The Well's new director settling in

Dec. 9—Susan Suarez, new director of The Well, has had little trouble settling into the role since taking over in October.

"It's a lot of fun and energy and getting to know people," Suarez said.

She already knew many of the regulars who frequent the facility at the corner of Gloucester Street and JF Mann Way in downtown Brunswick after eight months of working as a staff member and before that a volunteer. Suarez said she'd sit down and get to know the people who came seeking services or a safe place.

Sometimes they just need help applying for a job or state ID, filing for a copy of their birth certificate or Social Security card or taking advantage of social programs. Simply using a computer can be a big hurdle for many, and just about everything is online now, she said.

That's the primary mission of The Well, she said. It's not strictly a shelter, but it is a safe place homeless people can go during the day. It's also a place to get food, get clean and get help.

Sometimes it's as simple as being there to lend an ear.

"They're people. They crave the same things everybody else does," Suarez said.

She started as a staffer in February and mostly as a way to get out of the house.

Suarez suffers from Huntington's disease and was unable to walk around this time last year. The Well has been good for her recovery, she said.

"It was a good way to ease back into it," Suarez said.

Now that she's in charge, however, Suarez says she's been big on making sure rules are followed. One staff member said the facility no longer lacks structure now that she's in charge.

Volunteer schedules are orderly and arranged so as to avoid burnout. Breakfast is served promptly, people know when to show up to get help with social services and those using the facility know when it's time to leave.

"It's earned me the name 'Mama' around here because I'm the punisher," Suarez said.

Most importantly, Suarez says she doesn't tolerate violence or disrespect of any type. Any incident results in swift ejection from the building.

"I just tell them, 'You're off for the day,'" Suarez said. "... But the next day, they'll be back to talking and laughing like nothing happened."

That's because it's hard to develop grudges in their position, she explained. When you don't know if you'll be around tomorrow, you end up in a 24-hour loop where the events of the day before are left in the past.

Her real challenge now is getting the staff to run the shelter seven days a week. She has six staff members and 10 volunteers, enough to keep The Well open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Ideally, she'd like to increase hours to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the week — closer to the facility's hours before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The shortage of reliable workers is most acute on weekends, she said. For more information on lending a hand, contact Tab Miller, director of volunteer ministries, at tab@faithworksministry.org.

She's heard the arguments that The Well should move elsewhere in the county to be closer to supermarkets, the Southeast Georgia Health System's Brunswick hospital and a pharmacy. That makes little sense to her.

It's actually a good location, in her opinion. In downtown Brunswick, The Well is within easy walking distance of a Winn Dixie and right around the corner from Coastal Community Heath's new clinic. The Well serves breakfast and offers hospitality and social services during the day. Manna House serves lunch and the Salvation Army serves dinner and provides a few dozen beds for sleeping.

"Do I think we need a bigger place with evening service or more beds? Yes," she said.

FaithWorks, the umbrella organization of The Well, Sparrow's Nest and others, is pleased with the facility's new director.

Most of The Well's directors have shared some traits, said the Rev. Wright Culpepper, executive director of FaithWorks.

"They all come with a passion and desire to help people in homeless situations, and Susan has that," Culpepper said. "She's come up through the ranks and naturally assumed that position. She's done a lot of one-on-one with people, a lot of the grunt work that has to be done making sure their needs, both mental and physical, are met."

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it very difficult for The Well to retain staff and volunteers, and it has lost more than one reliable, long-term worker. Suarez's husband is one such worker, and through him, Susan found her way to The Well and has been exactly what it needs — compassion and a bright spirit.

"And she has a strong awareness of what it's like to be without so she brings a healthy point of view and compassionate leadership," Culpepper said.

Both The Well and Sparrow's Nest will also take donations, he said. Items the nonprofit is particularly in need of can be found at faithworksministry.org.

"If anyone's interested in working with us we'd be glad to talk to them," Culpepper said.