From the moment you walk into MCAC, you are met with a smile and a warm welcome that says you belong. MCAC’s growth over the last six years has been led by founding Executive Director Kile Adumene, who brings wisdom and a deep commitment to this work. Kile’s vision is realized every time community members gather, voices are heard, connections are built, learning happens, and a true sense of belonging and inclusion is felt. 

The establishment of a physical center is a major advancement for MCAC and the communities and organizations they work with; it is a central hub for ideation, togetherness, growth, and learning. Information on topics such as racial justice, emotional regulation, and health equity fill the room, outlined by vibrant colors and calming plant life. When people gather there, there is a sense of intentionality and belonging that highlights MCAC’s commitment to being an organization by the community and for the community.

A Q&A with MCAC Executive Director, Kile Adumene

Q: What is now possible with MCAC’s new physical space?

A: The core function of our new space is to strengthen working relationships. In an increasingly digital and transactional world, this space allows us to focus on essential human connections. By fostering authentic interactions, we can better navigate complex dynamics and resolve conflicts – both being necessary steps toward changing systems.

Specific examples of how the space supports our four core activities:
– Agency: The space is a Community-Led Project Incubator where members prototype ideas like childcare initiatives, voting projects, and mutual aid, etc. This ensures the community co-creates and drives the agenda. Participatory research hub for the community, leadership and professional development.
– Advocacy: Our Public Testimony Prep Room provides a supportive environment for community members to practice [giving] testimony, receive coaching, and workshop talking points before engaging with policymakers.
– Engagement: Through Community Space Hours and Intergenerational Circles, we offer flexible time for people to engage in community conversations on cross-sector issues, socialize, share stories, and organically surface emerging issues.
– Education: We facilitate Hands-On Skill Labs and a Community Research Studio equipped with laptops and printers, providing a hub for self-directed learning and workforce development.

Q: As a leader who focuses a lot of time on supporting and lifting up others as leaders, what keeps you up at night?

A: I am often up at night thinking about the responsibility of ensuring I am doing my part to maintain and sustain this space alongside our community.

Q: As the founder of MCAC, an organization that has shifted and changed so much in five years, what gives you hope?

A: Knowing that the sustainability of this space is co-held by the people it serves, rather than resting solely on my shoulders.

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation awarded MCAC a 2025 Community Grant for their mission to elevate the voices of People of Color (POC) in New Hampshire by co-creating spaces for community engagement and development, equipping POC to have equitable opportunities and representation in civic and community matters.

To learn more about MCAC, visit: https://www.mcacnh.org/

To learn more about our other 2025 grantees, visit: https://nhwomensfoundation.org/grantmaking/2025-grant-recipients/. 

The post Grantee Spotlight: Manchester Community Action Coalition (MCAC) appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

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/. 

The post Grantee Spotlight: Marguerite’s Place appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

New Hampshire girls are twice as likely as boys to experience poor mental health, depression, self-harm, and suicide consideration. Although girls are more likely to ask for help than boys, there are seemingly insurmountable barriers to accessing mental health services.

The Women’s Foundation provided a 2025 community grant to Safe Schools New Hampshire (SSNH), a school-centered, rapid-access, online therapy program being piloted in five school districts (Hopkinton, Lebanon, Claremont, Newport, and Kearsarge). 

School counselors and teachers make referrals, parents are involved, and more students are getting the treatment they need. In addition to the clinical providers, the student ambassadors are the key ingredient in this new recipe for success. Selected Juniors and Seniors in all five districts act as student ambassadors, leading the effort to destigmatize and normalize the topic of seeking mental health support. There is no one better suited to spread the word throughout a student community than the students themselves. Notably, 80% of the student ambassadors are young women.

The 2025 Community Grant awarded to SSNH is being used to compensate the student ambassadors for stepping into this leadership role and using their voices to speak out on mental health and wellness. The students lead the way in promotion, messaging, and having important conversations with peers who would benefit from accessing this support in this online format. 

“There is power and energy in these students,” says Mark Phillips, Executive Director. “When we release that energy by trusting and empowering them, we harness a powerful force that fortifies the program.” In September, the close of the first year, 120 NH students will have received fast-access online therapy and benefited from 1,000 therapy sessions. For most of those students, this was the first time they had therapy.

