MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Monday, May 19th, the Manchester Fire Department gifted a sport utility vehicle to HOPE for NH Recovery to assist individuals living in the city with substance use disorder seeing recovery services.
Re-dubbed as the “HOPE Car,” the vehicle had finished its useful life as a Fire Department vehicle and was celebrated by city officials in attendance at the gifting ceremony.
“This gift exemplifies who we are as a city. We identified a need, offered solutions, then worked closely with our community partners to solve a problem. HOPE for NH Recovery is one of those strong partners doing amazing work,” said Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais. “We’ve seen overdose and fatal overdose numbers dropping dramatically in Manchester over the past two years. And, that only happens through collaborative efforts between groups like HOPE and our fire department’s Squad One. They’re on our streets every day saving lives. I am confident the HOPE Car will make a difference in in their ability to expand their efforts and success.”
“The Manchester Fire Department is proud to support the ongoing relationship between HOPE for NH Recovery and the City of Manchester. Hope is a vital resource to the city, and the Fire Department will continue to support this amazing organization in any way possible,” said Manchester Fire Department Chief Ryan Cashin. “After several meetings with the team at HOPE, Executive Director Randy Stevens kept coming back to how a vehicle would be a game changer. Addiction is an insidious disease, and the ability to move someone in the window where they want help is invaluable.”
HOPE For NH Recovery Executive Director Randy Stevens was also grateful for the donation.
“It’s incredible to be here with the support of the city behind us. We can now pick people up and get them to treatment and out of that unstuck place,” he said. “It is a tremendous opportunity for the people in this community who are suffering and vulnerable and need this kind of support. We so appreciate this collaborative relationship and hope to continue to build on it. We are incredibly grateful.”