
<p>Eli Gasert founded the &#8216;Safe and Warm Project&#8217; in 2023 to assist people in need across Onondaga County. As of now, Eli delivers pre-made sandwiches and meals to people in Auburn and Skaneateles.</p>


Joe Gabriel

Heather Ainsworth

Elihu Gansert founded the &#8216;Safe and Warm Project&#8217; in October of 2023 after sharing his battles with drug and alcohol addiction for the first time. After over six years of total sobriety, Eli has praised the power of community and become a guardian angel for those in need.

Eli initiated the Safe and Warm Project as a drop-in center for individuals in need to receive shelter and select essential items. Now, with the recent contribution of St. James’ Episcopal Church kitchen, Eli garners several volunteers to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and other lunches. Currently, the volunteers prepare over 100 lunches every week.

While a set of volunteers assembles sandwiches, another set adds fresh fruit and small candies to the lunch bags. Several items of food are regularly donated to the Safe and Warm Project to continue the lunch-making operation. However, to meet the growing demand for lunches every week, Eli covers a portion of the food costs out-of-pocket.

Eli packs multiple lunches in reusable bags for delivery to Auburn. In the village just outside of Skaneateles, many low-income, homeless, or otherwise in need individuals and families will stay in motels. In some locations, families are found squeezing six people in one room.

In just over an hour, over 100 lunches are assembled for immediate delivery. While volunteers finish their last jam smears and bread stacks, Eli will take the finished bags to his personal car for delivery. In the aftermath, volunteers clean up what looks to be sandwich chaos.

11 miles away stands the Roles Shelter in Auburn, NY. Eli knocks on every door and announces himself at each location. While most accept his food service, some are not present for Eli’s visit and are left a couple of sandwiches by their front door.

At the Grant Ave Motel, everyone jumps to their doors when Eli arrives. It doesn’t take long before everyone is outside awaiting a meal and good conversation. Eli (pictured left) is seen with a regular recipient of aid (pictured right, left anonymous).

Chrissy (pictured) is a regular of the Safe and Warm Project who struggled with addiction before finding Eli. In many cases, the project will meet with and assist addicts trying to recover into sobriety. In the interaction pictured, Chrissy tells Eli she’s now 4 months sober.

An anonymous regular of the Safe and Warm Project takes shelter under the Roles Shelter. During the visit, rain began to drizzle and signal a bigger downpour within the hour. The regular sat outside enjoying the weather while Eli gave him a couple of lunches.

After all lunches were delivered, on the drive back to Skaneateles, Eli recalls his past. While addicted to oxytocin and heroin, Eli remembers wishing for a friend to pull him out. Years later, Eli became the friend he had wished for. With the Safe and Warm Project, everyone in the community is a friend of Eli.

The Alexia Fall Workshop

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FRIENDS OF ELI

Produced by

Angie Grevi

Coached by

Joe Gabriel

Heather Ainsworth