The voices of these young SSNH student leaders have reached thousands of students across the Granite State and we were pleased to be a part of their journey.

To learn more about girls’ mental health, visit our Status of Girls in New Hampshire report: https://nhwomensfoundation.org/status-of-girls-nh/. 

To learn more about SSNH or our other 2025 grantees, visit: https://nhwomensfoundation.org/grantmaking/2025-grant-recipients/. 

The post Grantee Spotlight: Safe Schools New Hampshire (SSNH) appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

Although there were some setbacks this session, the big takeaway is that our defensive work, in collaboration with our partners, was successful! We are incredibly proud that the most devastating proposals were defeated AND we had some proactive wins on voting and childcare. Read below for a recap on our 2026 legislative work.

DEFENSIVE WINS

We defeated EVERY SINGLE attempt to restrict abortion (HB 1590, HB 1338, HB 1333, and HB 1493)

We are proud that all four of the proposed anti-abortion bills we advocated against this year in the New Hampshire Legislature were defeated, including measures that would ban abortion after 20-weeks, give legal rights to embryos, exclude abortion providers from charitable gaming funds, and require students to watch inaccurate videos in health class. 

Sixteen anti-abortion bills were introduced this year and ALL were defeated. Only one anti-abortion bill, HB 232, made it to Governor Ayotte’s desk – and she vetoed it. 

These bills were part of a larger effort to roll back reproductive rights and undermine bodily autonomy. Access to the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion, is crucial to women’s health, economic security, and freedom.

We stopped trans bans in bathrooms and in sports (SB 459, SB 552, and HB 1442)

Trans girls are girls. And trans girls deserve to be safe in their schools and communities and have the same educational opportunities as every other student.

Many bills targeting transgender people, particularly trans women and trans girls, were proposed in the New Hampshire legislature this year. We focused our efforts on SB 459, which would have allowed schools to exclude trans girls from athletic opportunities. We opposed this bill because it harmed trans girls — period. But we also pointed out to legislators that it would harm cis girls, too. When we open the door to challenging or “checking” the sex of students, all girls are threatened with having their sex challenged and having to “prove” they are a girl. Adolescence is already a fraught time for girls; the last thing we need is girls worried that a coach, ref, or parent from another team is going to publicly question if they are a girl. This is stressful to all girls and makes girls less likely to participate in sports if they worried they would have their gender challenged. 

Of the many proposed anti-trans bills, two passed the New Hampshire House and Senate. HB 1442 and SB 552 both included trans bans in bathrooms, sports, and jails. Governor Ayotte vetoed SB 552 citing her concerns with enforcing a bathroom ban, but HB 1442 is on its way to her desk. We are hopeful for another veto from Governor Ayotte, but hearing directly from constituents will make a big difference. Call Governor Ayotte (603-271-2121) and tell her to let all girls play sports free from harassment by vetoing HB 1442.

We stopped an effort to take away workers’ time-off for postpartum and pediatric appointments (HB 1250)

One of the key components of Momnibus 2.0 created a narrow, common-sense workplace protection so that new parents could attend postpartum and pediatric appointments during their newborn’s first year of life without risking their jobs. HB 1250 would introduce loopholes that would enable businesses to evade these regulations. 

We were able to explain to the House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee why they shouldn’t allow the loopholes and to let the law stand — and they agreed! The Committee unanimously recommended to ITL (kill) the bill and the House voted to ITL (kill) it. 

We are proud we were able to defend the progress we’ve made for moms. 

PROACTIVE WINS

We moved forward on efforts to ensure women can vote (SB 437)

Due to new voting document requirements, married women who have changed their last name are having a hard time voting because the name on their birth certificate doesn’t match the name on their license. SB 437 proposed tracking the number of people who are turned away from the polls for various reasons which would help us understand the impact on women and fix the problem.

The Senate Election Law Committee voted to recommend ITL (kill) this bill after the sponsor worked with the Secretary of State to find a solution where a count of registrants who are turned away will be obtained without passing legislation. The bill itself will not be moving forward but a way forward was agreed to, nonetheless. 

