Mayor Jay Ruais cuts the ribbon on new transitional housing spaces, flanked by Mary Chevalier, left, and Craig Chevalier, right, who operate 1269 Cafe. Photo/Winter Trabex
MANCHESTER, NH – On Tuesday, September 10, when the polls in New Hampshire were open for primary voting, 1269 Cafe directed its usual lunch crowd toward another location while a taco truck and an ice cream truck sat in the back parking lot. The organization, which had operated out of a building on the corner of Merrimack and Union streets in Manchester for the the last four years, celebrated the completion of its upstairs transitional housing spaces by holding an open house and ribbon-cutting event.
In attendance were Mayor Jay Ruais, Police Chief Allen Aldenberg, Fire Department Chief Ryan Cashin, as well as members from a host of a charitable and religious organizations. The event was run by Mary and Craig Chevalier, who oversee 1269 on a volunteer basis, working five days a week to see that members of the community, most often homeless people, receive a meal for lunch and have access to a food pantry, a clothing donations closet, a shower, a bathroom, lockers, and medical treatment center on the second floor, run by Better Life Partners (BLP). Participants at 1269 can walk up to the second floor to receive treatment for substance use disorders if they so choose.
The name 1269 derives from its original address at 1269 Elm Street. The organization moved from that location to the second floor of the old police station on Chestnut Street, located a block away from the New Horizons shelter on Manchester Street. The organization rented the space with a tight budget. When the opportunity came to buy a property of their own, they did so.
The building they now occupy was once a Catholic school owned by the Diocese of Manchester. In its residential areas, where beds and sliding doors are found, old chalkboards adorn the walls. Upon receiving the building, Chevalier got to work replacing an old and broken-down heating system as well as upgrading the building in a variety of ways. Now, except for casework, it functions as a one-stop shop for homeless people seeking to improve their lives.
The building works in a tiered system, according to Chevalier. At the bottom floor, they offer street-level services anyone is entitled to access. On the second floor, those seeking treatment are welcome to do so. On the third floor and above, men who are 30 days sober or longer may choose to take a place in one of the building’s transitional housing rooms. During the tour, Chevalier mentioned a permanently disabled individual whom she was happy to keep in the building. She claimed he was friendly and helpful, but would not be able to find a regular apartment.
Chevalier said about the zoning process of 1269 at its current location, “We were so unique they didn’t even know what to call us. The zoning board had to make up its own category, which is multi-use social services. The whole purpose of going through all of those things was this residency program. This will give us a whole other realm of serving our community that we never thought possible. God has put it on our hearts that this is what we’re supposed to do.”
Larry Watson, the Operations Manager for Better Life Partners of New Hampshire and Vermont, has been working with the company for 10 years, during which time he’s served a variety of different people from all manner of backgrounds.
“We provide virtual medication assistance treatment program, same day services often, and responsive medical care as well as responsive mental health care,” Watson said. “At the building here, we see folks downstairs at the cafe for things they may need. We see people here for in-person medical visits for our providers. We also do some medical needs like wound care, infections, just basic medical needs. We can also assess if people need to go to the emergency room or if they have other medical needs.”
“1269 has been an outstanding resource for the city of Manchester,” Chief Cashin said. “Every day, they deal with housing, they meet individuals where they are. Anytime we’ve asked for Mary, she’s always been there. I can’t thank her enough. Anytime we can build affordable housing, allow people to get in from outside, and save lives, I’m always in support of that.”
