Stepping Stones Transportation Grant
Nashua, NH – December 1, 2023 – United Way of Greater Nashua has made a difference for homeless youth in our community by awarding a three-year grant to Stepping Stones to help provide transportation for their clients. The United Way grant provides monthly bus passes for 20 youth, giving them much needed mobility to access services and programs that would not be obtainable otherwise.
Stepping Stones provides supportive services to youth 25 and under facing homelessness in the Greater Nashua Area. There are around 400 unaccompanied youths that are currently homeless in Nashua alone. At the Stepping Stones drop-in center these young people can meet their basic needs and get help planning and achieving their goals. In the Step Up independent living program, youth live on-site as they master the skills they need to become self-sufficient adults. Having access to transportation is critical in order to fully utilize either of these programs.
For youth that are homeless basic transportation is a necessity to access services and programs that help them on the way to a better life. Imagine if you had to walk to everything, especially in the winter months. Bus passes provide a way to move about the city quickly and easily. The bus may be used to come to the Stepping Stones drop-in center where they can study for their GED, make medical appointments, and just be in a safe place. Or the bus can be used to attend classes locally or go to work at places like UPS –which currently employs 4 clients. Because she had access to transportation, one of the women in the Step Up program was able to attend classes at St. Joseph and become a licensed nurses’ assistant. She is thrilled to give back to the community in her new job as an LNA. The bus pass also allows her to sustain employment as she builds towards independence.
The United Way of Greater Nashua Innovations Fund program is intended to help make resources more accessible for underserved populations. In Stepping Stones, the kids want to work with others, not have things done for them. They want to be part of their own solution. The access to transportation provided these youth with this grant can make the difference between a cycle of homelessness and a solid path to a new life.
Learn more about Stepping Stones at https://www.steppingstonesnh.org/
For more information about this project please contact United Way at info@unitedwaynashua.org or (603)882-4011.
United Way of Greater Nashua is an independent 510(c)3 nonprofit founded in 1929 to serve the residents of Greater Nashua. Its mission is to fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community. United Way of Greater Nashua has received GuideStar and Charity Navigator’s top ratings for accountability, transparency, and financial management. For more information or to get involved as a donor or volunteer, please email United Way of Greater Nashua at, info@unitedwaynashua.org or visit their website at www.unitedwaynashua.org.