Child care is now a little easier for grandparents raising grandchildren (SB 608)

In order to get a child care scholarship from the state, families need to meet income eligibility and they have to prove they are working or enrolled in school themselves. This is hard for grandparents who are raising their grandkids as they sometimes have to re-enter the workforce or enroll in and pay for an advanced degree after they have retired. SB 608 eliminated the work/school requirement in the NH Child Care Scholarship Program for those at or over 67.

The yearly median cost of child care in New Hampshire for an infant is $21,593. When grandparents are raising grandchildren, it’s grandmothers who are primarily responsible and many struggle to afford child care on fixed incomes. 

This bill was signed into law by Governor Ayotte.

PROACTIVE LOSSES

We tried to pass Medicaid coverage for diapers (HB 1798)

The high cost of living in NH puts a disproportionate burden on women, and moms, particularly single moms, are struggling to make ends meet. Diapers cannot be purchased with SNAP, WIC, or Medicaid benefits and are a uniquely expensive necessity for moms of young children. 

We supported HB 1798 which would have provided a limited amount of diapers through Medicaid. New Hampshire would be the third state, after Arkansas and Delaware, to provide this support to Medicaid enrollees. 

The House Health and Human Services Committee voted to recommend ITL (kill) for this bill along party lines. The House voted to table the bill and effectively kill it. 

We tried to prohibit vape products from targeting girls (HB 1538)

Girls vape at higher rates than boys and vaping products often use marketing practices that target youth, particularly girls, with designs and flavors that might appeal to girls. 

We supported HB 1538 which would have prohibited vaping products from being marketed using candy and dessert flavors and popular characters among youth. And it would prohibit vaping devices that are disguised as school supplies or in clothing.

The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee recommended it for Interim Study, which means the Committee would look further into the bill/issue but the bill itself will not move forward this session. 

The post 2026 Legislative Wrap Up appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

Bills we support that are moving forward (win!):

• SB 608, which supports grandparents raising grandkids with child care costs, passed the Senate and moves on to the House. 
• SB 437, which would track the number of people, particularly women, turned away from the polls because of a last name change, did not move forward. However, the Sponsor, Senator Perkins Kwoka, worked with the Secretary of State to find a solution without needing legislation. This is a collaborative win that was positively impacted by bringing women’s voices to the table. 

Bills we opposed that are not moving forward (win!): 

• HB 125, which would have rolled back a section of Momnibus 2.0 that provided moms and parents unpaid time off for postpartum and pediatric visits for a year after birth, was killed after effective advocacy. 
• Many anti-abortion bills were defeated and are not moving forward including HB 1590, which would have moved the abortion ban from 24 to 20 weeks, HB 1338, which would have excluded abortion providers from receiving charitable gaming funds like all other nonprofits, HB 1333, which would have given rights to embryos, and HB 1493, which would have required students to watch inaccurate videos in health class.

Bill we supported that are not moving forward:

• HB 1798, which would have provided Medicaid coverage for diapers during a baby’s first year, was effectively killed after the House tabled the bill. 
• HB 1538, which would have prohibited vape products from targeting minors, will not move forward because the Committee elected to “Interim Study” the bill. 

Bills we oppose that are moving forward: 

• SB 459, would harm all girls by rolling back the rights of trans trans girls and negatively impact cis girls by requiring proof of sex to play sports, passed the Senate and has moved on to the House. 

We will continue to advocate on behalf of women and girls in this legislative session and always. To learn more about each of our priority bills, visit the Legislative page. If you are interested in getting involved in any of these bills, please contact Devan Quinn at devan@nhwomensfoundation.org

The post 2026 Legislative Crossover Update appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

The filing period to run for office is January 21-30.

Offices you may be able to run for in your town:

• Select Board
• School Board
• Zoning Board of Adjustment
• Planning Board
• Municipal Budget Committee
• Supervisors of Checklist
• Moderator
• Trustee of Trust Funds
• Library Trustee 
• Cemetery Trustee
• Water Commissioner
• Town Clerk
• Tax Collector
• School Treasurer

Join us for a virtual Women Run event ahead of town elections on Wednesday January 28 at 5:30 PM. You can sign up here!

