New Haven Independent

At the Eli Whitney Museum, supporters munched on Modern pizza, drank beer, and paid $50 a head (or more) to support New Haven homeless shelters, at an event sponsored in Staples’ honor. Like several area state legislators this fall, Staples has no opponent. So he decided to shift his campaign strategy.

“Why should I raise money for mailings and signs when I can instead encourage people to think about the issue of homelessness?” said Staples, pictured with daughters Natalie, 9, and Olivia, 12. “I want to go back to Hartford and make it a state priority that even in a depression there are certain services we have to fund.”

“And we have to keep them warm and cozy,” said Olivia.

With state budget cuts, the “overflow” adjunct to New Haven’s Columbus House shelter, which has room for 75 men each winter,- was slated to close. But, thanks to numerous fundraising events (including three on Sunday), the shelter will open this Wednesday. Supporters hope that with contributions continuing to come in, the shelter can stay open through April and keep the growing numbers of homeless people from freezing on the street. Pictured at Eli Whitney Sunday evening: Columbus House chief Alison Cunningham.

“Tonight is a great example of community action at the grassroot level,” said Mayor John DeStefano, pictured. “It’s nice to see people step up and support this issue.”

“The problem only gets worse in a recession. Resources for shelters will continue to decrease as the need rises, said Anika Singh Lemar, a local attorney and a board member of the Solid Waste and Recycling Authority. She and her husband, East Rock Alderman Roland Lemar (pictured with the mayor), helped organize Sunday’s event. “Together as a community we need to address this issue,” she said.

During a brief speech, Columbus House Executive Director Alison Cunningham talked about the struggles she faces as director and expressed her appreciation for the community support.

The six-month budget for the overflow shelter is $300,000. Cunningham has set a goal of raising $100,000; as of Sunday night, she were halfway there. With a suggested donation of $50, Staples said Sunday’s event would raise between $5,000-10,000 for shelters.

“Thank you for paying attention to these issues and helping… people transition from homeless to independent,” said Cunningham.

Across town at Delaney’s in Westville, State Rep. Pat Dillon also held an event Sunday to benefit not her reelection campaign, but three not-for-profits: Solar Youth, Columbus House, and Westville Renaissance. (It wasn’t technically, legally a campaign fund-raiser. Rather people were encouraged to leave checks at the door for the organization of their choice.) Unlike Staples, Dillon does have an opponent in next Tuesday’s election, Republican Paul Ortiz. But she’s heavily favored to win another term to represent the 92nd District, a seat she first claimed in 1984. She said she and other legislators will probably hold more of these fund-raisers for community groups, and not just at election time. “There’s so much anxiety” about jobs and Wall Street, she said. “People need hope. As legislators, we can be conveners.”

Delaney’s served eggs, waffles and bacon to a crowd of Westville volunteers like Kate Bradley …

… longtime Dillon campaign supporters and workers like Carol Anastasio, Marlene Woodman and Brian McGrath …

… and social-change activists like Gary Holder-Winfield, Joe Taylor and Frank Panzarella.

In remarks to the gathering, Mayor John DeStefano called Dillon “a treasure.” “Nobody better understands better than Pat how to navigate Hartford. The phone calls are sometimes three times longer than they need to be,” DeStefano remarked with a smile, “but she understands” how to deliver for New Haven.

Paul Bass contributed to this article.