MANCHESTER, NH – Mayor Jay Ruais on Wednesday released the names of 15 community partners who will join the City of Manchester’s Continuum of Care. Ruais in a statement said:
“In order to successfully address the homelessness crisis, the city needs to provide a vision and an overall coordinated effort to ensure those experiencing homelessness are not falling through the cracks because of a siloed community approach. To that end, I have asked the following the federal delegation, state agencies, Hillsborough County officials, Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the private sector and representatives from the faith community to join the CoC’s General Assembly. This effort represents an important step forward in our city’s response to break the cycle of homelessness and create a better environment for all of Manchester. We will continue to add representation from additional sectors to expand voices at the table.”
Partners added to Manchester’s Continuum of Care include:
- Office of Senator Jeanne Shaheen
- Office of Senator Maggie Hassan
- Office of Congressman Chris Pappas
- Katja Fox: Director, Department of Health and Human Services Division of Behavioral Health
- Chase Hagaman, Director of the Division of Economic Development Department of Business and Economic Affairs
- Joseph Costanzo: Hillsborough County Superintendent of Jail
- Toni Pappas: Hillsborough County Commissioner
- Kelly Thomas: Alderman Ward 12
- Dan Goonan: Alderman Ward 2
- Crissy Kantor: Alderman Ward 6
- Patrick Tufts: President and CEO of Granite United Way
- Phil Tuttle: Pastor, Zeal Church
- Persephanie Lesperance: Owner, Recovery Residence
- Courtney Fifield: Members First Credit Union
- Anne Bilodeau: Brady Sullivan Properties
BACKGROUND:
The Manchester Continuum of Care (CoC) is the established entity to bring together our community partners, stakeholders and decision makers to end homelessness in our city.
In his Inaugural Address, Mayor Ruais called for the City of Manchester to become the lead agency for the CoC. Currently the CoC is currently run by a leadership team of non-profits whom the new partners seek to join and support.