Third Places #1: MakeHaven

Can loneliness kill you?

At times, I feel that it absolutely can.
During those quiet and numbing moments,
I am violently reminded that we are not meant to navigate this complicated world alone.

What does it mean to belong?

What does it mean to feel tethered to the people and places around you?

In March 2020, just after hitting their goal of 400 members, MakeHaven, like many other organizations, was forced to curtail its services, limiting access to individuals whose professional work necessitated use of the space. Needless to say, the pandemic was an extremely difficult and isolating time for everyone. Forced to quarantine, forced to stay indoors, and forced to physically isolate. It was a lonely and scary time.

However, for many, it was also a time of opportunity to pursue passion projects, pick up a new hobby, or finally do that “thing” we always said we were going to do but never got around to.

As MakeHaven began to resume regular operations, it became more apparent than ever how important this makerspace was to the New Haven community. It served as a pillar for creation, bringing together like-minded individuals with niche interests, while offering a space of escape where people could find solace and comfort as the outside world felt deeply uncertain. In an interview with Kate Cebik, the operations manager at MakeHaven, she recounted how members of the community gathered to fabricate and deliver thousands of masks. Despite social distancing, MakeHaven became a place that drew people closer together, offering a renewed perspective on the value of human connection.

One of the first things I did after moving to New Haven was search for a makerspace where I could work on my various crafts. Its sliding-scale membership fee made the space accessible to me. It has since become an integral part of my weekly routine, and is often the first place I think of when I need to step away from school or home.

I don’t know if loneliness can kill you—not for certain, anyway. But I do know that spaces like this can keep us feeling alive. Belonging is not something that appears all at once; it is built slowly, practiced through shared resources, mutual care, and the simple act of being present with each other. At MakeHaven, belonging exists beneath the quiet hum of machines and the low murmur of questions and conversations over workbenches. In these small, ordinary moments, the weight of loneliness is lifted. Connection doesn’t always announce itself loudly; sometimes, it’s simply a place that allows you to return.

Third Places is a recurring column documenting, analyzing, and understanding third places in New Haven. It aims to question how these spaces are essential to the health of our souls.