From left, MVSB Fund Committee members Beth San Soucie, Marcus Weeks, Cara Burzynski, Charley Hanson, Michael O’Leary, and Carmen Lorentz stand outside of the MVSB Main Office in Meredith.
The MVSB Fund at New Hampshire Charitable Foundation has awarded $75,000 to 40 local nonprofit organizations. This includes $58,000 donated to 23 local agencies and $17,000 to 17 local food pantries to help address food insufficiency in the Bank’s communities. The grants are in addition to MVSB’s contributions throughout the year in the form of donations, sponsorships, scholarships and volunteer efforts by employees.
Since 1997, the MVSB Fund has awarded annual grant-based contributions to nonprofit organizations that enrich and improve the quality of lives of residents in the Bank’s service areas. In that time, the program has awarded over 500 grants totaling over $2 million dollars to a wide range of environmental, social, educational and historic projects throughout the Greater Lakes Region, Plymouth and Seacoast regions.
“New Hampshire is so fortunate to have network of exceptional nonprofits working to address challenges and improve our communities and to provide needed services to local individuals and families,” said Marcus Weeks, MVSB President. “We are very proud to be able to award grants that will help organizations to make meaningful updates, add programming and simply keep up with the growing demand.”
This year’s MVSB Fund grant recipients include:
603 United, Laconia
Awarded $2,500 to help support 603 United’s relocation to a larger space to support their growing membership and programs. 603 United is dedicated to creating a community that fosters healthy relationships, healthy lifestyles, and inclusion within the Lakes Region.
Belknap House, Laconia
Awarded $2,500 to help pilot the Family Mentoring and Resilience Program, which focuses on building resilience for parents and children as a family unit reinforcing familial support and breaking the cycle of generational trauma. The Belknap House is the only family-centered shelter serving Belknap County providing homeless families safe shelter and case management.
Circle Program, Plymouth
Awarded $2,500 to help support planning, materials and supplies during the week-long Eastward Bound trip. The Circle Program provides a unique combination of residential summer camp and year-round one-on-one mentoring to empower, transform and enrich young girls’ lives.
Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack Counties Inc., Concord
Awarded $2,500 to help fund a commercial kitchen for the Laconia Senior Center that will enhance meals for older adults in need of quality nutrition and socialization. The mission of the organization is to work with low-income families and older people to assist them in their efforts to become or remain both financially and socially independent in their communities.
Got Literacy Laconia
Awarded $3,000 to provide books to low- to moderate-household income children enrolled in the Got Lunch! Laconia program. Got Literacy Laconia supports summer reading engagement and improving literacy by distributing literacy materials to children in need of support.
Homeless Center for Strafford County, Rochester
Awarded $2,500 in operating funds to help offset the cost of increased staffing needed to transition to a year-round shelter. The Homeless Center for Strafford County provides community members and families with shelter, case management, and educational programs that lead to self-sufficiency and permanent housing.
Hospice Help Foundation, Portsmouth
Awarded $2,500 to help the organization provide financial support to hospice patients in need of essentials including food, shelter and transportation so that they may have the best possible end-of life experience. Hospice Help Foundation’s mission is to improve the comfort and quality of life for hospice patients and their families by providing urgent financial relief.
Kevin Peare Memorial Skate Park, Conway
Awarded $2,500 toward building a skate park in North Conway. The Kevin Peare Memorial Skate Park is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate the community about how skateboarding can benefit youth’s mental and physical well-being while raising funds to build a state-of-the-art skate park.
Lakes Region Mental Health Center (LRMHC), Laconia
Awarded $2,500 to help fund add-ons to their new electronic health record system to improve efficiencies. LRMHC provides comprehensive, integrated mental health treatment for people living with – and recovering from – mental illness and/or emotional distress.
Mandy’s Angels Diabetic Service Dogs Inc., Meredith
Awarded $2,500 to help the organization provide a diabetic service dog to a local child. The organization helps to improve the lives of diabetic children and their families by providing service dogs with specialized training to detect early signs of high or low blood sugars and alert their companions.
The Mayhew Program, Bristol
Awarded $2,500 to support tuition for at-risk boys for the program’s year-round camp and mentoring program. The Mayhew Program challenges and helps at-risk New Hampshire boys to believe in themselves, work well with others, and find their best.
Merrimack Valley YMCA – Camp Lawrence, Lake Winnipesaukee
Awarded $2,000 to help provide scholarships for Meredith-area boys to attend summer camp. Established in 1907, Camp Lawrence is located on Bear Island on Lake Winnipesaukee and offers opportunities for boys ages 8-16 to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities.
Newfound Regional High School FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team #7913, Bristol
Awarded $2,500 to help the Newfound Regional High School FRC Team #7913 build a robot and support outreach efforts. The robotics team is tasked with building a robot from the ground up to meet that year’s competition challenge within eight weeks’ time.
New Hampshire Jobs for America’s Graduates, Concord
Awarded $2,500 to support bringing programming to Gilford High School and Hopkinton Middle High School. The mission of New Hampshire Jobs for America’s Graduates is to cultivate youth success through academic, leadership, and workforce opportunities in collaboration with business and community partnerships.
Prospect Mountain High School Team 319 Boosters, Alton
Awarded $2,500 to help purchase a road case for the 319 Big Bad Bob FIRST Robotics team. Each year, the team gives students the opportunity to experience hands-on learning and travel around the country to compete against other robotics teams.
Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (Forest Society), Concord
Awarded $2,500 to help repair a severely eroded portion of the main trail at Mount Major in Alton. The Forest Society is a land conservation organization dedicated to protecting New Hampshire’s most important landscapes and promoting the careful use of its renewable natural resources.
Southeast New Hampshire Habitat for Humanity, Portsmouth
Awarded $2,500 to help rebuild a multi-family home in Rochester that was lost due to fire. Southeast New Hampshire Habitat for Humanity builds simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with hard-working local families in Strafford and Rockingham counties.
Tapply-Thompson Community Center (TTCC), Bristol
Awarded $2,000 to help support food programs for students and families in the Newfound Region. TTCC offers a diversified program of youth activities that include summer day camps, youth sports, after-school programs, teen programming and special events.
Transport Central, Plymouth
Awarded $2,500 to help the organization continue operations and support their efforts to acquire a 15-passenger bus and develop a fixed route bus service. Transport Central provides “demand response,” door-to-door volunteer transportation to a 19-town service area.
Voices Against Violence, Plymouth
Awarded $5,000 to help replace and increase fencing surrounding the location’s yard to improve safety and privacy for individuals and families staying at the confidential shelter. Voices Against Violence provides information and support to victims and survivors, their family and friends, community members, and professionals around domestic violence, children who witness domestic violence, sexual violence and harassment, stalking, human trafficking and bullying.
Way Station, North Conway
Awarded $2,500 to help provide continuous services to those experiencing homelessness. Way Station provides safe, welcoming, non-judgmental space and supportive services for homeless & housing insecure residents of Mount Washington Valley.
Wentworth Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO), Wolfeboro
Awarded $2,500 to assist in upgrading the organization’s loan application processes to provide more efficient and accessible service to those who seek or qualify for services. WEDCO was founded in 1993 for the sole purpose of promoting economic growth in the eastern Lakes Region.
Wolfeboro Senior Center & Meals, Wolfeboro
Awarded $1,000 to help support the online senior exercise program. The Wolfeboro Senior Center & Meals’ mission is to enrich the lives of seniors at an exclusive place that offers education programs and informational events, recreational and well-being activities, and wholesome noontime meals.