Waypoint

Team spirit is shining bright on Waypoint Swag Day! We're incredibly proud and grateful for our amazing employees who make a difference every day. Want to join a team that values professional growth, honors work-life balance, and makes a real social impact? Explore our new career opportunities today! 💙 https://ow.ly/1xLu50SXIUM

Did you know that around 8,000 children in New Hampshire are being raised by grandparents, aunts, uncles, or close family friends?

We’re grateful to the NH Union Leader for highlighting our PASTA (Parenting a Second Time Around) group and the unique challenges faced by these dedicated caregivers. Read this beautifully written story and learn more about the vital role kinship caregivers play in our community:

'Every day is a challenge,' but they step up for their grandchildren Editor’s note: Pieces of this article were obtained during a PASTA support group meeting, a Kinship Navigation Program, and participants are identified by first name only.

Waypoint has been supporting and empowering NH citizens since 1850. They have expanded their mission since they began as a child welfare agency, but have remained steadfast in their commitment to helping Granite Staters find paths to brighter futures.

Their compassionate, dedicated staff collaborates with the State of New Hampshire and other nonprofits to serve people of all ages.

For more information on the many services they provide, visit waypointnh.org

🚚Beep, beep! Mark your calendars, the Seacoast's 18th annual Touch-a-Truck is just 6 weeks away! Join Waypoint at the Richie McFarland Center on Saturday, September 21, 2024, from 9 am to 1 pm, rain or shine, at Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, NH.

Geared toward families with children of all ages, the Seacoast's 18th annual Touch-a-Truck features vehicles of all kinds to climb on and explore. Families can also enjoy delicious food and Kona Ice, and partake in multiple kid-friendly activities. Your attendance will help support Waypoint at the Richie McFarland Center.

Continue to stay tuned for more information as we get closer! For now, visit our website to pre-register, donate, or explore sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities. We look forward to bringing New Hampshire families and vehicles together again this year!

https://waypointnh.org/get-involved/fundraising-events/touch-a-truck/

We're thrilled to announce that the Waypoint Upper Valley Family Resource Center (FRC) has been officially designated as a Family Resource Center of Quality by the Wellness and Primary Prevention Council! This marks the first quality designation for our Upper Valley FRC, and we couldn't be prouder.

The council commended our team, noting that, “Waypoint Upper Valley FRC shows a noteworthy ability to shift their practice to meet community needs and respond to suggestions. The family center coordinators' positive regard for the families who participate in family strengthening services was infectious.”

Join us in celebrating this fantastic achievement! Drop a shout-out to our incredible Upper Valley FRC staff in the comments below! 🎉

Waypoint NH and NHLA are deeply concerned about the passage of HB185 which changes the parental responsibility statute to make the default state to have "approximately equal parenting.”

This passage of the bill could have detrimental consequences for abuse survivors and their children. One of the top reasons victims stay in abusive relationships stems from the fear that abusers will take their children away. This language could discourage victims from leaving because they would fear that children would be unsafe and unprotected from spending alone time with the abuser. The children's interest and safety need to be the priority of any decision.

To join us in our work: Call the Governor’s office and express your disappointment that he is supporting policies that allow the continuation of family violence and do not prioritize keeping victims and children safe from abuse in our family courts.

Victims and survivors of domestic violence seeking legal help in a custody or parenting case should contact their local crisis center or 603 Legal Aid.

Huge thanks to NH Eastern Star for choosing us as their agency of charitable giving this year! 🌟 They've truly gone above and beyond:

🚐 Funded repairs for our Street Outreach van in Manchester.
❄️ Bought us a new commercial-grade fridge when ours broke down.
🍽️ Regularly deliver meals to our shelter and youth drop-in center.
📦 Continuously ship much-needed items from their ongoing donation list.

Thank you, NH Eastern Star, for being everyday heroes and making such a positive impact in our community! ❤️

We had an amazing time at our Waypoint Families Movie Event at Chunky's in Manchester 🍕✨ It was a fun day filled with delicious pizza, great company, and a screening of Despicable Me 4! 🎬 You can't beat that combination. Swipe to see the joy on the faces of our wonderful families! 😊

We urge our elected leaders and communities to invest in humane, evidence-based solutions instead of criminalizing those experiencing homelessness. It's time to focus on expanding access to employment, healthcare, and affordable housing. Let's address the root causes and provide the support our communities need.

