8 years, 77 selections, $3,284 in donations
Since February 2016, Families in Transition has been selected to benefit from the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs 77 times at 8 different Hannaford locations. In total, the organization has received $3,284 in donations to further its mission of supporting individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Tell us about Families in Transition.
The mission of Families in Transition is to prevent and break the cycle of homelessness. We do this through various programs based in Manchester, New Hampshire, and some other programs in different parts of the state. We have also come together with other organizations to build a continuum of support for people who are experiencing homelessness.
Our history can be traced back to the 1970s when the first adult emergency shelter and food pantry opened in Manchester under the name New Horizons, which many longtime residents are familiar with. In 1991, the first Families in Transition building was opened to help women and children who were experiencing homelessness. Then, in 2018, the two organizations merged to become the Families in Transition our community knows today.
What services do you provide to the community?
Everything we do is focused on helping individuals and families access and maintain housing.
We are a housing agency that started with one building with five units; as of today, we have about 240 units of housing, serving individuals and families in Manchester and Concord. Today, in addition to the housing, we have two emergency shelters here in Manchester, New Hampshire. One is an adult shelter that serves 138 individuals every night. The other is a family shelter that serves 11 families nightly.
Additionally, Families in Transition has the Willows Substance Use Treatment Center, which is a substance use treatment program for men and women with both inpatient and outpatient services. We also offer 11 recovery housing units for women reuniting with their children.
We are also proud to run the largest food pantry in Manchester, NH. This program is a big part of our relationship with Hannaford. Not only does Hannaford help us stock the pantry daily, but the organization also funded a major update to the food pantry in 2021 to help us offer a more dignified shopping experience to our community members in need.
How has Families in Transition used the donations from the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs to further its mission?
The funds that we receive from these programs help us provide our services. It can help ensure a meal for somebody staying at the emergency shelter. It can ensure that somebody at the pantry gets the food they need. These donations make sure we stay open.
What is critically important about these programs is it helps us spread the word about Families in Transition. Hannaford reaches more people daily than our organization does. So, it helps the community understand the work that we’re doing to serve the most vulnerable people in our community.
These programs provide the opportunity for our organization to be seen while also helping people understand how Hannaford is an amazing partner to us. Since 2016, Hannaford and Families in Transition have been strong partners in serving our community. It’s been a great partnership.
Tell us a story about a program, service, or initiative the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs have supported.
The food pantry is where our organization is most closely connected with Hannaford. Not only does Hannaford support us through these programs, but it also provides us with what we call “fresh rescue.” Every day, we visit several stores in and around Manchester that offer us fresh fruits, vegetables, bakery goods, and any other items we can use. This fresh rescue ensures each person coming in will have food on their table and access to healthy food options.
Hannaford, its customers, and the other people who help ensure we have food on our shelves are the ones who feed the residents here in Manchester on a regular basis. We serve about 1,000 households every month through the food pantry. We provide them with everything from fresh food to diapers, formula, and items for our aging adults.
All this helps make our communities stronger. The partnership shines at the food pantry because both Hannaford and Families in Transition are dedicated to keeping people nourished from the inside out.
The partnership shines at the food pantry because both Hannaford and Families in Transition are dedicated to keeping people nourished from the inside out.
Have you noticed any changes in community awareness or support since becoming involved in the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs?
Our pantry has become a beacon of hope for the Manchester community. When we bring our donors through our pantry, we are able to talk about the partnership and how Hannaford has helped make the pantry a much more dignified experience for our customers.
Our pantry has become a beacon of hope for the Manchester community.
The partnership with Hannaford has helped us understand things like how important lighting is. The way you treat somebody walking in is important. How you display the food is important. We have learned all these things through our partnership with Hannaford and its store managers, who have come to care for our organization.
We are now able to bring in donors to the food pantry and watch them realize that it looks like the grocery stores they go to. It looks exactly like that because it is what everyone deserves.
It’s a real joy for us to be able to show a potential donor what Hannaford has been able to do for us. They can look around and say, “If Hannaford could do this, I can do something.”
A lot of our work isn’t visible because it’s confidential, but the food pantry is something people can understand. So, it’s been a great way for us to show off our work. They can see it in action, which makes a huge difference.
What advice would you give to other nonprofits participating in the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs?
First, I want to thank all the customers who participate in these programs and learn about Families in Transition. This partnership is successful because of their willingness to get involved.
For any organization thinking about getting involved, be open to every opportunity to get your message out there. We’re almost 10 years into our partnership with the program, and our relationship with Hannaford has only grown.
Interview with Maria Devlin, President and CEO