NH Facts

1130 children and youth were reported as homeless in 2007. (NHNH) There are 2,248 homeless people on any given day in New Hampshire. (New Horizons) From July 2007 - July 2008 approximately 4,800 jobs were lost in New Hampshire. (Analysis of NH Industry)

Sunday, December 28, 2008

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”~Gandhi

The Community Leadership Program is an outstanding program that was first introduced last year at UNH Manchester and has been running for the past 8 years at UNH in Durham. One of the required courses as part of the Community Leadership Program is the “Introduction to Community Leadership,” which I was enrolled in this past semester. Walking into our Community Leadership class on that first day, I really didn’t know what to expect. The course is designed to educated students about: “the process of community building, community service, organizing, and leadership.” It is also designed for students to generate “awareness of community issues to community members” while bringing people of the community together. This course required my class as a whole, to create a community service project that applied all these skills.
Last year’s class put together the Warmth From The Mill Yard drive. Their project was a warm clothing drive, where the students collected warm clothes, gave the collected clothes to different organizations, and raised awareness of homelessness in New Hampshire. They collected 800 items and their project won a National Community Service award, in Minnesota.
This year, as a class we conducted a need base assessment, and saw that once again there was a great need for warm clothing throughout New Hampshire. Our class decided it would be best to meet that need throughout New Hampshire by running and expanding last years “Warmth From The Mill Yard” project. “Our vision is to lead the local community in the Warmth From the Mill Yard project, which is a “winter clothing” drive to raise awareness of poverty & assist local families/individuals within our community.”
Our vision at first was only a fraction of what we had succeeded to bring in. At the beginning of the class when stating our vision there was a lot of hesitation about putting a number to the amount of clothing we could receive by donation. This hesitation came from the current harsh economic time. Because of this unsympathetic time we were unsure if people would be willing or could afford to donate to our clothing drive.
Personally, I see myself as an achiever and “go-getter.” If someone perceives that I can’t do something, I will then reach out and do it ten times better than anyone every expected. Knowing that I am a “go-getter,” I was highly optimistic and motivated that we as a class could raise at least 800 items. With the help and generosity of others within our community we far exceeded our 800-item total, to reach over 2,800 items donated.
Our vision was not owned by anyone of us as individuals in the class, but by our class as a whole. With input and suggestions from all eight of us, our vision developed into a project that was more than just a warm clothing drive, it was a project that served others.
We not only had the chance to serve those who needed warm clothing within our community, we had the chance to serve the Hillside STAY Program children. We served them by making them apart of our project and getting them involved within their own community. We welcomed them with open arms and showed them that they too, could make a difference within their own community.
I have to say this class has made a real difference in my life. I have learned that service is a tool that is far better than “helping” and “fixing” current issues. By serving we gain a new knowledge of self. By serving we acknowledge a need and create a solution for that need. By serving we shape, transform, and collaborate within our own communities. I have always believed that people have a desire to belong, a need for recognition of self-value, and a want to be a part of something truly meaningful. Through this project I have come to understand, with collaboration of ideas, resources, and time, people can truly achieve their self worth.
Through this project, I have to say I have gained a new sense of self. This project has reinforced my self-motivation and compassion for other and made me realize that I can make a difference even if I never meet the individual I am serving. Yes, community service takes a lot of time, work, and commitment, but doing for others creates change within your community. Gandhi once said, “be the change you wish to see in the world.” I believe that with the “Warmth From The Millyard” project the eight of us have been part of the change we all wish to see in the world.

~Sheena Connolly

Friday, December 19, 2008

Magnificent 8

I found myself in a room full of empty
Only to realize it wasn’t meant for me to be here
But important that I came
My road was the one too often traveled
From them hopes that unravel in the streets
Riddled with them who never met potential.
Don’t mistake my strut for confidence
I just wouldn’t survive the consequence
that waits behind the door for them knockin knees
But recently I find myself at ease
Amungst giants I walk softly
And I carry a big heart
In an effort to do my part
See I’m crucial to the sphere my people call conversation
But see I make no claim that we be from anything
More than from where we came
It was the giving that leveled me
I saw eyes cry, smiles curl and hands extend
In my particular direction
Here where I stand now in reflection
Too am a giant
Some of those who choose to stand simple
Questiong the intent, attempting to debate
Thee magnificent 8 would best tip toe lightly.
I’m play those lines over and over

As time goes ooooon
I realiiiiiiize
just what you meeeeeean
to mee and now

My room runneth over
With giants at my shoulder I lead
Being lead by leaders, I was
To become Mercury, I am
Hot like that fire, I will
Teach he, she and anybody
And I do mean anybody like and not like me
Atop the mountain I see tomorrow
My community on my mind, I unwind
With a sublime line that hits on time!
Check it.
Leaders, make leaders,
And ya’all made me!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

When our Community Leadership class first started planning the Warmth from the Millyard winter clothing drive, I was extremely skeptical about the amount of clothing we would get. Last years drive got 800 items of clothing, and I thought that at the most, we’d be able to get 1,000 items. That was just me being optimistic though, I didn’t actually believe that people would donate nearly as much as they did last year because of how bad the economy is doing. As the word spread about the drive, the clothing started POURING in. We had over 800 items before the drive even started! It amazed me that even in this time of economic crisis, people were still willing to help others. Some people even donated brand new clothing!

I had never realized what a huge problem homelessness was in Manchester, or New Hampshire in general. I had always known that it was a problem, but since I had never seen it, I didn’t think twice about it. I hope this drive helps make the public aware that there IS a huge problem, and that this drive was just a short term solution. We need to start thinking about long term solutions. One idea our class came up with is starting a clothing bank. That’s just the beginning though.

This drive made me realize what a huge impact a small group of people can have, so if you have an idea, go for it! By the end of the drive, I had a huge change of heart. I realized that there are still good, caring people in the world, and they make themselves even more known and come together during desperate times. The recent ice storm we had confirmed this even more so. I saw people getting together to help remove trees and clean up debris. People were opening their houses to family, friends, and even strangers. I’ve seen signs up at people’s houses saying “free water”, “we have heat”, etc. I am so devastated to see all the damage this storm has done, but it fills my heart with joy to see how much people are willing to help.

-Maren Bhagat

Thursday, December 11, 2008


What you do for others can light up a room!