On this week’s episode of Give Back New Hampshire, we focus on the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness. Founded in 2009, the Coalition is at the forefront of Concord’s response to homelessness, dedicating itself to eliminating chronic homelessness.
Justin Cross, Cross Photography
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Concord Coalition to End Homelessness
Pleasant Street Apartments was successfully converted into eight one-bedroom apartments for individuals exiting homelessness. The building opened to residents in June 2024.
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Karen Jantzen: I am Karen Jantzen. I am the executive director of the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness.
Sierra Hubbard: My name is Sierra Hubbard. I am our Supportive Housing Program Manager here at CCEH.
Miles Whitener: I’m Miles Whitener. I sit on the Concord Coalition’s board of directors, and I’m a one-time client of CCEH.
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Karen Jantzen: Our mission is pretty simple — it’s in our name. It’s to end homelessness in our community. We started out as a pretty much a volunteer organization, and over time we have grown. We serve hundreds upon hundreds of clients experiencing homelessness every day. We are a Concord based organization. We work with a lot of our partner agencies across the state in trying to eliminate homelessness, but the clients we serve are in the greater Concord area.
When we first started, we were a simple resource center, a place for people to come grab a cup of coffee and a place for people to get their mail. We’ve expanded from just having a resource center. We also offer supportive housing program.
Sierra Hubbard: So people who come from long-term homelessness and move into housing, either through properties that we own and provide those services, or through tenant based programs where we help them find an apartment out in the community. We provide supportive services, which is essentially case management, but also assistance with maybe getting groceries or making sure that they pay their rent on time. If it falls under the umbrella of helping to keep somebody housed, then we’re going to do that to assist that person.
Karen Jantzen: We are a low barrier shelter. We have 40 beds and we’re open seven days a week through December, January, February and March.
Miles Whitener: It’s almost as at times . . . like a triage situation. You have people that are coming in that are stressed out from the day. You see all kinds of things, just people shivering. Sometimes you’ll end up treating small wounds, cuts, contusions and stuff. It can be an experience if you’re not used to it, but it’s got its high sides, too, because you have the people that are coming in that are happy for the day to be over with. They’re happy for that bunk. And early on in the season, a lot of times people are just coming in and they’re done. They want to go to sleep, and that’s it. They hit the bunks, and they’re out like a light.
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Karen Jantzen: I think a huge challenge is housing. It’s hard to help people and end homelessness if you just don’t have a place where you can put them.
Sierra Hubbard: It’s all about providing options for people so that they have choices in where they live. And in this rental market, we can’t provide that, which is really difficult. Um, we can’t realistically give somebody a lot of options on apartments because we’re lucky if we can find one.
Karen Jantzen: Funding is always a challenge, and volunteers are kind of the lifeblood of how we get things done here on a day to day basis, and we can always use more volunteers.
Miles Whitener: I was a client here for two years, I guess? The whole time that I was, I was at my camp. And it started with, I like to pull my own weight. I just feel like if someone’s taking care of me, I want, I want to give back to who’s who’s helping me. And then, you know, the idea was brought up, well, you know, they would like to have a lived experience voice on the board of directors. And that opportunity was presented to me and I went for it. I just I wanted to give back to the people that had essentially taken care of me for two years.
I have a very profound, deep belief that in the end, humankind will make the right choices, and the people that do this are going to show them how to do it. And I do believe eventually, over time, humanity will respond and do the right thing. And I want to be on that path with them when they make that choice.
Sunflowers are my absolute FAVORITE flowers. I truly feel like they have magical uplifting abilities. Hence, why I’ve always kept fresh sunflowers in my house, brightening up my kitchen table or even my TV stand.
Obviously, it was a dream of mine to have my maternity photos taken in a sunflower field. They reflect sunshine and exude happiness.
Not to mention, one of my favorite quotes is about sunflowers! “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.” Helen Keller
A beautiful reminder to keep an optimistic outlook on life and not dwell on the negative.
