Nonprofit organizations face a unique set of challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic. Locally, their top priority remains to be there on the other side able to provide vital services for the community.
Executive Director Ellen Avery said the volunteer transportation organization for people who do not have access to rides is still on the road to help those whose needs have changed, but are still desperately warranted.
Avery said the request for medical appointment rides is down with doctor’s offices switching to telemedicine, but trips to the grocery stores, appointments with area service agencies and bank business are all still being scheduled.
With a stable of 50 volunteer drivers that are mostly retired and over the age of 60, Avery said it’s been a balance for many of them as they face uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
Some drivers have opted out for the time being, which hasn’t been felt as much by the organization with ride requests down. In March, a total of 529 trips had been given, while the numbers for April as of Friday showed 314 rides requested. Of those 314 requested, 123 had been canceled by riders or due to appointment cancellations.
Other drivers, like 83-year-old Owen Houghton, have made it a point to continue their volunteer efforts.
“He figures he’s as essential as the service,” Avery said.
Avery said the drivers have been the reason the service is still being offered. Drivers are taking precautions by wearing masks and if available, offering them to riders. The riders are also sitting in the back seat on the passenger side to create as much distance as possible.
“Our drivers are just wonderful,” Avery said. “They’re stepping up to the plate like they always have.”
She said that some of the regular riders have not needed a trip to the grocery store because their neighbors are helping out. In those cases, staff and drivers have been checking in with them through phone calls.
Avery said as she watches other nonprofits and organizations struggle, “I’m so glad we don’t rely on earned income.”
This week, the staff of the Cornucopia Project were supposed to make their way into the first grade classrooms across the eight elementary schools in the ConVal School District to begin a seven week spring curriculum in gardening. But like everything else these days, those plans have been put on hold – and no one is sure for how long. This year they were also supposed to be in Symonds School in Keene for the first time.
The students and Cornucopia staff would typically get the garden beds ready for planting, learn about soils, seeds and bugs, embarking on an educational journey that would resume for another seven weeks in the fall – with the same students – to work through the harvest and eventually putting the gardens to bed for the winter.
Executive Director Karen Hatcher said that the plan is to be ready for whenever the students return, but it hinges on the ability to be on the school grounds, which just isn’t possible right now.
“We’ll be ready because we want there to be gardens ready,” Hatcher said.
Working with the schools is a huge part of what the Cornucopia Project does, and Hatcher doesn’t want to see this group of students miss out on the experience – whatever it turns out to be.
For Hatcher, who is also a Peterborough selectwoman, she had a good idea that things were going to change in early March. She decided to close down the Vose Farm Road office on March 9 and have the staff work remotely.
The only one still working onsite is the farm manager Leigh Mae MacLellan because they still have greenhouse space across the street from ConVal High School that needs to be cared for.
A lot of what comes out of those greenhouses is sold through wholesale partnerships with local restaurants, but those have all but stopped with eateries either closing down or operating at a much smaller volume through takeout.
Hatcher said that they shifted to offer the extra produce through their expanded Bounty Bags program, where people can order for pickup, as well as make a donation of Bounty Bags for the Peterborough Food Pantry, once they begin accepting produce.
“We produce food and we’re going to feed our community,” Hatcher said.
Cornucopia also spent a lot of time getting thousands of plant starts ready for the spring and those are now available for individual sale. Just a couple ways they’ve adjusted to get through.
“This is a time where you have to be pivoting,” Hatcher said. “It’s such an unusual time. The world is changing under our feet.”
And on Facebook, Cornucopia has started the What’s Cooking Community, where board members and local people can post pictures, videos and recipes for others to enjoy.
“We want to be a community builder,” Hatcher said.
Hatcher said while it has been an adjustment, all five of the regular employees are still working, but the seasonal staff have been put on hold for now.
They got a boost by having early access to the final year of their $20,000 grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.
“This organization is too important to the community,” Hatcher said. “It really has to be here when this is over.”
Interim Executive Director Kris Young said things have been really hard for the educational and therapeutic riding program located in Temple.
With no lessons and the shutdown of a weekend program through Massachusetts General Hospital, a lot of anticipated revenue has been lost. But with 35 horses, along with two mini horses, a donkey, two sheep, two goats and chickens, money is still needed to feed and care for all the animals.
In order to try and recoup some of the lost income, Young said they launched an Adopt A Horse GoFundMe on March 25 that had raised more than $13,500 as of Monday. The average cost of maintaining one of Touchstone’s horses is around $250 per month, so the GoFundMe is meant to help while the income is nonexistent.
Young said they’re not alone, as so many barns in the state have shutdown to keep employees and riders safe.
“But there are still animals to feed, expenses to pay,” Young said. “And we’re doing what we can to get through.”
While many businesses and organizations have made the switch to online, “it’s hard to offer horseback lessons that way,” Young said.
Young said two school groups were expected to start this month, but that won’t happen now with schools staying with remote learning through the end of the year.
They did receive grants from the United Way and the NH Charitable Foundation.
“It’s a fraction of what we need, but still helpful. And they were immediate,” Young said.
Young said the farm’s summer camp is supposed to start on June 21, which brings in a lot of income, but is up in the air right now.
“It’s a crazy time, but you just got to keep moving forward,” Young said.
Linda Harris, executive director of the transitional housing and support services program in Jaffrey, said there’s been a bit of maneuvering to keep track of their six families without being able to come in contact with them.
“For the most part they are doing well and trying to cope with the situation that has been presented to us all,” Harris said.
The program’s case worker is continuing to reach out to families weekly or bi-weekly by way of phone or FaceTime.
“It is not the same as a one on one meeting, but it is at least allowing us to check on their needs and make sure children are following through with their “internet” schooling,” she said. Harris also texts or calls guests two to three times a week as well to see how they are coping.
Harris did say they had a bit of a scare after a gathering in early March to congratulate one of their guests who had just passed her high school equivalency test. Two weeks later the woman and her nine-year-old presented all the symptoms of COVID-19, but thankfully tests for the virus came back negative, Harris said.
Harris said the families are self-quarantining, and one mother had to leave her job for lack of childcare, but is hopeful the job will be there once things quiet down. Guests are able to stay in the program for 8 to 12 months, but Harris said it has been necessary to extend some of the stays.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Monadnock United Way started the COVID-19 Relief Fund to assist its partners with any financial needs that may come up. As of Thursday morning, the relief fund had generated close to $84,000. For more information or to donate, visit www.muw.org/covid-19-relief-fund.
The New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority and New Hampshire Business Finance Authority are partnering in an effort to support the state’s nonprofit organizations during the COVID-19 outbreak. The CDFA and BFA will be administering the resources of the newly created New Hampshire Nonprofit Response Fund, which will be funded in part by contributions from the business community and provide nonprofit organizations with resources up to $100,000 for working capital, equipment purchases and programming expenses.
The NH Nonprofit Response Fund will prioritize the most immediate public health needs and economic impacts from COVID-19, focusing on service providers that support vulnerable populations. The CDFA and BFA will administer loans, including deferred loans and grants to qualified nonprofits.
For more, visit https://nhcdfa.org/investing-in-nh-communities/nh-nonprofit-response-fund.