James Gillen has been named the recipient of the Sister Judy Soares and John Coen Award by the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless. Gillen is currently the manager of The Providence Center’s Recovery Services Division and the Anchor Recovery Community Center. He supervises volunteers at Emmanuel House, coordinates a weekly addiction and homeless support group and facilitates an annual wellness event.
PBN: You are involved in addiction recovery and homelessness services. What gives you the drive to be involved in so many ways?
GILLEN: My drive comes from a desire to see people succeed. Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a fulfilling life and find what makes them happy. I believe that everyone has the ability to overcome the obstacles they face if they find the right guidance and support. I never give up on anyone because the people I work with could easily be me, my friends, my family.
I work to provide support on a lot of different levels because everything is connected. I don’t want people to just find a place to live; I want to give them the tools they need to keep a place to live. That means getting treatment for substance abuse, learning job skills, getting a GED, building a community.
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PBN: Tell us more about the annual wellness event – Healthy Body, Mind and Spirit.
GILLEN: We are in our fourth year of the annual Healthy Body, Mind and Spirit event. We work in collaboration with McAuley House to host a day that gives people the tools to find balance in their lives while having a great time. There’s yoga, pilates, healthy food, music, storytelling and … socialization. It’s a day where people learn how much fun it is to be healthy and to be around other people who want to be healthy.
PBN: What needs to happen in order for Rhode Island to move forward in addressing homelessness? Are there ways members of the business community can contribute?
GILLEN: Rhode Island needs to become more recovery-friendly, to support people who are working hard to change their lives. These are some of the most courageous people I have ever met, but it’s a battle for them to get past the stigma of their past experience. One thing that the business community could do is give people who have had addiction problems and been involved in the criminal justice system jobs. People in recovery want to work, they want to live productively and give back. Having a job is a major step towards success. •
