About Us
Learn who we are, what we do, and why we serve.
Our Mission
Open Doors strives to make a direct impact in the greater Norwalk area by guiding every person in the cycle of homelessness towards housing stability.
Our Values
As a champion for those in need, Open Doors and all of its employees and partners have a responsibility to ensure all clients have a path to success. This is achieved through a core belief system that acts as the foundation of the organization’s culture.
Our Vision
We will engage every person at risk of, and experiencing, homelessness with a holistic set of tools and resources that can be tailored to their individual needs.
SAFETY
We provide a reliable haven, both in structure and in resources, to help the community’s most vulnerable find their way to something better. By creating a safe environment, we allow our clients the space and support to focus on their future.
DIGNITY
Every single individual who walks through our doors will be treated as a person that matters, and will be shown the respect they deserve.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We know that empowering our clients to own their own successes is the best way to support them on their journey.
Our role is to be a guide and help them accomplish their goals, and we seek partners who uphold the same ideals.
Our History
1983
Community partners begin providing hot meals for the community and open a small emergency shelter in a South Norwalk storefront.1984
Becomes recognized nonprofit organization as Norwalk Emergency Shelter, moves to 4 Merritt Street where emergency shelter and food are still provided to people in need today.1996
Purchases a multi-family house on South Main Street and starts providing supportive transitional apartments for people in need, which will grow to 9 properties and 55 affordable units today.2008
Changes working name to Open Door Shelter to reduce the stigma associated with needing shelter (formalizes the change in 2012).2017
Opens the Smilow Life Center, a multi-use building to provide employment services and continuing education, affordable apartments, accessible healthcare, a community closet, and a gathering space for local organizations under one roof.
2018
Changes working name to Open Doors to reflect the holistic, wraparound services provided to our neighbors dealing with housing insecurity and homelessness.2019
Opens Corky & Jill’s Discovery Center, a children’s resource center, to provide a welcoming space for children in shelter with their families.2020
Norwalk Community Health Center opens neighborhood clinic at Open Doors’ Smilow Life Center to provide accessible healthcare for the local community.2021
Launches the Economic Opportunity Hub) to help Norwalk area residents achieve economic stability through three core components: employment coaching, financial coaching, and income support navigation.2025
Breaks ground on a new deeply affordable family housing development in Norwalk, featuring five spacious three-bedroom units in a wonderful neighborhood for families.
Our Financial Stability
Open Doors receives funding from a wide variety of sources from federal, state and local governments to private foundation grants and rental income, to individual community member contributions. A diverse funding stream allows Open Doors to be aligned with best practice standards set down by formal contracts while also having the flexibility to pilot new initiatives through less restrictive funding streams.
Meet the Team
Michele Conderino
Chief Executive Officer
Michele has led Open Doors since 2019, championing innovative, evidence-based strategies to end homelessness while fostering a mission-driven, high-performing team.
Under her leadership, Open Doors has strengthened its impact by prioritizing collaboration, efficiency, and a culture of engagement.
A recognized leader in the field, Michele plays a key role in regional solutions through the Fairfield County Coordinated Access Network and serves on the boards of The Housing Collective and the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness.
With nearly two decades of experience in homelessness, housing, and behavioral health services, she is committed to driving meaningful change. Michele holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Connecticut and a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Western Connecticut State University.
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Maria Davis
Development and Donor Relations Manager
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Kirill Elin
Senior Director of Operations
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Shaniqua Fuller
Operations Manager
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Robert Greenbaum
Director of Operations
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Nancy Hart
Accounting Manager
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Laura Lopez
Community & Volunteer
Manager -
Jason McCants
Director of Homeless and Housing Supports
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Erin McDonough
Director of Community Supports
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Ellen Peck
Director of Resource Cultivation
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Terano Prior-Higgs
Food Programs Manager
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Joao Rossi
Social and Outreach
Program Manager -
Michelle Saldivar
Director of the Economic
Opportunity Hub -
Caroline Teodori
Executive & Communications
Manager
Our Board
Kersten Rivas
President
John Edenbach
Vice President
John “Jeff” F. Erdmann III
Vice Chair
Nancy Meany
Secretary
Seth Birnbaum
Treasurer
Eddy Agyeman
Hugh Boyle
Martin A. Buccolo
William Burnham
Liza Carey
Sean Conk
Marsha Elbourne
Read Hubbard
Rick Kleeman
Narendra Mulani
Jody Neadeerland
Curtis W. Stewart
Vernita Tertullien
Advisory Members
Barbara Blasso
Anthony DeChellis
Robert Genuario
Melora Johnson
Brian Kreiter
Alexander Tuff
Nathaniel Yordon
Special thanks to Joel E. Smilow,
1933-2021