In Nashua, Marguerite’s Place is making a difference for mothers and children affected by housing shortages and the state’s high cost of living through transitional housing and high-quality childcare services. They are the only program in New Hampshire that offers both whole-family services and individualized support. With a small campus of 10 living units and limited childcare and schooling slots, Marguerite’s Place knew the need for expansion was critical; in 2023, they set that expansion in motion.
The impact of steep living expenses is felt across the state, but single mothers and their children feel the highest impact. In Hillsborough County, single mothers make up 76% of households living in poverty, and the need for housing and childcare has quintupled since 2020. Parents everywhere want what is best for their children, but when a family lacks safe, stable housing, surviving day to day becomes the only focus.
The Women’s Foundation awarded Marguerite’s Place a 2025 Community Grant to advance their holistic model of support for women and their children experiencing homelessness. The expansion of their Nashua campus will increase the number of living units from 10 to 25 and increase the number of available childcare slots from 30 to 50. With their number of applicants jumping from 40 in 2019 to 250 in 2025, the need for this growth is urgent.
“Misinformation about who is homeless and why they are homeless [is] stigma. And there are so many more unhoused people than the Point-in-Time (PIT) count demonstrates. SO many are on the verge of homelessness and those numbers are rising,” says Hannah Stohler, Executive Director of Marguerite’s Place. “There is no one single solution; it takes time to meaningfully address and break cycles of homelessness for families.”
With high-quality, trauma-informed childcare, residents can focus on personalized case management plans designed to build long-term stability. During their typical two-year stay, they participate in skill-building courses, including financial literacy, while working toward educational and career goals. Today, 100% of Marguerite’s Place residents are employed or enrolled in school within 90 days of their.
Marguerite’s Place’s holistic approach is transformative for women and children and we are glad to be part of their journey.
To learn more about women’s economic security, visit our Status of Women in New Hampshire report: https://nhwomensfoundation.org/status-of-women-nh/.
To learn more about Marguerite’s Place or our other 2025 grantees, visit: https://nhwomensfoundation.org/grantmaking/2025-grant-recipients/.
