Do not be confused by the empty hallways inside the Peck Building basement — Tap-In is still alive and well.

For decades, the all-volunteer organization that serves to help people in need had filled the hallways of the Peck Building basement with all sorts of goods. Towels and blankets, toys and furniture, books and a whole lot more could be found piled upon tables or stacked on the floor inside the Tap-In headquarters. 

But that began to change in February.

During a visit to the Peck Building basement, Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha and Fire Chief Gerald Bessette noted a series of fire code violations and other problems within the space.

Barrington Girl Scouts donate to Tap-In.

Shortly thereafter, Mr. Cunha contacted Tap-In leadership — Tap-In stands for Touch A Person In Need — and instructed the nonprofit to clear all items out of the hallway spaces. He put a deadline of March 30 on the cleanup effort.

Tap-In's army of volunteers — many of whom have been with the organization for more than two decades — started the process of relocating some donated items to other areas inside the building and throwing other items out in the trash.

The final product has led to some confusion among the clients who utilize Tap-In. 

Volunteers said they have been asked by numerous people if Tap-In was "going out of business" or being phased out by the town.

"Tap-In is not going anywhere," said Joyce Marabello, one of the group's co-presidents.

Ms. Marabello has volunteered at Tap-In for four years and has come to appreciate the role it plays in Barrington and across the rest of the East Bay. The non-profit serves as a food-bank for people in need, and also provides a variety of other items ranging from small kitchen appliances to bed linens, bathroom towels and children's clothes. Tap-In, said Ms. Marabello, is often times vitally important to people facing financial hardships. In addition, it does not require income information from clients — only verification that they live in East Providence, Barrington, Warren or Bristol.

The orders from Mr. Cunha and Chief Bessette forced the Tap-In volunteers to refrain from accepting some of the donations they normally collected. Furniture and large toys were turned away.

"In the beginning, some of the volunteers were too quick to say 'We're not taking anything,'" Ms. Marabello said. 

Volunteers said that rejected donations would result in a long-term loss — "Once you tell someone you won't take the items, they won't come back," said a longtime volunteer. "You lose them forever."

Ms. Marabello said some of Tap-In's volunteers were also a bit upset with the town's shifted stance on the organization's headquarters. 

"There has been some frustration," Ms. Marabello said. "It's a change."

Ms. Marabello said this was not the first time Tap-In has had to change its policy on what donations could be accepted. Following the Station Night Club tragedy, officials stopped taking used mattresses.

"We had to get rid of all the mattresses," she said. 

"Times change. We'll live with it."

The town manager said there are a few good reasons for the cleanup order he gave.

"Tap-In does a wonderful job of providing support, not just for people in Barrington but for people from all over the East Bay," said Mr. Cunha. "But the place was cluttered. They had migrated from their mission."

Mr. Cunha recalled his first visit to the Peck Center basement.

"I was concerned they had lost focus," he said. "I saw six pairs of skis inside there. 

"They're a sponsored food bank, and they have a commissary. They also do distribution of clothing for children and some kitchen needs." I'm not sure anyone goes in there looking for skis, he added.

Mr. Cunha said the filled hallways were also in violation of the state's fire code. In addition, there are storage rooms inside the basement space — most are constructed of plywood walls with padlocked doors. They are used by Barrington Pop Warner, the Barrington Garden Club, the Friends of Barrington Public Library, Barrington Little League, the town's recreation department, and the Barrington Preservation Society. 

"The partitions do not meet fire code," Mr. Cunha said. 

The manager said the town is now planning a renovation project to the Peck Building's basement space, and in order to get that project moving ahead, the organizations will need to find alternative spaces to store their items.

"We're in the process of applying for grants from the Champlin Foundation and the Rhode Island Foundation," Mr. Cunha said.

Once the town is able to secure the funding, work will begin to redesign the basement floor space, said the town manager. He said he would like to see Tap-In relocated to the immediate space inside the front doors, thus eliminating the need for some clients to climb the stairs in order to access the food pantry and the office space where other items are kept. 

Mr. Cunha said future phases of the work would include the removal of unused boilers from another part of the basement, and the construction of caged storage areas for the organizations that are currently utilizing the building. 

That process could take more time, warned Mr. Cunha, as the old boilers that would need to be removed contain asbestos. In addition, the town does not want to use taxpayer money to fund the work.

"Tap-In has begun the process by cleaning up their spaces," Mr. Cunha said.

"Some people have said we want to phase out Tap-In, but that is not the case. We consider Tap-In an essential part of the community."

Volunteers' response

For three decades, Tap-In has functioned as an all-volunteer non-profit. People donate goods to be shared with those in need, and other residents donate their time to run the organization.

Each day, a different group of volunteers show up to help. Many of the volunteers are Barrington residents and they often become friends.

Janice Zeichner has been volunteering at Tap-In for 10 years and is part of the Friday crew. After helping out in the food pantry for the morning, she and some other volunteers always meet up for lunch. 

When asked why she volunteered at Tap-In, Ms. Zeichner offered an answer shared by many there: She knew there was a need, and she enjoyed the social interaction with other volunteers.

Ms. Marabello said the volunteers work hard, offering up their time and services. She added that a renovated space inside the Peck Building will be good for Tap-In. 

"It's good to get rid of the clutter," she said.

Still open for business

Touch A Person In Need may look a bit different these days, but it serves the same purpose. The non-profit offers food and other items to East Bay residents in need. Volunteers said some specific items are needed now more than ever:

• Children's clothing (in season)

• Bedding (sheets, pillow cases, blankets)

• Towels

• Non-perishable food

• Household items, such as dishes and pots and pans

Items currently not being accepted include:

• Furniture

• Large children's toys