AMHERST - A breakfast drop-in center to help poor and homeless individuals find housing, employment and social services is expected to open in downtown Amherst in the near future.

Hwei-Ling Greeney, the former director of the Not Bread Alone soup kitchen and former Select Board member, is establishing Amherst Community Connections Inc., a place where she hopes to use advocacy and empowerment to end poverty and homelessness and raise the dignity of those who visit.

"With some encouragement, you can get people more able to advocate for themselves," Greeney said.

Greeney started seeing clients at her 76 McClellan St. home in April, shortly after leaving her previous position, giving them access to a phone, computer and printer. But the success of this model has meant she has now outgrown her home office.

She formed her new venture in September and has applied for 501C nonprofit status.

Greeney recently sent an appeal letter to people in Amherst in an effort to raise the money needed to launch the program.

"Can you help ACC to continue its work with those who want a second chance in life? The people we help are our neighbors who are poor, homeless and physically disabled/mentally ill."

While the center will serve free meals, much as both Not Bread Alone and the Amherst Survival Center do, Greeney said it will be different in that client empowerment will be at the core. She quotes the saying that it is better to teach people to fish so they can have fish for the rest of their lives, rather than giving them fish and they only have fish for a day.

Cheryl Zoll, executive director of the Survival Center, said Greeney has always been a strong advocate for people in need of service, and the attention she gives clients is similar to the work done by caseworkers at both the Survival Center and Not Bread Alone.

"There is a huge demand for the individualized working with people," Zoll said. "She will be fulfilling a need."

The breakfasts will be continental-style, Greeney said, with coffee, tea, pastries, doughnuts, bagels, and cereal and oatmeal.

The center will be open daily from 9 a.m. to noon so that it won't conflict with the Survival Center and Not Bread Alone operations.

"For now, I am planning to do it half a day for five days a week," Greeney said.

Her vision includes having a corner of the center with a computer station and phone that clients can use to search for jobs or enroll in government aid programs. People will receive assistance from volunteer counselors who will be at the site.

Greeney's appeal letter notes two success stories that have already occurred. This includes a woman with mental health issues and survivor of domestic abuse who was assisted in getting dental coverage, and the other a man who got housing after decades of being homeless.

Amherst Community Connections is expected to partner with local churches and faith communities, and will network with other social service agencies.

Though Greeney is doing her own fundraising, Zoll said she doesn't expect this to negatively impact others who are already providing service.

Greeney is looking at three sites for the program, which will have a $50,000 annual budget for providing the community breakfast, rent, office expenses and staff salary. Requirements are that the site be centrally located and handicapped accessible.