If you’re thinking about running for office now or in the future, or want to support other women who run, Women Run is for you! Women Run is the Granite State’s only nonpartisan program empowering and training women to run for state and local office. For more information, visit our Women Run page.

*Per the New Hampshire Municipal Association Conway and Merrimack hold town elections in April. Hanover, Moultonborough, Newport, Peterborough, Stoddard, New Castle, and Hebron hold town elections in May. As always, make sure you double check with your town clerk’s office for all official and up-to-date information! 

The post 2026 NH Town Elections — Information for Candidates appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

The Music Hall’s decision to cancel Lovering Health Center’s rental contract — just six days before the healthcare provider’s annual fundraiser and documentary screening about abortion — has deeply shaken the Seacoast community.

In our public statement on October 9, we urged The Music Hall to “make it right.” We are grateful to the many community members who spoke out against this injustice and who stood in solidarity with Lovering. As the statewide women’s foundation investing in organizations serving women and girls, we are especially thankful for the many people who donated to Lovering in the aftermath of this unjust decision.

Rebuilding trust requires honesty and transparency. While we believe the Board of Trustees of The Music Hall (TMH) wishes to move forward and heal, the actions of its CEO continue to be troubling and contradictory. For that reason, we feel compelled to share a full and factual account of what transpired.

What Happened

In the immediate aftermath of the cancellation, we worked behind the scenes to understand the facts and seek a resolution — first by communicating with both Lovering and The Music Hall. TMH CEO Tina Sawtelle has repeatedly said that her decision was based on safety concerns following reports of a potential protest. However, she never reached out to Lovering’s leadership to discuss those concerns. When Lovering’s Executive Director asked to speak to Ms. Sawtelle after being notified of the event cancellation, she was told the decision was final and that Ms. Sawtelle “wasn’t going to speak to anyone.”

Ms. Sawtelle did speak with the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation on October 6. That conversation was deeply concerning. We were told that abortion was “too polarizing,” that “half of The Music Hall community” did not support abortion, and that the topic was a “lightning rod issue” on which The Music Hall must remain “neutral.” We were further told that other arts organizations “rooted in the contemporary arts” were better suited to take on “controversial subjects.”

We left that conversation with the clear understanding that The Music Hall was censoring a film about abortion and as we stated publicly on October 9, censorship of an abortion film perpetuates abortion stigma.

The Public Safety Claim

In its subsequent statement, The Music Hall again cited “public safety” concerns as the reason for cancellation. Yet the facts tell a different story. The information about the planned protest was shared with all event partners — including The Music Hall, the Portsmouth Police Department, the NH Peacekeepers, and the private security firm hired by Lovering at The Music Hall’s own recommendation.

The activist organizing the protest had requested participants bring chalk to write messages on the sidewalk before the screening. She asked people to RSVP and explicitly stated that the protest was not coordinated with New Hampshire Right to Life or any other national or state organization.

Despite knowing this, Ms. Sawtelle has continued to claim that a large-scale protest was expected. The Portsmouth Police Department refuted this directly in a Portsmouth Herald article published the same day as The Music Hall’s public statement. Deputy Police Chief Michael Maloney confirmed:

“Neither the chief nor I spoke to anyone at The Music Hall at any point. I would underscore that at no point in time was the police department tracking any kind of large-scale protest that we had safety concerns about.”

In the end, three peaceful protesters stood outside the new location of the Lovering fundraiser.

The Aftermath

Following our communication to The Music Hall Board of Trustees outlining these discrepancies, Lovering’s Executive Director received an email apology from the CEO and Board Chair for not better supporting them after cancellation. A similar apology was released publicly the following day.

While we welcomed this acknowledgment, progress toward accountability quickly unraveled. That same day, Ms. Sawtelle sent an email to local nonprofit leaders alleging a “digital civil war” of “cancel culture” against herself and The Music Hall staff — repeating the false claim that a “widespread invitation from New Hampshire Right to Life” had driven her decision. She also suggested she would have reconsidered her decision “had she received direct feedback from Lovering” — despite having declined to speak with them immediately after canceling.

The Path Forward

This continued doubling down and revision of events is profoundly disappointing. There have been numerous opportunities to take responsibility and begin to rebuild trust. Mistakes happen, and intent can differ from impact — but progress requires truth.

