecting donations through December and the group will go down over the holiday break.”

Meg Gregg (left) sorts food with other volunteers at the Inter- faith Food Pantry.

The group includes some families with children old enough to assist as well as older people. “It’s a mixture of people who want to help,” Jaffe said. Each year boys and girls preparing for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs are part of the Mitzvah Corp Program by choosing a nonprofit company for which to volunteer.

Current Mitzvah Corp assignments include Pleasantville Community Garden, where they will help plant foods grown for donation, Atria Senior Living, where kids visit and plan a Hanukkah party for the elderly, and the Miracle League of Westchester that provides opportunities for youth and adults with special needs to enable them to play baseball in a specially designed adaptive field.

Mitzvah Corp kids commit to volunteering for five consecutive months so they really form relationships with the people they are helping and learn the rewards of service. Temple Beth-El also participates in the multi-denominational Interfaith Council that takes turns hosting a service and free Thanksgiving meal. Temple Beth-El hosted last year’s dinner and this year it will be hosted by St. Mary’s Church in Chappaqua. The meal follows an interfaith service comprised of members from Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, and Muslim faiths. Additionally, Temple Beth-El holds a High Holy Day Food Drive so when many members are fasting, they are also donating food to the Westchester Food Bank.

The Church of St. Patrick in Armonk organizes a variety of social ministry initiatives with the purpose of involving as much of the parish as possible to help others. “Our area is so blessed and others are not nearly as fortunate,” said Val Sprague, one of the lay leaders of the church led by Father Jeffery Galens. “We began Project Embrace as a way to reach out to as many people in need as we can. Under that program, different lay leaders of the parish organized committees to address different people’s needs. It continues to expand each year.”

Sprague herself helped start F.I.A.T. , which stands for Faith In Action Taskforce. F.I.A.T. volunteers participate in Midnight Run, which provides clothing and toiletries for the homeless, and organizes pancake breakfasts and pasta dinners to feed people dealing with food scarcity and donate clothing to the Children’s Hope Chest.

The CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) teams each adopt a group of children and donate to them by buying gift certificates and clothing, as well as holiday gifts. The teams prepare beautiful food baskets which are donated to the Greenwich Food Pantry. The CYO motto is “Not just basketball.”

Also formed under Project Embrace is the Christmas Angel Program which connects to a sister parish in Peekskill that is very impoverished. Donations of winter clothes and holiday gifts are collected and sent to them. Christmas Angels also purchase $25 gift cards for the women in the Bedford Correctional Facility to give to their teenaged children who visit them.

Local clergy and Council members together at Temple Beth El for last year’s Interfath Council Thanksgiving dinner. Front Row, from left to right: Candace Downing, CantorStar Trompeter, Nada Bernstein, Rev. Katy Cates, Phoebe Washburn, Richard Laster, Elinor Griffith, Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe, Rabbi Maura Linzer. Second Row, from left to right: Rev. Leigh Pezet, Roo Streich, Kristina Sibinga, Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs, Ellen Lewis, Joanie Ferroni, Rev. Msgr. Tom Gilleece.

“This allows them to be moms to their kids. Even imprisoned, we want to make sure there’s joy,” Sprague said. During a special mass on December 13th, parishioners bring in their donations of food, clothing, and gifts. Following the mass, everyone sorts through and organizes all the donations to be distributed, even the children. “It’s important that the children see that the holidays are not just about making a list of what they want, but to be involved in giving to others,” Sprague explained.

The Mount Kisco Interfaith Pantry is an organization that, as the recipient of food and resources from many local congregations, last year was able to serve over 31,000 thousand people. Kate Lombardi, the communications director, shared what makes the Interfaith Pantry so special.

“Unlike other food pantries, which hand out pre-bagged meals, we are set up like a regular market, and people are free make choices that suit their tastes and dietary needs. There is a dignity in making your own selections.”

Food is not the only provision, though. “We offer home deliveries to the homebound as well as a variety of helpful classes, such as cooking demonstrations, how to budget for food, food prep, bilingual nutrition, and best use of food. We are trying to build a healthy community,” Lombardi said. The volunteers shop for food at the Westchester Food Bank. The Food Bank does not serve clients directly; rather, they provide food for local pantries and organizations at greatly reduced prices.

Pantry Volunteers

Lombardi is proud of the fact that they are able to provide a huge variety of food, including a large assortment of fresh produce, truly a luxury for a food pantry. The Mount Kisco Community Garden maintains a space where they grow food specifically for the Interfaith Pantry. Lombardi reminded me that the entire Mount Kisco Food Pantry is run entirely by volunteers–their Board of Directors, the people that organize food distribution, those who maintain the website, the grant-writers and newsletter-writers, and of course,
everyone in between.

While they are grateful for all donations, the most helpful are financial donations. “For every dollar donated, four dollars’ worth of food is purchased, and this helps feed over 250 households each week. We are neighbors feeding neighbors, and you never know when families may encounter a crisis and need help providing food.” To learn more about how you can volunteer or donate, visit their website: mountkiscofoodpantry.org/donate

Whether you are hungering in body or spirit, in need of comfort or would like to serve others, there are places nearby where you can receive or provide help. You are not alone during this holiday season, and there is a community of people to whom you can turn for a variety of needs and with whom you can share your time and energy to benefit others.

Miriam Longobardi is a freelance writer, fourth grade teacher and single mother of two daughters living in Westchester. A breast cancer survivor, she volunteers for the American Cancer Society and has completed four marathons and travels the world. Follow her on Twitter @writerMimiLong.