WESTERLO — An organization that works tirelessly to connect people in need to donations of food and other goods has received a big donation of its own. 

The Hilltowns Community Resource Center was given a house to work from, just a few doors away from its previous location at the Westerlo Reformed Church on Route 143.

The donation from Hannay Reels was a “welcome surprise,” Jenn Hyde, the executive director of Catholic Charities, which oversees the resource center, told The Enterprise this week. 

Hannay Reels’ Chief Operating Officer Elaine Gruener told The Enterprise this week that the company “has long supported the mission” of the resource center, “as they do great things for people often located too far [from] other resources in the Capital District.”

She added that “the project did also include some other major corporate donors for renovations to the property,” but declined to elaborate.

“I am not even sure of all the plans they have, but am excited to find out,” Gruener said. 

The center has already relocated to the new house, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held the morning of May 3, Hyde said. 

With its own space, the resource center will have more opportunity to put together new programs. 

“We have private space where a person could meet for things like SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program]  enrollment, or a private one-to-one meeting with a practitioner, or maybe … health insurance enrollment,” she said.

Hyde also suggested that, with a fully equipped kitchen, the center might be able to provide cooking and nutrition classes, adding that the group will attempt to establish partnerships with other sorts of providers to provide more comprehensive service to the community.