Our Stories

The Haven welcomes and introduces L’Tonya Johnson, MSW Licensure Candidate, as our new Director of Shelter & Community Services. L’Tonya joins us from Dartmouth Health Children’s where she served as Social Worker in the Intensive Care Nursery. L’Tonya is a [...]

The Haven is seeking feedback about the possibility of extending the newly renovated and renamed Community Food Market's hours on a weekday evening or for a few hours on Saturday. Food services is also looking for input about the food [...]

Our service coordinators do excellent work. Below is a brief conversation with community member Quiana, who, with the help of Haven service coordinators Diane and now Brie, has been able to find permanent housing, a stable job, and a safe [...]

Letter to the Editor from Haven Executive Director Michael Redmond For the Valley News, Saturday, June 29, 2024 The recent heat wave and the resultant health risks for broad sectors of the population have been on the minds of many. […]

Jim & Suzy’s Path to a New Beginning Jim and Suzy found themselves in a challenging situation when their landlord sold their building to new owners who demanded higher rent. With Suzy recovering from a hip injury, Jim having mobility […]

Valley News – Upper Valley winter shelters kept dozens warm and dry LEBANON — Organizers of two new emergency shelters, which kept dozens of Upper Valley residents off the streets this winter, are reflecting on the season and sorting out […]

Dear Friends of the Haven, The end of March is notable for us annually at the Haven because it concludes our fiscal year. I want to extend my deepest appreciation to all of you who made donations to the Haven […]

[Press Release] Upper Valley Haven Recognition of Vermont’s Homelessness Awareness Day on January 18 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 2024 CONTACT: Spencer Sanders, (802) 478-1806 or ssanders@uppervalleyhaven.org   Upper Valley Haven Will Light and Display 337 Luminaires to Symbolize the Number […]

[Press Release] Upper Valley Haven’s Food Shelf Renovation Update FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   January 2024 CONTACT: Spencer Sanders, (802) 478-1806 or   ssanders@uppervalleyhaven.org      Upper Valley Haven has Postponed the Relocation of the Food Shelf White River Junction, VT – The Upper […]

Year-End Message from Michael Redmond Dear Friends, It is a special gift to me in my role at the Haven to be able to send best wishes to you at this time of year. It’s been a busy week for [...]

[Press Release] Annual Memorial Candlelight Vigil for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in the Upper Valley  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   December 2023 CONTACT: Spencer Sanders, (802) 478-1806 or   ssanders@uppervalleyhaven.org      Upper Valley Memorial Candlelight Vigil for People Experiencing Homelessness Area social service agencies […]

Valley News – Haven plan for low-barrier shelter in downtown WRJ gets approval WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Upper Valley residents experiencing homelessness — even those under the influence of drugs and alcohol — will have access next year to a […]

Dear friends, I hope you had a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving with friends and family. At the regularly scheduled meeting of the Hartford Planning Commission on Dec. 18, I’ll appear on behalf of the Haven seeking approval for an important [...]

Housing shortage is a community-wide issue For the Valley News by Michael Redmond “Do we have homelessness here?” many Upper Valley residents asked only a few years ago. Rural homelessness has often been invisible to many in our communities. The [...]

The Lebanon Seasonal Shelter is Underway! The city of Lebanon, NH has taken a significant step towards addressing the issue of homelessness. With a notable rise in housing insecurity and a strained budget, city officials knew they had to produce [...]

Message from Michael Redmond July 28, 2023 15, 16, 17, 18    95, 100, 108, 104, 147   35, 67 Dear Friends of the Haven, No, these aren’t my selections for the latest PowerBall or MegaMillions drawings, but there is a […]

Valley News – In many Upper Valley communities, meal programs for kids will lapse this summer The Hartford Community Coalition runs its summer meal program, Take a Bite Out of Hunger, in a hybrid fashion. In all, last year the […]

Tom’s Long Journey Toward Home Once you read Tom Brown’s story, you’ll truly admire his motto: “Never give up.” Tom was living the good life—a Navy veteran, working a job he loved in the dining hall at Norwich University, family […]

Goodwill and Giving at All Ages When Devin Wilkie was growing up in Cornish, NH he and his two brothers always had what they needed, but not much more. Devin described growing up “relatively poor.” His family got by, had […]

Food Stamp Cuts Are Here, But we Can Take Action Valley News Op Ed by Michael Redmond Friday, March 10, 2023 The Valley News recently reported on the impact of ending a COVID-era increase in benefits for individuals and families […]