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, along with many in the Seacoast community, wants to see The Music Hall emerge from this moment as a stronger, more inclusive institution that truly values diverse perspectives. But genuine healing cannot occur without accountability, transparency, and a shared commitment to the truth.

We remain hopeful that The Music Hall Board will act decisively to restore trust and reaffirm the organization’s place as a cultural center that welcomes all voices — including those advocating for women’s health and reproductive freedom.

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation invests in opportunity and equality for women and girls in the Granite State through research, advocacy, education, grantmaking and philanthropy.

The post NHWF Statement on Developments Since The Music Hall’s Decision to Cancel Lovering Health Center’s Event appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

One highlight of this year’s Status of Women report is data that tells us about women’s specific struggles with mental health, maternal health, and access to reproductive health care. 

In the face of increasing need, several of our 2025 Grantees are working tirelessly to address these struggles, in several regions of the state:

Mental health impacts everyone, but the journey to recovery and healing for women who experience trauma, homelessness, substance use disorder and justice involvement is hugely challenging. Pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorder who find their way to Hope on Haven Hill (located in Rochester, serving women statewide), are supported through a variety of residential and outpatient programs. Core to their philosophy at Hope on Haven Hill is to ensure access to treatment by designing many pathways to meet their unique needs.

Young mothers in rural areas already face challenges that limit their access to basic needs and support. TLC Family Resource Center’s New Moms Group helps young mothers in Sullivan County to navigate despite disproportionately high rates of isolation, anxiety, and postpartum depression. Access to maternal health through peer connection, parenting education, and emotional support for the group’s participants makes a lasting difference for New Moms and their families.

New Hampshire’s independent reproductive and sexual health centers (Lovering Health Center in Rockingham County and Equality Health Center in Merrimack County) provide quality, comprehensive, nonjudgmental health information and services to all. Access to care that is equitable and inclusive is critical in supporting the right of everyone to maintain freedom and choices regarding their own reproductive and sexual health.

We are proud to support these 2025 Grantees with funding for general operations and program expenses, to help ensure their focus on access continues and expands for all women in New Hampshire. 

The post Grantees Supporting Women’s Health in New Hampshire appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

I write to share the Women’s Foundation’s shock and disappointment with The Music Hall’s decision to cancel Lovering Health Center’s rental of the Historic Theater just six days before its annual fundraiser and the highly anticipated showing of a documentary film about abortion. We are deeply concerned by the timing of the cancellation, the purported reason for the cancellation, and the subsequent explanation that abortion is “too political” for The Music Hall. This decision furthers abortion stigma and harms the Seacoast community, including the Health Center and people who provide, seek, and support access to abortion. 

We implore The Music Hall to make this right.  

Lovering Health Center, the region’s independent sexual and reproductive healthcare provider, contracted with The Music Hall for its annual “Cheers for Choice” event, its biggest fundraiser of the year, to be held on October 9, 2025. The event program was to show No One Asked You, a documentary film about fighting abortion stigma and activating people in local communities. The contract was finalized with The Music Hall months ago and the event and the film have been advertised for nearly as long. 

Last Friday, October 3, Lovering was made aware of an anti-abortion activist who was planning to protest outside of The Music Hall on the afternoon of the event. The activist encouraged her followers to arrive early to write on the sidewalk with chalk. Lovering staff immediately notified event partners, including the Portsmouth Police Department, the volunteer peacekeepers, and the event company who shared this information with The Music Hall. Later that day, and without any conversation or follow up, The Music Hall notified Lovering that it was canceling the rental—six days before the event.  

Initially, The Music Hall said it was canceling the rental contract for safety reasons. To be clear, there was no known threat to public safety. A protest and threats to public safety are very different considerations. Portsmouth is known for having protests, rallies, and actions in the downtown area with great frequency. Portsmouth Police, skilled in crowd management and protests, were already involved with the planning of the event. After sharing this information, Lovering had expected to collaborate on additional safety measures, as needed, but instead The Music Hall made an unequivocal decision to cancel the contract.

