Unique story shared by the community members we serve
Each person who comes in contact with the Haven—whether a former guest, staff member, volunteer or donor—has a unique story to share about what the Haven has meant to them in their life. We want to thank everyone who was brave enough to open their hearts and share their experiences with others for this webpage.
November 27, 2023
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 [...]
November 17, 2023
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 [...]
October 27, 2023
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 [...]
July 28, 2023
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 […]
June 21, 2023
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 […]
May 17, 2023
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 […]
May 17, 2023
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 […]
March 10, 2023
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 […]
March 6, 2023
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 […]
January 9, 2023
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 […]
April 28, 2021
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 […]
April 23, 2021
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 […]
January 19, 2021
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.
January 19, 2021
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 [...]
September 17, 2020
“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 [...]
July 10, 2020
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 […]
May 19, 2020
“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 [...]
February 26, 2020
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 [...]
August 27, 2019
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 […]
May 20, 2019
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 [...]
January 21, 2019
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 [...]
October 26, 2018
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 [...]
September 24, 2018
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 [...]
January 30, 2018
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 [...]
January 30, 2018
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 19, 2017
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 [...]
September 13, 2017
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 [...]
August 21, 2017
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; [...]
July 21, 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 [...]