Community Survey In 2018, we began working with the families that we house in new ways. We have always provided resident services to assist families who are struggling. Now we want to engage with all our tenants to develop leadership skills, help people obtain living wage jobs with benefits, and strengthen protective factors at the family and community level to increase every family’s chance at success. We realized that we needed to strengthen our relationships with our tenants before we could enter into meaningful dialogue with them about family, work, and community. So in October 2018, we sent out a 40-question community wellness survey to all our tenants. The survey asked about basic needs, health, neighborhood safety, work and career goals, and level of community involvement. Over 40% of our residents responded. The following issues jumped off the page for us. Neighborhood Safety
Legislative Update Last month, we reported on two legislative service requests that we were watching. We are happy to report that both have been formally introduced as legislation in the NH Senate. Senate Bill 15 is sponsored by Senator Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) with a strong, bi-partisan list of co-sponsors. SB15 would make a $10 million appropriation to New Hampshire’s Affordable Housing Fund for the biennium ending June 30, 2021 and would establish an annual transfer of $5 million from real estate transfer tax revenue into the Fund. The state has only sporadically put money into the Fund since its inception in 1988. If passed, SB15 would not only generate the single largest investment in affordable housing that the state has ever made, it would also create a dedicated annual funding source for affordable housing. Most states in New England have invested significantly more in their affordable housing infrastructure than New Hampshire has. SB 15 would be a major step forward in addressing New Hampshire’s housing crisis. Senate Bill 84 is sponsored by Senator Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua). It would more than double the funding for the Bureau of Housing Supports at the Department of Health and Human Services to contract with homeless services providers throughout the state to address homelessness. The bill would establish a $2 million eviction prevention fund that can be used to help families pay back rent or address transportation or health crises that could lead to eviction. It would also provide $2 million to increase case management staffing at homeless services providers to help people who are homeless get into stable housing. Lastly, the bill would provide $1 million for rapid re-housing of youth between 18 and 24 years old and families who are eligible for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). Homelessness increased 118% in Belknap County from 2016 to 2018, which is the biggest increase of any county in the state. LRCD has directly experienced some impacts of this increase, including seeing more tenants violating their lease to allow homeless friends and family with no other option to live in their apartment, as well as homeless individuals breaking into our properties and causing property damage. SB 84 would provide much-needed resources to alleviate homelessness in New Hampshire. Meet Carrie Duran, New Board Member  Carrie recently joined our Board of Directors as a new tenant representative. She and her three daughters have lived at Harriman Hill in Wolfeboro for over four years. She was a Teaching Assistant at the Lakes Region Technology Center for four years before taking this year off to finish her bachelor’s degree. Carrie is an active community member. She serves as Secretary of the Region One Family Support Advisory Council, is on the Board of Northern Human Services, serves as Vice President of the State Family Support Council, and is a Policy Committee Member of the New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities. It was as a member of the NH Council on Developmental Disabilities that Carrie played an important role in advocating for the expansion of Medicaid in NH. Carrie is currently working on her Bachelor of Arts in Special Education at Granite State College and is expected to finish this June. Secure Your Tee Sponsorship Today!  Have your logo at one of the eighteen holes at this family-friendly event and seen by 150+ participants. To secure your tee sponsorship for the 4th Annual Putt Putt Tournament click HERE or contact Caitlin Meaney at 603.524.0747 ext. 108 or at [email protected]. The tournament is on June 21st from 4 pm to 7 pm at Pirates Cove, Winnisquam. Building Community - Laconia LRCD staff and residents of River's Edge Apartments participated in a Stop the Bleed training provided by Partnership for Public Health. All participants learned the basic techniques of bleeding control and practice using a tourniquet. All the Ways You Can Give You have the power to change the lives of hundreds of families in the Lakes Region by supporting the work we do. You may be able to increase your charitable gift to Lakes Region Community Developers by giving in a new way. Consult with your financial advisor, accountant, tax preparer, or estate planner to determine if you would benefit from increasing your support by making your gift in one or more of the following ways. Appreciated Securities If you are concerned about paying capital gains tax on stocks, bonds, or mutual funds that have appreciated in value, you could donate them to LRCD. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so we are not subject to capital gains tax. If you have owned the securities for at least one year, you can donate them directly to us without paying any capital gains tax. We can then liquidate the securities tax-free and use the proceeds to carry out our mission. Consult with your accountant or financial advisor to determine if donating securities is right for you. IRA Charitable Contribution Annual withdrawals from your IRA are required after age 70 ½, and the penalty for skipping a required minimum distribution can be significant. However, if you are in the fortunate position of not needing your distribution for living expenses, you may avoid paying income tax on your required withdrawal by donating it to a charitable organization like Lakes Region Community Developers. This may also help you avoid or reduce the taxes that you have to pay on your social security income. Consult with your financial advisor or accountant to determine if making an IRA charitable contribution could be beneficial to you. Charitable Bequest If you are interested in making a gift with lasting impact without giving up assets during your lifetime, consider including a charitable gift, also known as a bequest, in your will. A bequest can be of any size—you can specify a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of your estate. Your bequest can be unrestricted, meaning it will support our most vital needs or priorities at the time it is received, or you may direct your gift to a specific program at LRCD. Consult with your estate planner to decide if a charitable bequest is right for you. If you want to make a gift to Lakes Region Community Developers in any of these ways, please contact Carmen Lorentz at (603) 524-0747 ext. 110 or [email protected]. Thank you. Green Tip - De-Ice Your Windshield Naturally As a NeighborWorks America Green Designated Organization we have incorporated green practices across all lines of business. As an organization it is important to us that we remain steadfast stewards of our precious resources and inspire our neighbors to see the value and ease of incorporating green practices into their lives. We hope you enjoy our monthly Green Tip. Don't get stuck scraping your windshield, instead use this all natural trick to prevent ice build-up! To help prevent ice from forming on your car windows and windshield, mix three parts white vinegar with one part water, and spray onto your car windows and windshield before you go to bed. Even if snow has fallen, the vinegar mixture will help prevent ice build-up.  Comments are closed.
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193 Court Street, Laconia, NH 03246 • 603.524.0747
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