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This project was funded, in part, by a CDBG Housing and Public Facility grant and CDIP monies.
Stephanie Savard, Vice President & Dawn Seeley, Office Manager of FIT, recently talked to CDFA.
What was at this site prior FIT?
Stephanie - Mental health facility offices
What role did you play in the Project?
Stephanie - Helping to fill apartments and overseeing the clinical staff.
Would the project have come to fruition if the CDFA funds weren’t available?
Stephanie - No, it was a huge piece to make this happen. You need to have multiple funding sources to make this type of project happen.
How many bedrooms are in each unit?
Stephanie - One and two bedroom units.
How do you think FIT will positively impact the lives of the women and children who reside here? Have their lives or will their lives be improved?
Stephanie - The pride that the “participants” have in their own space is a positive impact. This is a stepping stone for them. Housing is a basic human right and if they don’t have housing, it is the first stepping stone. If they don’t have that, it is almost impossible to be or become self-sufficient.
What sort of services and training do you offer?
Stephanie - Each participant is required to do the following: they are assigned a social worker and meet one-on-one once a week. They must attend support groups and workshops that we offer on self esteem, budgeting, relationships, and anger management. We also offer social events. We have an intensive employment training program including computer skills, how to job search, and how to prepare for an interview.
Do you offer a unique service?
Stephanie - Each new participant receives a new twin bed and an essential basket – towels, silverware, toaster oven, etc., and vouchers to our thrift store in Manchester where we sell furniture, etc. Periodically, throughout the year, they get coupons to shop at the FIT store too.
What is the demand for transitional housing and training?
Stephanie - There are other groups that offer transitional housing, but not as clinical as FIT. We have four masters’ level staff. Trauma is the biggest precursor to homelessness and the clinical part helps to combat that.
We typically get 10 phone calls a day. They have to go to shelters because we have nothing available. Currently, we know of 28 individuals, counting kids, looking for housing.
What is the biggest thing you have heard from the existing and future tenants regarding the Bicentennial Square apartments?
Stephanie – Once, when some women moved in as we were showing an apartment, one woman actually rolled around on the floor. Just pure glee that this is her place. To see their faces when they move in is just amazing. We give them a safe, warm, and clean apartments, which they really take pride in.
How has Bicentenial Square impacted the City of Concord?
Stephanie - There are still a lot of people that don’t even know we are here. We have housed 16 families in the City that now have a place to live. So we have alleviated 16 new spaces in shelters in the City. We have blended well with the neighborhood. Our neighbors have really accepted us in the City. Senator Larson pulled this project together to make transitional housing in Concord available.
How has FIT been impacted by its Concord location?
Stephanie - We are located in Manchester, so it was a big change for us to open a new facility in Concord. We are planning to do more transitional housing in other areas too, based on the success of both locations.
Are there any questions I haven’t asked, but you think people would like to know about?
Stephanie - The typical type jobs that our participants end up getting are entry level. Most will still need Section 8 to live and pay for housing. We are planning to team up with area businesses, but because we still consider the Concord FIT a start-up, we haven’t been able to do that yet. We are teaching our participants management skills with the hopes that they will move from entry level positions up.
Each participant pays rent to live at FIT. It is 30% of their income and everything is included.
Dawn - The downtown location is a huge benefit because participants have access to public transportation and are within walking distance to the library, grocery stores, and shopping.
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