Chairman and CEO of PROCON, Mark Stebbins;
president/CEO of CFS, Borja Alvarez de Toledo; and Sally Stebbins of PROCON
Manchester, NH – Child and Family Services recently opened a new Youth Resource Center at 330 Lincoln Street in Manchester. The new center will provide support services for the homeless youth in the city, ages 12 to 22 years old. PROCON, which has been an active supporter of Child and Family Services (CFS) for over 25 years, provided $200,000 for the interior renovation of the new youth center, as well as assistance with furnishing and fixtures. PROCON’s financial support allowed Child and Family Services to move and expand the youth center to the new location and open its door before the start of the cold winter season.
Earlier this year, PROCON sponsored the CFS SleepOut 2015 that raised awareness of the youth homelessness problem in the city and raised funds to provide services. PROCON chairman and CEO, Mark Stebbins, attended the event with his wife, Sally, and heard the story of a 15-year-old who struggled as a homeless youth. Both were moved by the story, along with the realization that over 300 youth are homeless in Manchester on any given night. As a result, he inquired where PROCON’s dollars would be most beneficial in helping with this problem. The then director of development, Ruth Zax, mentioned that CFS had acquired the Lincoln Street property but had not taken up occupancy pending the resources for renovations.
PROCON set the ball rolling with an initial $200,000 donation to fund the renovation work. Stebbins went into action, commissioning PROCON’s in-house design team with the interior layout, color choices, a selection of fabrics, and furniture purchases. Within months, contractors commenced work on the renovations. PROCON’s partner’s XSS Hotels and Colwen Hotels also pitched in assistance with materials, donations, and the purchase of furniture through their wholesale distribution channels.
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What no one knew about at the time, was the fortuitous back-story to the Lincoln Street venture involving Mark Stebbins and PROCON that took on a pleasantly surprising twist.
Youth Center during renovation
Ruth Zax recalls the occasion, “When we mentioned our intention to move the center to the Lincoln Street address, there was a brief silence, then Mark’s face lit up. He told us that the future CFS building was adjacent to the site where his grandfather, Blanchard Stebbins originally opened the family business in 1935. As we registered what he said it was a serendipitous moment for us all.” President/CEO of Child and Family Services Borja Alvarez de Toledo added, “Mark immediately took us under his wing and committed to providing both financial support for the renovations and his Company’s design services. It was an exciting moment for us because we realized our dream of a new youth center would be able to become a reality.”
Sally Stebbins remarks, “We are very pleased to continue our support of Child and Family Services with the renovation of the new Resource Center. The Center will provide a variety of services to Manchester’s homeless youth, including access to food, clothing, hot showers, laundry facilities and access to a computer lab and community services.”
Youth Center Completed
Youth homelessness is on the rise in the United States, and experts believe that one in 30 kids (nearly 2.5 million children) of K-12 school age are now homeless in the US, according to a study by the National Center for Family Homelessness. On the local level, it is estimated that 1,000 or more homeless youth are on the “known” radar in the Manchester area, and approximately 300 are homeless on any given night.
These types of statistics accentuate the critical role that Manchester CFS plays in the community, where they are seeing roughly 30-40 youth per day inside their doors and around 750 per year. Ages range from 12 to about 22 years-old and are solicited through outreach efforts targeted to underage homeless youth. However, their personal lives are often complicated by in-home alcoholism, drug addiction or domestic violence. The Center provides them with a hub to address personal needs from meeting with a therapist, or receiving a meal, to doing laundry or taking a hot shower. They are also exposed to career presentations given by local businesses. CFS Communications Director Kat Strange underscores that the Center is also an access point of opportunity to show them options for rebuilding their lives, “We are in a position to help youth change the trajectory of their lives through these services. They work toward a goal such as finding housing, learning a trade, taking their HiSET exam, developing usable skills, doing workforce development and finding jobs.”
Ruth Zax has devoted 40 years of her life to working with Child and Family Services and is retiring this year. Ruth shared her sentiments about the Lincoln Street move and PROCON’s partnership with CFS. “This is my last big project, and for me it is the perfect donor wish fulfilled…it is one of those picture-perfect stories – and a nice way for me to go out.”
In addition to providing financial support for the renovation and fit-up, PROCON is offering a $50,000 challenge match during CFS Sleep-Out 2016 to raise operational funds for the Center. “It is our hope that the Teen Resource Center will provide the additional support services these teens need to become self-sufficient adults,” stated Mark Stebbins.
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