The Haven Shelter & Resource Center Campaign
Thanks to the generosity of you and so many of our community members, the Haven Shelter & Resource Center Campaign has been a tremendous success! Nearly to our goal of $9.45 million, we are on our way to providing more housing opportunities and critical resources for those experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
Homelessness is a complex issue in the Upper Valley. Not only is housing difficult to find, but with increasing rents, lower-paying jobs, and limitations to emergency shelter access, many neighbors in our communities are unable to find safety and stability through housing. To make the situation more difficult, New Hampshire and Vermont lack the necessary physical and mental health resources that could help prevent job loss and homelessness.
That’s why we are so grateful to have you on our side as we build a new Shelter and Resource Center. With 20 emergency shelter beds and access to resources that will help your neighbors rebuild their lives, this project is an essential step in creating permanent housing opportunities that will break the cycle of homelessness.
We broke ground on May 15—stay tuned for more updates on how your support is creating a safe, welcoming space that will give your neighbors a brighter, more hopeful future.
From the Executive Director
To the neighbors who have become friends, to our steadfast supporters, to our selfless volunteers and community members—I have been so honored to work with you these last six years.
As you may know, I will be stepping down from my role as Executive Director of the Upper Valley Haven later this year. This is by far the best job of my career. Watching how we’ve uplifted and strengthened our community together over the years fills me with gratitude and immense pride.
From tackling the pandemic to seeing housing and shelter opportunities come to fruition, to watching families find nourishment and relief at our Community Food Market, to witnessing our influence of understanding and compassion in the Upper Valley, this has been the honor of a lifetime.
I can move on to the next chapter in my life knowing that the work we do together will continue in your trusted and capable hands. There will always be more to do. This community needs the Haven—and it needs you and your generous spirit to continue to create a safe, strong place to lovingly call home.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your partnership and for making the Haven such a beacon of light in the Upper Valley.
With gratitude,
Michael Redmond, Executive Director
Your gifts empower our community!
Thank you for all the ways you lend a helping hand to your neighbors in the Upper Valley.
YOU FED
With your donations and community partnerships, the Community Food Market saw over 1,500 new households shop for groceries and essential items last year. Your neighbors made over 13,500 visits to the Community Food Market from April 2024 to March 2025.
YOU SHELTERED
Last year, you helped 53 people find temporary shelter at Hixon House—six of whom came from the Lebanon Seasonal Shelter. 23 Hixon House guests found permanent housing. The Byrne Family Shelter saw 50 guests last year, including 22 adults and 28 minors.
YOU SHOWED UP
1,155 Individuals and groups volunteered more than 13,000 hours of their time to the Haven’s programs and services from April 2024 to March 2025—the equivalent of more than 6 full-time employees!
Celebrate Kim’s full-circle
journey home
A cozy apartment filled with houseplants. A sense of safety and security. Ready to reenter the workforce and planning for the future. With a bounty of gratitude for where she is today, Kim looks back on her journey and knows her life could have looked a lot different—
If not for you and the Upper Valley Haven.
Not long ago, Kim lived on social security and food stamps while also struggling with substance misuse, mental health challenges, and living with HIV. Her rent continued to increase, and she was unable to keep up. Suddenly, she was homeless.
To her relief, Kim was able to stay at the Haven’s Hixon House Adult Shelter. Over the course of her year there, she cooked, tended lovingly to plants, and supported staff as much as she could.
“The support and love at Hixon…it made me cry to see the compassion we all received,” Kim recalls.
Feeling safe and cared for, Kim’s journey continued. With the help of Haven Supportive Housing Service Coordinator, Sonya, and Vermont State Housing Authority’s A Way Home program, Kim began looking for permanent housing.
A Way Home provides neighbors like Kim with housing case management services, help with security deposits, and other resources needed to secure stable housing. Sonya supplemented these services through her steadfast support of Kim’s needs.
“From the beginning, Kim brought honesty, humor, and heart,” says Sonya. “We worked together to navigate the documentation and applications, and to address her fears and frustrations. More than anything, we built a connection rooted in trust—and a heck of a lot of laughter.”
