Fresh fruit and drinks were given to those coming in off the street, a normal occurrence even on the day of a farewell party. Others sat in chairs arranged in a circle and drank coffee. People who have been storing their belongings in bags inside the center were told that their things would be secure until at least the end of the month.

It was also a chance for Robin Reilly, executive director of the storefront shelter, to offer some final advice and assistance to people that she may or may not see again.

"Richard, be careful out there," she said to a 79-year-old man who sleeps in his car.

"Don’t stir things up with the police. Just keep to yourself," she said to Diane and Matthew, a couple who just lost their baby.

"Come here and give me a hug," she said to Joe, a man with gray facial stubble and a nose that has the zigzag shape suggestive of past breaks.

As people she has known throughout the years came forward one by one to get their hug and bend her ear, Reilly kept repeating one question:

"Why now? Why close us down now?"

A boon to city, but not a boutique

The non-profit FAITH Foundation has been open since 2002, when the center received its certificate of occupancy from the City of Hackensack. The certificate stated that the storefront would be used to establish a "boutique" intended to sell upscale items such as hand-painted furniture and oil paintings.

However, when up to 90 people a day came in from the street to warm up, rest, eat and store their personal belongings at the small storefront, the immediate needs of Hackensack’s homeless gradually pushed ideas of furniture restoration to the side.

Reilly’s work did not go unnoticed. She was praised by many for taking in people rejected by other agencies, including those who created a commotion because of intoxication or mental illness. Hackensack’s fire and police departments would sometimes send leftover food to the center after one of their affairs. Official recognition came in 2005, when the Hackensack City Council issued a proclamation in 2005 designating Mother’s Day "Robin Reilly Day" for her efforts to help the city’s most beleaguered people.

Different kinds of notices came from city authorities in recent weeks. First came a violation notice from city health inspectors last month for serving lunch at the center without a license. Reilly then stopped serving food, afraid that she could be shut down.

Then a letter dated April 3 by city zoning officer Al Borrelli stated that a recent inspection discovered 22 people eating prepared food and sleeping in chairs.

"The retail aspect of an upscale boutique furniture store was nonexistent," Borrelli wrote.

The letter went on to declare that the operation of the storefront as a "homeless shelter/drop in center" must cease immediately. Failure to do so would result in summonses and fines by April 15. In order to avoid these penalties, Reilly decided to close the center.

Broken laws, strained social services

Although Reilly, 66, decided to shut down, she definitely was not in the mood to shut up.

"I’m not sure why this happened," she said. "They knew exactly what we did out of here. Even City Hall brought their dinners over. I could appeal this, and probably win. But I don’t want to take a chance with the people here. I don’t want anyone to get hurt."

In previously published reports, City Manager Stephen Lo Iacono said that while the administration regrets what it felt it had to do, the law is the law.

"Nobody wants to go after her, but a violation is a violation," he said. "It’s very unfortunate because she is certainly trying to do humanitarian work, but you got to follow the law otherwise why do you have it? I don’t think that the right approach is to turn your head."

In response, Reilly noted that FAITH Foundation’s closure might make the city administration swivel its heads to the streets sooner than it thinks.

"This means that the hardcore homeless who are considered non-compliant by other agencies will have to follow rules better, which is particularly hard for people with mental illness, or their cases will be closed. These people are sick," she said. "Progress is good for the city, but you can’t fit all the homeless in the new county homeless shelter that they are building on River Street. Now Main Street is going to be crawling with homeless people. If they had objections before, they better take a good long look at what they are doing."

A sad view from the streets

David Borgstrom, 57, has been homeless for the last four years, primarily due to his struggles with substance abuse. With the closure of Reilly’s shelter, he is not sure what he is going to do.

"This is a place where I come to be safe," he said. "Now I have no place else to go. A lot of us have drug and alcohol problems. Nobody else would take us and give us a safe haven. Robin did. She even got people in detox programs when she could, but it’s up to the people themselves if they want to go. She can only do so much. But if it wasn’t for Robin, there would be more dead people than there is right now."

Ron Fiore, who was homeless from December last year until last month, backed up Borgstrom’s comments. He has been coming to FAITH Foundation for some help getting back on his feet.

"I was evicted with my wife on Christmas Eve," said Fiore, 43. "Because my wife takes medication for mental illness, the Bergen County Community Action Program (CAP) on Orchard Street wouldn’t take her into their overflow program. They do very little as far as help. At this place, they listen to you and actively show you how to help yourself and give you the steps to do it. With this place closing, Hackensack is now going to have to answer for not doing anything for the people here."

Reilly keeps the faith

When asked if she would have done anything differently, Reilly replied rebelliously.

"Am I a maverick? Am I a rabble-rouser? Do I break the law? Sure I do," she said. "But the city always knew that. But I do it for the people who come back here 10 years after they were here and everybody had given up on them. Now they are doing fine with a family and a job. That’s how you get up everyday and do this work."

Reilly plans to continue to run her foundation from her home in Oradell. She is looking for another place in the area to set up shop.

"FAITH Foundation is not going to die," she said. "It will just be run on a completely different basis. There is too much of me in it. I’m shattered by what has happened, but I’ll be strong."

Reilly has had to be strong in her own life before. She lost her only son Robert nine years ago to cancer. His loss is part of the foundation of her work.

"I could not save my own son from leukemia, but there are other mother’s sons," she said. "Maybe I can save one of them."

Outside on State Street, Joseph Garone, 57, was proud to say that he was one of Reilly’s sons.

"She saved my life," he said. "If that’s not good enough, then I don’t know what is."