Mascoma Bank has been a longtime supporter of Monadnock Family Services (MFS), including serving as a lead sponsor for their “Men Who Cook” fundraising event in support of America Reads, a program that connects senior volunteers with children to help improve their reading skills.
However, what MFS does goes far beyond that one program—they truly make our a community a better place. As a community mental health center serving the southwest corner of New Hampshire, MFS is a critical source of health and hope for people and the communities in which they live, particularly as it pertains to mental illness. They supply services that heal, education that transforms, and advocacy that brings a just society for everyone.
Each year, MFS provides services throughout 38 area towns, serving more than 2,300 clients with over 55,000 hours of clinical care. These services include their senior day program, substance abuse programming, emergency services, transitional housing, and school programming.
Due to the pandemic, their senior day program had to shut down for some time. This program is essential for many families as it offers a place for senior community members to stay socially engaged and alleviates the sense of isolation that can afflict senior citizens living on their own or with younger family members. Thanks to a donation from the Mascoma Bank Foundation and the increased availability of COVID vaccines, MFS can begin running this program once again at a smaller capacity. According to MFS’s Associate Director of Development Mary Delisle, “The adult day center was our hardest hit program—we suffered a great loss of revenue. The support we received from the Mascoma Bank Foundation has helped us tremendously. We are excited to be able to offer this program once again.”