Through courage, tenacity, and helpful partnerships, Kim is now home in a rent-subsidized apartment through Twin Pines Housing. “If it wasn’t for the Haven and A Way Home, I wouldn’t have anything,” she says gratefully.
Inspired by the compassion and lifechanging support she received, Kim is feeling better and ready to give back. She hopes to work at Hixon and help others who are struggling to break free from housing insecurity.
“I know there are still people out there who are sick and suffering,” Kim says. “I want it all to change. I want everyone to have a home.”
With your help, every day the Haven is chipping away at the homelessness crisis in the Upper Valley. You grow our essential programs and supportive services so that we can reach as many vulnerable neighbors as possible. Thank you for your part in Kim’s happy ending!
Hitting the pavement for neighbors in need!
The 33rd annual Covered Bridges Half Marathon held on June 1 was a huge success! Runners hit the pavement for 13.1 miles in support of community nonprofits including the Upper Valley Haven, Positive Tracks, The Family Place, David’s House, and WISE. The Haven’s team included 52 runners who each pledged to raise a minimum of $500 to support our work helping individuals and families in the Upper Valley combat homelessness, fight hunger, and receive critical problem-solving resources.
Family Dinners at Hixon—thanks to you
It can be tough for a temporary housing shelter to feel like home. But at the Haven’s Hixon Adult Shelter, a family-style dinner is changing that.
Every Tuesday night, Hixon volunteers Jenn and Nelson Lewis prepare a homestyle meal in the fully stocked kitchen. As dinnertime approaches and the delicious smell lures everyone out of their rooms, suddenly a crowd of people from all walks of life gather to eat together.
What makes this moment so much more than a shared meal?
“It’s the people,” Nelson says. “Everyone’s happy to see you and each other.”
Jenn adds, “We’ve gotten to know the guests since being here. We’re meeting a tangible need by preparing a meal, but it’s more than that.”
Because of your generous gifts and volunteers like Nelson and Jenn, Hixon guests feel welcomed and at ease—gaining a sense of belonging that they may have been lacking as they face some of life’s biggest challenges.
There’s love and compassion being served up at Hixon, and we couldn’t be more grateful to you for helping our guests feel at home!
The Haven’s Children’s Program
You give local kids the experience of a lifetime!
Imagine the faces of the young participants in the Haven’s Children’s Program as they take a dip in the UVAC pool or float down the lazy river. Or when they learn to bake sweet treats with the guidance of King Arthur Baking staff. Or as they head out for a hike in the White Mountains, mountain bike through the forest, or try horseback riding for the first time.
All of these experiences in our Children’s After School Program and Summer Camp are possible thanks to generous friends like you.
Sarah Myers, Children’s Program Supervisor, knows firsthand how much impact you have on these youngsters.
“It’s amazing what having a safe and consistent environment does for these kids,” she says. “You watch them relax and form friendships with other children and our staff. They truly value these relationships and support.”
The Children’s Program, for children who live in the Byrne Family Shelter or who have been prior shelter guests, is a win-win for everyone. It is completely free to participants, so parents experiencing financial insecurity can give their children engaging and fun activities year-round without worrying about the cost. At the same time, staff act as advocates for children and parents, offering daily check-ins at pick-up and a consistent connection to the Haven Service Coordinators.
Sarah’s favorite part of the Children’s Program is the community support. “It is so special to see how many people and organizations want to be involved and help these kids.”
With low child to staff ratios, kids get the attention and support they need. With hearty snacks and meals, on-site activities, and off-campus adventures, they learn how to become a part of their community and how to interact with both kids and adults.
“We are more than an after school program or summer camp—we provide meaningful relationships to the kids and their families,” Sarah says. “We wouldn’t have this opportunity without our donors. These unique experiences aren’t cheap, but our generous friends make it possible to give these children the memories of a lifetime.”
Fiscal Year 2025 Finances
(April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025)
These charts represent the preliminary financial report for the fiscal year ending 3/31/25. The final audited financial results will be available this summer.