New Hampshire girls, who are twice as likely as New Hampshire boys to experience poor mental health, depression, self-harm, and suicide consideration, have the highest rate of poor mental health amongst New England girls and a 9% higher rate of poor mental health than the national average for girls. Those numbers increase greatly for gay, lesbian, or bisexual girls, and questioning girls.

“Young people need more than somewhere to go after school,” explained Jennifer Minicucci, AIR’s Executive Director. “They need places where they are known, where caring adults show up consistently, where they can take a risk without being afraid to fail, and where who they are is welcomed. AIR is that ‘third space’—a place outside of home and school where young people can make art, make friends, try something new, and begin to see themselves and their futures differently.”

AIR works towards three outcomes with and for participants: building a stronger sense of self through creative expression and exploration; creating belonging through healthy relationships with peers, mentors, and community; and developing a sense of purpose that encourages curiosity, goal-setting, and hope for the future. Art is the tool, but the larger goal is healthy development.

Since their founding, AIR has provided a wide variety of community arts and mentorship programs evolving over time to remove barriers to participation. All AIR programs are free and include transportation, supplies, snacks, and professional teaching artists. More recently, and with the support of the NHWF, AIR has expanded its Outreach work, bringing multi-session programs directly into schools, residential programs, and other community settings for young people who may not be able to reach AIR’s traditional programs even when those programs are free.

In 2025, the Women’s Foundation awarded AIR a Community Grant for general operational support as the organization continued this evolution. “Flexible support gives us the ability to respond to what young people are telling us they need,” said Minicucci. “It has helped us expand access, strengthen partnerships, and reach young people who might otherwise be left out.”

AIR’s story is one of both continuity and change. What began as an effort to create opportunity and community for girls has grown into an inclusive creative youth development organization serving young people across the Seacoast, while remaining deeply committed to girls, gender-expansive youth, and others whose identities or circumstances can make belonging harder to find. The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation has been honored to support AIR through that evolution.

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

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

The post Grantee Spotlight: Arts in Reach (AIR) appeared first on New Hampshire Women's Foundation.

A sense of belonging leads to involvement, opportunity, social change, emotional safety, creativity, and joy. Queerlective brings people together in many ways, both online and in real life. They host a Discord channel where people can feel safe to share and connect virtually; they host social events like kayaking and art museum tours; they even have a physical space called the “Co-Lab” where people come to create, connect, and be in community. “In order for us to build the kind of change in communities we want, belonging comes first, and that is where Queerlective is really well positioned and focusing our work,” Nielsen told us. 

Queerlective’s mission is “To celebrate and uplift our shared humanity through queer joy, art, and community connection,” and their work extends in such a way that all feel welcomed to participate, to take action, to feel like they belong and that they are capable of making a difference. “Queerlective was intentional in utilizing the word ‘queer’ because our liberation is shared amongst so many communities. We uplift anybody that might feel like the system doesn’t work, isn’t working for them, or might feel the need to establish that sense of belonging and across differences,” said Nielsen. 

A 2025 Community Grant recipient, Queerlective is a blueprint for new pathways to inclusion through artistry, self-expression, community building, and a strong, provable belief that belonging begets involvement, involvement generates social change, and social change leads to belonging for all. We are thrilled to be part of their ongoing work.

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

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For over 50 years, Windsor County Mentors (WCM) has been addressing this through a free mentor matching program facilitated through community- and school-based programs. Originally founded to serve youth at risk of entering the juvenile justice system, the nonprofit has shifted to a prevention-based model through the years with the goal of establishing long-term, impactful mentor-mentee matches that address social, academic, and emotional challenges for kids and teens.  

New Hampshire’s Upper Valley, where WCM operates, is home to a student population uniquely in need of these mentoring services. Chronic absenteeism and high dropout rates are compounded by a lack of local resources in rural counties like Sullivan and Merrimack, and research finds that absenteeism rates are higher amongst Granite State girls than boys. These issues are top driving factors for WCM’s mentoring program, which matches kids and teens affected by these barriers with dedicated volunteer mentors who provide one-on-one mentorship, an evidence-based model shown to boost self-esteem, improve academic performance, and build valuable life skills.

Once mentors go through the application process, they are thoughtfully paired with a mentee based on mutual interests and personality types with the goal of creating strong, compatible relationships. Mentors and mentees typically meet once per week for a couple of hours and do planned activities, such as hiking, art, tutoring, and more, to establish consistency for the mentees and strengthen the bond between them. 

Windsor County Mentors serves more girl mentees than boys, and around three quarters of their mentors are women, and they often share how they can see the mentees blossoming. “One mentor recently shared that their 16 year old female mentee has gone from being shy and unhappy at school to being engaged, making friends, appearing in a school production, and even volunteering herself,” shared Matthew Garcia, WCM’s Executive Director. 

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation provided a 2025 Community Grant to Windsor County Mentors to help fund the expansion of their school mentoring program to other districts. “The need for this program is clear, as high rates of absenteeism and social isolation continue to negatively impact girls in our largely rural service area,” Garcia explained. Through their existing and expanding programs, WCM is giving girls in rural areas both the resources and the opportunities to thrive.

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

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

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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/. 

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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! 

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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.

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