The idea of building something substantive for your family and their security struck a deep chord within me this year as I put together the second-annual list of the Top Family-Owned Businesses in NH.
My wife and I have not been fortunate enough to have a child of our own, and after years of trying, we came to accept it was not going to happen for us. But that didn’t mean a child could not be part of our lives. From my time covering the police and courts beats in my newspaper days to serving on the board of the former Our House for Girls in Dover, I know there are many children in heart-breaking situations and in need of a loving home.
My wife and I decided to become foster parents. It’s been a yearlong process so far for us. We took the required classes, which very effectively scared the Hell out of both of us. We remodeled the guest bedroom to accommodate a child and we took some time to be sure that we were ready for the responsibility. We most definitely are.
We have also undergone fingerprinting and a criminal background check. Our home had to be inspected by the fire department, which revealed we need a larger window in our future foster child’s bedroom and we’ve hired a contractor to get started on that.
As of this writing, we are two days away from welcoming the health inspector to our home and we have doctor appointments scheduled so we can submit medical releases. And once all that is done, we will have visits from a social worker to become officially certified.
Our hope is we will have a child in our house by the end of the summer. What we know is that the child the state brings to us will likely be scared and upset. We look forward to creating a safe harbor and, ultimately, a permanent place of comfort and joy for someone.
I will bring the lessons I gleaned from my interviews with these family businesses to my new role as a foster parent—having faith in one another, drawing upon the past to build something new for the future, keeping the lines of communication open, especially when the times get tough, and always having each other’s back.
Congratulations to the family businesses on this year’s list for all their success and thank you for all you contribute to our economy and for what you have taught me. And a hearty thank you as well to the Center for Family Business at the University of NH for helping us to compile the list and for all they do to support family businesses in the Granite State.
Sincerely,
Matthew J. Mowry
Editor
Current Issue - April 2024