No man is an island,
No man stands alone,
Each man’s joy is joy to me,
Each man’s grief is my own
We need one another.
So begins Joan Baez’s adaptation of John Donne’s brief 1624 poem. The words are simple but profound, and they express a basic value of The Well Community: No one is alone. “Community” is what we do.
Being connected is so important to each of us, but even more so for those who feel they live on an isolated island of mental illness where no one knows or cares about their joys and griefs.
Our Outreach Program is designed to help our homeless neighbors know they do not stand alone. Our workers assess their needs and connect them to local services. If mental health issues are identified, an invitation to The Well is extended.
A few have stopped by for lunch and to learn more about The Well. I recently spoke with one visitor who told me she has lived on the streets for a long time but had just learned about The Well. “This is a good place,” she said. “You help people like me. I’ve needed a place like this.”
In truth, we all need a place like this–where we can get the help we need from people who care. Indeed, we all need one another.
Alice