Please read the full press release from our friends NAMI New Hampshire to learn more: https://ow.ly/2qla50SKUty

Swipe a Community Bag off the shelves at our local Hannaford's in Rochester and support our cause. 🛍️ For each Community Bag you purchase at Hannaford's, located at 290 North Main Street, Rochester, NH, you're making a generous $1 donation to Waypoint. Grab yours before July ends and turn shopping into an act of kindness. A big heartfelt thank you to all of our amazing supporters! 💖

🚚Beep, beep! Mark your calendars, the Seacoast's 18th annual Touch-a-Truck is just 2 months away! Join Waypoint at the Richie McFarland Center on Saturday, September 21, 2024, from 9 am to 1 pm, rain or shine, at Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, NH.

Your attendance will help support Waypoint at the Richie McFarland Center, providing essential services to children experiencing developmental delays from birth to 3 years old and their families in the New Hampshire Seacoast community.

Continue to stay tuned for more information as we get closer! For now, visit our website to pre-register, donate, or explore sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities. We look forward to bringing New Hampshire families and vehicles together again this year! https://ow.ly/g2Nx50SJr5a

We are disappointed to say the least in Governor Sununu's decision to sign three discriminatory anti-LGBTQ+ bills into law. All of New Hampshire’s young people deserve open and welcoming schools where they feel safe and have equal opportunities to learn and participate in sports. By signing HB 1205, Governor Sununu took away the opportunity for transgender girls to build confidence, teamwork, and leadership, and have means to support physical and mental health by banning them from playing on school sports teams that align with their gender identity. These opportunities were not only taken away from transgender girls but now all girls may be subjected to potential invasions of privacy. In signing HB 1312, Governor Sununu effectively sent the message to LGBTQ+ young people that they are “objectionable" by making it easier to silence gender and sexuality discussions in the classroom. HB 619 bans gender-affirming surgery for transgender youth and prohibits doctors from referring care for transgender youth to out-of-state doctors even with parental consent. While we are glad that the governor vetoed HB 396, New Hampshire’s LGBTQ+ children deserve much better.

These bills directly contradict and roll back the work the Legislature and the Governor did in 2018 and 2019 to ensure, as the Governor stated in 2018, “that New Hampshire is a place where every person, regardless of their background, has an equal and full opportunity to pursue their dreams and to make a better life for themselves and their families. Bills such as those he signed into law make transgender youth feel unwelcome in their own communities, which leads to poorer mental health outcomes.

Waypoint’s mission is to empower and support New Hampshire’s individuals, children, and families. We will continue to do so and are ready to offer support and services to the youth impacted by this harmful legislation and to advocate for their rights, respect, and dignity.

We're thrilled to be recipients of our local Hannaford's Community Bag initiative in Rochester this July! 💖 For each Community Bag you purchase at Hannaford's, located at 290 North Main Street, Rochester, NH, you're making a generous $1 donation to Waypoint. How awesome is that? A big heartfelt thank you to all of our amazing supporters!

🌟 Powerful poetry by Madison Lemay, featured in the NH Youth Success Project (YSP)'s beautifully crafted book, Brushes of Resilience. This unique anthology encapsulates the courage of young people who've had to navigate the severe circumstances of unaccompanied homelessness (without a parent or guardian) under the age of 25. Their stories are reflected in their written, visual, and auditory art.

Dive into the work of other young creatives by checking out Brushes of Resilience here: https://bit.ly/4cJLWmZ

"...The Grants Pass decision does nothing to solve the problem of homelessness. Simply because an unhoused person has no option other than sleeping on a park bench or in a tent on a public sidewalk, they could now be issued citations with fines they cannot pay and may face a future that is forever hampered by a criminal record. When our society should be extending a helping hand, we are instead delivering a slap in the face."

Read this important op-ed written by our Director of Homeless Youth and Young Adult Department, Mandy Lancaster, to learn how the Grants Pass decision adversely affects unhoused young people across New Hampshire. https://waypointnh.org/opinion-criminalizing-homelessness-is-a-heartless-response-to-a-complex-issue/

We had a burst of color during our last event where we explored the whimsical world of Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, both in English and Spanish. 🌈🐠 Our budding artists unleashed their imaginations and created art inspired by our underwater adventure. Swipe left to check out their vibrant creations!

We're thrilled to team up with our local Hannaford and be recipients of their Community Bag initiative in Rochester this July! 💖 For each Community Bag you purchase at Hannaford's, located at 290 North Main Street, Rochester, NH, you're making a generous $1 donation to Waypoint. How awesome is that? With your help, we're able to spread even S'MORE love and strength to our community. A big heartfelt thank you to all of our amazing supporters!

