At the press conference on Oct. 18, board of director members and staff leaders of Families in Transition and New Horizons for NH gathered to announce a merger between Manchester’s two largest homeless services organizations. Pictured, from left, are: David Cassidy, chairman of New Horizons for NH, Maureen Beauregard, president and founder of Families in Transition and soon-to-be president of New Horizons, and Dick Anagnost, chair of the board of Families in Transition.
Families in Transition (FIT) and New Horizons, Manchester’s two largest homeless services organizations, announced Thursday they will merge into one organization effective Jan. 1, 2018. The nonprofits, under one entity, will integrate services, identify specialty services, scale programs, and eliminate gaps to help serve more people in need of emergency shelter, affordable housing, food, and supportive services in order to gain self-sufficiency and respect.
“After months of doing our due diligence, it’s exciting to be embarking on this endeavor,” says David Cassidy, chairman of New Horizons' board of directors. “This is about improving the continuum of care for people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Joining together with FIT, with Maureen Beauregard, president of FIT, leading the combined agency, will not only benefit homeless individuals with a simplified and targeted process, but other agencies will benefit from a reduction in duplicative intake functions, reductions in time spent on filling out forms, and an overall increase in interagency collaboration.”
Dick Anagnost, chairman of Families in Transition’s board of directors, says, “As two of the largest and most well respected homeless service organizations in the State of New Hampshire, the merger presents a unique opportunity for the City of Manchester to become a model for the creation of a robust and integrated system of care that will lead to tangible results for those most in need. The fact is, we’re better together.” Anagnost continues, “This is truly a strength-based merger. The biggest winners in this merger are the beneficiaries of our services; those most in need in our community,”
The merged entity will take the first six to 12 months to observe operations and outcomes of both organizations. Over time, the organization will implement processes or systems that are identified to help eliminate gaps in services.
The organization will be raising money to help with the merger to cover costs associated with bringing the two organizations together, including technology, professional development opportunities for staff, creation of systems to make the operations of one organization more efficient, streamlining employee benefits, and improving services.
Founded in 1991, Families in Transition provides housing and social services to individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, enabling them to gain self-sufficiency and respect in Manchester, Concord, Dover, and soon Wolfeboro. FIT also owns and operates two thrift stores in Manchester and Concord, which serve as economic engines to help pay for services that FIT provides.
Since 1973, New Horizons has worked to assist low income persons to address the social issues facing them. Today, its services include an adult homeless shelter, a soup kitchen, a food pantry, and Angie's Shelter for Women in Manchester.
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