Listen meets the need. As a direct result of our community's generosity, Upper Valley children, seniors, families and individuals receive a warm meal, fuel for their homes, holiday presents for their children, and life skill education to help them transition to successful independent living. Listen does not rely on state or federal funding. It is our connected community—donating groceries, clothing or money—that ensures that when our neighbors are in need, we have the resources to respond.

Now and then things happen beyond our control: an unforeseen event such as a family medical emergency, loss of a job, or unprecedented heating and housing costs. As government funding evaporates, Upper Valley residents living in both New Hampshire and Vermont depend upon Listen to "bridge the gap."

Community Dinners
When a struggling household takes full advantage of Listen's Community Dinner Program, it is easier to meet heating, rent or other household expenses. Elderly guests remain successfully independent for a longer period.

Listen offers six Community Dinners five nights a week in four locations at no cost to those who attend. More than 40 cook teams prepare and serve nutritious meals at local churches and senior centers. In 2006, Listen served 10,000 hot, wholesome meals. In 2007, we served 13,000 and in 2008, we expect to serve more than 17,000 meals. Take-home containers are always available to bring meals to those who are homebound or to take for lunch the following day. Community Dinners are available to everyone, but we serve mostly seniors and low-income families with children.


Dinner is served promptly at 5:00 PM each night. Doors open at 4:30 PM.

Mondays:	Mascoma Senior Center on Route 4, Canaan, NH St. Paul's Episcopal Church on 749 Hartford Ave, WRJ, VT
Tuesdays:	Sacred Heart Church on 2 Hough Street, Lebanon, NH
Wednesdays:	St. Paul's Episcopal Church on 749 Hartford Ave., WRJ, VT
Thursdays:	Sacred Heart Church on 2 Hough Street, Lebanon, NH
Fridays:	United Methodist Church of Lebanon on 18 School Street, Lebanon, NH

Food Pantry

An average of three bags of groceries can save a household more than $90.00. Listen's recently renovated and highly efficient food pantry supplies the Community Dinner Program, as well as individual households in both New Hampshire and Vermont. In 2007, Listen provided a week's worth of food for 1,022 household visits equaling 37,212 meals. Listen relies primarily on local, private donations from individuals, food drives and local businesses. Contact the Community Service Office for an emergency food bag, or to set up an appointment to receive food pantry assistance or holiday food baskets.

Heating Helpers

Winter is long and cold. Warmth is essential—especially living in the Upper Valley. Soaring oil prices are cause for alarm. Government assistance is inadequate. Listen's Heating Helper Program protects seniors and families from having to choose between warmth, food or medicine. Listen can provide an emergency delivery of fuel, assistance to prevent an electric disconnect, and/or referrals and advocacy for public programs or resources.

Housing Helpers

Content coming soon.

Financial Management

Content coming soon.

Summer Camp Scholarships

Listen provides at-risk children the lifetime benefits of a summer camp experience. Listen provides 100% of basic camp tuition for approximately 300 children living in the Upper Valley who need a summer camp experience but whose families can not afford the expense.

Listen's Camp Scholarship program provides children an essential opportunity to:

• Improve skills for communication and self-expression
• Increase abilities for positive decision making, cooperation and conflict resolution
• Develop leadership skills and a sense of responsibility
• Experience success and self-esteem

Listen's Camp Scholarship Program provides children, who could not otherwise attend camp, the opportunity to develop healthy social skills while participating in swim lessons, horseback riding, sports, canoeing, kayaking and more...

Listen offers scholarships to over forty summer camps for children ages 6–14. One and two week sessions of day or overnight camps are available. Families must not exceed monthly household income limits. Participants need a referral from their school or area service agencies. Enrollment begins in February.

Some of our participating camps include Abernaki-Mascoma, Ava Art Gallery, Bethany Birches, Billings, CCBA, Downer, Farnsworth, Foss, All Star Girls Basketball, Fiddlehead, Camp Kaleidoscope, Mi-Te-Na, Montshire, Moosilauke, NH 4-H Camps, Northern Lights Gymnastics, North Woods, Play Soccer Camp, Pleasant Valley, The Summer Camp, VINS, Wanakee, and White Mountain Ranch.

Holiday Baskets

For some the holidays are a challenging time. Reaching out is important all year round and it is especially heartwarming during the holiday season. Struggling families and single seniors often experience loneliness, anxiety or depression. Listen's Holiday Basket Program creates that much needed connection and spreads the joy of the season. Recipient families complete a wish list for warm clothing, a special toy or other gift items. Local families, businesses and other groups donate their time and resources to sponsor a household.

Holiday Baskets are provided to qualifying households with children under the age of seventeen or seniors over the age of sixty-five. Families are eligible based on monthly household income limits. Applications are accepted beginning October 1st.

Youth Mentoring

Contents coming soon.

Lifeskills Junction

Contents coming soon.

Crisis Counseling, Advocacy, and Referrals

Contents coming soon.