Art is one of the most powerful methods to spread social awareness. Huge props to our partner, the NH Youth Success Project (YSP) for masterfully crafting their beautiful book Brushes of Resilience. This unique anthology encapsulates the courage of young people who've weathered the storm of unaccompanied homelessness (without a parent or guardian) under the age of 25. Their stories are reflected in their written, visual, and auditory art.

Poem and art credits go to talented artist Mika Una Kohtawa. Dive into the work of other young creatives by checking out Brushes of Resilience here:
https://bit.ly/4cJLWmZ

Dive into a world of shimmering scales and undersea adventures! 🌈🐠 Join us at our Family Resource Center in Manchester for story time where we'll be reading Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. Don't miss out! RSVP by emailing Amanda at [email protected]. See you there!

🎉 Celebrating 40 incredible years of service with Dawn Wheeler, the unstoppable force behind our Home Care programs at Waypoint.

According to Dawn's many friends at Waypoint, she is "Home Care's cheerleader and backbone." Her profound love for serving our seniors has made a great impact. Dawn, you've made a monumental difference in the NH community for nearly half a century. Your contributions are celebrated, and your dedication is unmatched. Thank you!

Waypoint had a blast Chillin' and Grillin'! Grills were fired up, awards were dished out, years of service commemorated, and laughs were shared - we at Waypoint know how to celebrate! Now, the countdown for our next annual BBQ begins! 🍖🏅🎉! 🔥

On Friday, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that opens the door to fining and incarcerating individuals experiencing homelessness for sleeping outside. Waypoint is deeply disappointed in this decision. Youth could be punished for just trying to survive the night. At Waypoint, we firmly believe that homelessness should be met with compassion and support. We remain committed to serving and advocating for young people experiencing homelessness. See our website for our full statement and other ways you can support this work: https://bit.ly/3RQ1bms

Join us in reshaping the way we talk about disabilities. Waypoint has taken the pledge to "Stop Special" when describing individuals with disabilities. The Stop Special campaign reduces the stigma tied to disability by eliminating the word “special” from everyday language, conversation, services, and policy on disability-related issues. Learn more about the campaign here: https://bit.ly/3RNtD8B

Our robust team - Wild and Wonderful Waypoint, joyously partook in the Best Buddies Friendship Walk on the Seacoast last weekend.

Best Buddies International is a notable nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization igniting a global volunteer movement. They pave the way for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership growth, inclusive living, and family support for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Together, we raised $1723 for Best Buddies. There was no shortage of fun--our second year was just as fabulous as the first, and we're revved up for even more ahead.

Stand up against hate and discrimination in New Hampshire! Raise your voice and call Gov. Sununu to VETO the anti-LGBTQ+ bills TODAY! More info below. 📢✊🌈

We're thrilled and honored to share that Waypoint has been recognized with the prestigious Granite State Award by the UNH College of Professional Studies! A shout-out to our incredible CEO, Borja Alvarez de Toledo, for accepting this award on behalf of Waypoint, which celebrates organizations and people who have made outstanding contributions to New Hampshire.

We're proud to contribute to the well-being of New Hampshire and will continue to rise to the occasion. Thank you, New Hampshire. This one's for you! 🙏

Grateful for the strong foundations we're building at our Family Resource Centers, underpinned by the 5 Protective Factors! The 5 Protective Factors are the foundation of the Strengthening Families Approach. Our Family Resource Centers strive to make sure these Factors connect with everyone coming through our doors. At the Upper Valley Family Resource Center, our Diaper Bank, Grab & Go hygiene products, and household cleaning supplies are accessed by people weekly, and supplies diminish quickly.

Through donations like these from the Lebanon-Upper Valley Lions Club, we can provide community members with concrete supports like diapers, laundry detergents, and toothpaste. Accessing community supports and services can reduce stress, build parental resilience, and in return, create stronger families! In strengthening families, we are building a stronger community. 🙌💚👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Do you understand the unique challenges of being a parent? Do you have the ability to teach parents how to raise children more effectively? Are you compassionate and enjoy being a friend and role model to others? Waypoint is seeking positive influencers who can give parents support when the job of parenting seems just too big to handle. A parent aide can help parents meet family challenges so that their lives can be easier and more rewarding.

Apply today for a career with a flexible schedule, up to 29 hours per week Monday - Friday. Afternoon and evening hours are preferred.