Front Door Agency Receives $10K from Citizens Bank

As part of its "Citizens Helping Citizens Provide Shelter" initiative, the Citizens Bank Foundation today announced it is providing $72,500 in contributions to seven organizations serving the homeless across New Hampshire, including the Front Door Agency in Nashua. These grants will support individuals and families who need housing, food and social services.
 
“At a time when they are experiencing a significant increase in demand, homeless shelters remain committed to assisting the many individuals and families requiring guidance, help and support,” said Joe Carelli, President of Citizens Bank and RBS Citizens, New Hampshire. “We recognize the challenges these shelters face and hope these grants will ensure safety and stability, warm meals and other essential services for those in need.”
 
According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and the Bureau of Homeless and Housing Services, the state’s total homeless population was 2,576 as of January 2013, a 5.4 percent increase over 2012. This included 1,243 sheltered and 442 unsheltered homeless, and 891 who were temporarily residing with family or friends. 418 families are currently homeless in New Hampshire.
 
The organizations that received grants from the Citizens Bank Foundation are:
 
Manchester Families in Transition:  $20,000 to support the construction of the Family Place Resource Center and Shelter, a facility that will house a new family shelter and a comprehensive resource center specifically designed to meet the needs of homeless families and children in the Greater Manchester area. 

Child & Family Services of New Hampshire:  $15,000 for the Street Outreach Program (SOP), which provides survival aids, hunger relief and outreach services to homeless, runaway and street youth ages 12-21 in the Greater Manchester and seacoast communities of New Hampshire. The program will serve approximately 3,200 youth in 2014.  

New Horizons for New Hampshire: $10,000 to support the Shelter Tier System, which helps residents develop and follow a personal plan toward self-sufficiency. Last year, New Horizons sheltered 900 individuals; this year’s volume is expected to be similar. 
 
Nashua Front Door Agency: $10,000 for the Prevention and Intervention of Homelessness Program, which helps clients who are at risk of homelessness retain their housing or obtain a new permanent residence if homelessness occurs.  

Portsmouth Cross Roads House: $10,000 for the Transitional Shelter Program, which offers homeless individuals and families with basic needs such as food, shelter and personalized support to address the issues that led to their being homeless.  

Laconia New Beginnings Without Violence and Abuse: $2,500 for the Changing Patterns, Changing Lives program, which works with victims to increase financial literacy, food security and overall well-being so they can lead a more self-sufficient life. 

Western Region Upper Valley Haven: $5,000 to support the Community Services Program, which offers direct assistance to people struggling with homelessness or a housing crisis and are not currently staying at the organization’s shelter. The program assists with living expenses, transportation and medical costs as well as referrals for longer-term assistance and support to regain self-sufficiency.