Unfortunately, it has become clear that the threat of a peaceful protest was simply a catalyst to the much larger and more concerning reason for the cancellation: The Music Hall believes abortion is “too polarizing.” The Music Hall leadership now claims the issue is a “lightning rod” and that The Music Hall has to “remain neutral.” To be clear, canceling an event for a documentary about abortion is not neutral. It is a political decision that is clearly anti-abortion.

Canceling this contract has a larger chilling effect. It suggests that cultural institutions should avoid people who provide, have, and support access to abortion. This is how abortion stigma is perpetuated. Ironically, The Music Hall’s decision has only further elevated the need for showing this timely film about fighting abortion stigma.

The Music Hall has a long history of showcasing artists, writers, comedians, and films that spark dialogue and debate, including, on several occasions, with the Women’s Foundation. In 2017, as part of the New Hampshire Film Festival, we co-hosted It’s Criminal, a documentary film about incarcerated women in the Granite State. In 2023, we co-hosted She Said, a film about the Me Too movement. Would these documentaries be deemed too controversial now? It is unfathomable that The Music Hall would cancel an event for a documentary film about abortion just one week before hosting the New Hampshire Film Festival.

The decision to cancel Lovering’s rental contract sets a dangerous precedent. Should we expect additional censorship or selective partnerships in the future from The Music Hall? What about events supporting LGBTQ+ youth? Or BIPOC programming? Or hosting historical films about women’s suffrage? Just how far will The Music Hall go to be “neutral?” 

Canceling the rental contract for a small nonprofit’s biggest fundraiser of the year—just days before the event—placed an enormous burden on Lovering, who had to scramble to find a new location for their 200 guests. It may have seemed like a small decision, but it has ripple effects across the Seacoast. Small nonprofits like the Lovering have tight budgets and a single fundraiser can significantly impact their ability to pay their bills and subsidize care for our neighbors in the community. 

The Music Hall has made a mistake. But this moment offers the opportunity to reflect, learn, and take accountability. The Music Hall can send a message to the community that it will not be deterred by a protester; that it is still committed to its values of “trust, inclusivity, accountability and courageous leadership.” You can continue to be a venue that builds “civic capacity for public discourse around controversial issues,” topics such as abortion.

We implore The Music Hall to make this right.

With urgency,

Tanna Clews

CEO

New Hampshire Women’s Foundation

Join us to demand The Music Hall make this right by emailing them at info@themusichall.org.

And please take this opportunity to donate to Lovering Health Center and its critical work providing essential healthcare including abortion.

The post Letter to The Music Hall about Canceling Lovering Health Center Event Rental appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

Next stop, Spark! Community Center, a 2024 Grantee, funded for their Women’s Group. In addition to meeting with Afrille Degoma, Executive Director, she got to meet the ubiquitous John Fenley, Founder and current Community Outreach Coordinator whose vision of creating a safe and welcoming space for people with disabilities has been realized. Afrille and John talked about centering the programming and activities around the participants and following the energy of the Women’s Group, specifically to support their interest in topics of relevance and meaning in their lives. Visiting with Afrille and John was a healthy dose of sunshine, hearing them talk about the many thriving programs happening currently alongside many ideas and aspirations.

The next day, she joined a convening of several New Hampshire Funders who met at Hypertherm in Lebanon. Following a presentation by New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute’s Gene Martin on the state budget, colleagues met in small groups to discuss advocacy, grantmaking, and partnerships to explore what funders could do together at this moment in time. 

Lastly, a visit to TLC Family Resource Center, centrally located in downtown Lebanon, was a great chance to talk with Alysse Lizotte, Executive Director, and members of her staff. The center was quiet that day but is usually bustling with activities for people dropping in for resource navigation or any number of weekly peer recovery support groups. Lauren learned more about TLC’s many family support programs, including the New Moms Support group (Claremont location), supported by Women’s Foundation funding. In addition, a new Women in Recovery support group has been launched in the Lebanon location and is quickly becoming meaningful and engaging for participants. 

New Hampshire’s Upper Valley is bountiful with natural beauty but could also be characterized by a rich history of strong leaders who have built vibrant communities. We cannot wait to return for our next road trip!

The post Grantmaking on the Ground in the Upper Valley appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.