CD Week | April 1 - 5, 2024 | City of Portsmouth

What’s been happening this year in Portsmouth to help our community be sustainable, livable and affordable?

Take a moment to recognize some of the programs and activities that the Portsmouth Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program supports.

AIDS Response Seacoast

ARS community outreach. Image: Courtesy of ARS.

AIDS Response Seacoast (ARS) provides medical case management and support services for persons living with HIV in our community.

"We are grateful to Portsmouth CDBG for providing support for our program so we can continue to provide a high level of service and strive for the best possible quality of life for our Portsmouth citizens living with HIV. We also work to provide education and advocacy to community to prevent the spread of HIV and reduce stigma.” – Tamara Leibowitz, Executive Director

Cross Roads House

CRH facility improvements — Cross Roads House shelter facility improvements. Image: Courtesy of CRH.

CRH provides transitional and emergency shelter for unhoused community members.

"It started innocently enough with a total roof replacement and repair of clerestory windows and evolved into a much more complex project after it was discovered that one of the main stairways was compromised because of a rotted substructure. The exterior structure of the stairwell had to be totally rebuilt. This required additional funding for which we are grateful to CDBG for being so flexible and understanding.

Because this project occurred during when Covid was still active, we had significant issues with material and workforce delays. This kept on pushing the timeline back, but Portsmouth CDBG was very understanding of the limitations during that period.

It has been really gratifying and deeply appreciated that Portsmouth CDBG has been hugely supportive of the needs of Cross Roads House over the years and has helped us weather many crises.” - Will Arvelo, Executive Director

Greater Seacoast Community Health (GSCH)

GSCH hygienist with young patient — Dental services at GSCH Families First. Image: Courtesy of GSCH.

Greater Seacoast Community Health (GSCH) provides medical and dental services to everyone regardless of circumstances or ability to pay.

"Access to oral health care in New Hampshire is particularly challenging for low-income adults. The cost of oral health care is often cited as a barrier for many adults, even those with dental insurance coverage. Many people forego preventive dental care and turn to emergency departments as their primary source of care when a dental issue turns emergent. Greater Seacoast Community Health (GSCH) services are open to everyone regardless of circumstances or ability to pay.

Last year, 55% of GSCH’s dental patients needed advanced oral health treatment, such as rehabilitative and restorative services or oral surgery; 12% required emergency oral health services. The City of Portsmouth’s CDBG funding directly supports GSCH’s dental center in Portsmouth, helping to ensure that patients who otherwise would not have access to dental care will benefit from regular preventive and restorative care in a dental home.” – Helen Long, Grant Writer

Operation Blessing

OB Warming Center ribbon cutting September 2023. Image: Courtesy of Community Development staff.

Operation Blessing (OB) operates a seasonal warming center to offer overnight shelter to a growing number of houseless individuals during this winter’s coldest nights. The center helps to disperse the larger number of individuals seeking beds in the traditional emergency shelters. OB also manages the Greenleaf Recreation Center.

“We are thankful to CDBG for all they have done to make the emergency Warming/Cooling Center a dignified and safe place for unsheltered individuals to sleep, use indoor toilet facilities, and shower.” – Tammy Joslyn, Executive Director

Rockingham Community Action/Southern NH Services

RCA/SNHS client intake. Image: Courtesy of RCA/SNHS. — Client intake. Image: Courtesy of RCA/SNHS.

Rockingham Community Action/Southern NH Services (RCA/SNHS) supports households with short-term rental assistance funded in part by the Portsmouth CDBG Program.

“These are a couple of the cases that we’ve had recently… We had a single mother who was in a pretty bad car accident and her insurance did not cover the costs, so she got behind in her rent…We had an older woman. She had lost her husband, and she couldn’t pay her rent because she had to pay for the extra medical costs he had, and then also for the funeral.” – Kathie Comeau, Site Supervisor

Watch/listen to video message here

Rockingham Nutrition & Meals on Wheels

Meal preparation volunteers' hands joined together over food — Meal preparation volunteers. Image: Courtesy of RNMOW.

Rockingham Nutrition & Meals on Wheels (RNMOW) provides nutritious meals via home delivery for homebound elderly and disabled persons—as well as community meals and transportation assistance.

Seacoast Community School

Children painting at SCS. Image: Courtesy of SCS.

Seacoast Community School (SCS) provides nurturing care and exceptional education for all children of the Seacoast ages 8 weeks through 12 years.

“Currently, over a dozen SCS students benefit from the Portsmouth Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for FY24. All families assisted by the CDBG grant earn incomes between 30% and 50% of the median household income for the Portsmouth region. The CDBG grant enables these children to access high-quality early childhood education that would otherwise be financially out of reach for them. Each child at SCS is thriving, and it's incredibly rewarding to witness their growth and development every day.” – Alicia Castello, Director of Development and Family Services