Valley News – As pandemic fades, Upper Valley nonprofit groups adapt to changed landscape During the COVID-19 pandemic, Laura Gillespie started to notice a change in the grant applications she completed as director of development and communications at the Upper […]

Homeless in New Hampshire – Valley News Editorial From Haven Executive Director, Michael Redmond, “Thanks to the Valley News for its lead editorial in yesterday’s edition, “Homeless in NH” calling for renewed efforts to address this increasingly worsening situation with […]

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the State of Vermont has provided emergency temporary shelter through the General Assistance Fund and Economic Services. The State’s public health response has allowed people experiencing homelessness (some unsheltered, others staying in temporary housing or congregate […]

This week, the Haven celebrates National Volunteer Week (April 18-24, 2021) and we certainly have a lot to celebrate. From January-December 2020, 695 individual volunteers provided 22,895 hours of service to the community through the Upper Valley Haven! As a […]

The Upper Valley is a special place, and a lot of its unique charm comes from the value placed on connectedness within and between our towns and cities. This region’s listservs are one example of the area’s focus on neighborhoods, and more notably, our neighbors.

Last month, a donor approached the Haven about donating their Toyota Prius if it could be utilized by one of our clients. The donor explained, “We know how challenging it can be to have an independent life in the Upper Valley without a [...]

“Both of us have started to eat healthier because of the Haven.” Christine and her husband had visited the Food Shelf sometimes in the past, but the opening of the Haven’s outdoor food tent turned out to be just what [...]

By Ashley Wood “One of the pleasant surprises in life is meeting people.” This month, our temporary Café Food Programs Coordinator, Darren Lidstrom, is leaving the Haven to return to his job as sous chef at King Arthur Flour. Our […]

“I want to feel like I am doing something to help and not just looking out for myself.” One of our volunteers, Barbara, shared this sentiment about why it’s important to her to give back at this time, and our [...]

A Haven Community Service Coordinator recently assisted Tom with a housing voucher so that he could move into Twin Pines Housing’s new Tracy Street apartment complex in West Lebanon. Tom was born and raised in California, but has lived in [...]

Recently, a man arrived at the Caruso Cafe after lunch had been served. He had just interviewed for a dishwasher job that he was really excited about, but was hungry because he missed both breakfast and lunch to go to […]

A single photo rarely captures a whole story, but it can capture a moment in time. In this photo, you see three people exuding happiness, pride, and accomplishment. A mom modeling hard work for her children, children looking up to someone setting [...]

A mother in our shelter asked us to make sure we thanked those who helped her family during Christmas. Providing for these families is a group effort, so we wanted to share the letter with all of you. To whom [...]

Michael Redmond started as the Haven's new Executive Director on October 15, 2018. Before he can meet the myriad supporters and partners of the Haven throughout the Upper Valley, we asked him to share a few things about himself with [...]

On September 13, 2018, Russell received a small token with big meaning. That date was his two-year anniversary and the token was a sobriety chip at Alcoholics Anonymous. For such a small item, that coin represents more than meets the [...]

A personal reflection from Laura Gillespie, Director of Development and Communications at the Haven: Just before Christmas, I was preparing my home for the holiday influx of family and friend house guests. As I was making beds, changing and washing [...]

This winter has been a challenging one. Beyond the particularly frigid temperatures we all experienced, our community has needed more shelter capacity than we can provide with the Byrne House Family Shelter and Hixon House Adult Shelter. The need for [...]

October marked the kick-off to Good Eats, an updated and improved version of the Haven's Healthy Eating program. The mission of Good Eats is "to expose Haven patrons to reliable and ongoing varieties of food, which are inexpensive, easy to [...]

Summer 2017 marked the third full summer of children’s programming at Bev’s House (the Beverly Fowler Fiertz Community Center). Three staff members, one AmeriCorps member, two interns, and a team of dedicated volunteers welcomed 12 – 14 kids daily for [...]

Russell enters the room with a warm greeting, slowly but steadily making his way to the table. He is slightly off-balance, but seems confident. You wouldn’t guess that he had a major surgery on his cervical spine in April 2017; [...]

The Haven is known for going the extra mile to provide for those in need with what most of us believe are basic necessities. These needs (food, shelter, problem-solving, and information) are often taken for granted. But think for a [...]