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So, you can imagine the joy I felt when I learned that New Hampshire had its very own Sunflower Festival at Coppal House Farm in Lee!
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
About the Sunflower Festival:
During the summer, the farm transforms into a sea of golden blooms, giving visitors the chance to wander through thousands of sunflowers, snap photos, enjoy local food vendors, artisan crafts, listen to live music, and experience one of New Hampshire’s most beautiful summer traditions.
Other unique activities on the itinerary? Sip-n-snip! Guests can enjoy a cocktail or mocktail of their choice and cut their own fresh bouquet of flowers.
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
Or maybe you’re a yoga fan? You can join a 60-minute sweat session from Lee, New Hampshire yoga instructors right in the heart of the flower field.
And because the farm grows oilseed sunflowers for culinary oil (which they harvest in the fall months), the flowers only stay at their peak for a brief window, making the festival a limited-time experience, according to the festival organizers…
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What makes this event even more special is the reason behind it. The festival started as a way to share the beauty of the sunflower fields, but it has grown into something much bigger. Organizers say the event has raised more than $90,000 for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire over the years and now shares a portion of its proceeds with several local nonprofit organizations serving the Seacoast community.
Anyone who knows me knows that paying it forward is something that’s incredibly important to me. It’s right up there with my love of sunflowers because both fill my cup in the best way. So, when I found out this festival celebrates my favorite flower and gives back to the community, I knew I had to share it.
Sunflower Festival Details:
This festival only runs from Saturday, July 25th until Sunday, August 2nd. You can get the full list of activities and more on the Coppal Farm website.
Daily Field Hours
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10:00 AM – 6:30 PM (last admission at 6PM because fields close at 6:30) Weekend Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free Weekend Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm): $16 per person ages 13 & older $14 per person ages 5-12 $14 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free includes: access to sunflower fields, craft fair, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, farm animals, & live music
Weekday Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $8 per person ages 13 & older $6 per person ages 5-12 $6 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
Weekday Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
What tickets include: Access to sunflower fields, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, and farm animals
READ MORE: A Classic Fairy Tale Comes To Life At Portsmouth’s Prescott Park This Summer
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This festival might just leave you smiling long after you leave the fields!
What Flowers Thrive in New England
See what flowers thrive in New England weather: Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Gallery Credit: Logan
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering Locally Grown Strawberries
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering PYO Strawberries
Ed. Note: If this was you and you are interested, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP.
“Dear PoPville,
I was biking home from a doctor appointment a little before noon on Friday, and stopped at a red light on New Hampshire & L st nw. There was a woman across the street who was looking fine in her dark blue (I think they were) scrubs. I might be crazy, but it felt like we kept checking each other out. By the third time,
if we were in a romcom, one of us would have waved. Sorry I didn’t, but if you are reading this and date men, reach out to the Prince if you are interested in that man on the bike. Have a great weekend!”
Ed. Note: If this is you, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP. PoPville is not affiliated with either party, please proceed with any potential connection at your own risk using caution as you would any online encounter. For those curious about past missed connections, many have been made and when possible I’ll try to update when/if more are made.
A New Hampshire motorcyclist who had been missing since the Fourth of July was found dead in Shelburne late Thursday night.
State police say they received a request from the Berlin Police Department just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday for help locating 41-year-old Wesley Grondin — the Berlin man was last seen riding his motorcycle on Saturday, July 4, and had been reported missing.
Troopers received a call a couple of hours later, around 10:10 p.m. Thursday, from a concerned resident who had been out looking for Grondin along Route 2 in Shelburne. The person told police they had found Grondin dead, along with his Harley Davidson.
According to state police, a preliminary investigation determined that Grondin was riding his Harley on Route 2 westbound in Shelburne when, for reasons that remain under investigation, he crossed over into the opposing lane, struck a post, and came to a final rest in the wood line.
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The crash is believed to have occurred just before midnight on July 4. At this time, police say there’s no indication that another vehicle or person was involved.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation, however. Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact Trooper Hunter Newsham at Hunter.P.Newsham@dos.nh.gov.
