The Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter provides a safe and secure place to call home for individuals and families experiencing homelessness while they regroup and stabilize their lives.
That security and privacy are what stand out for a new guest. She is a woman in her 60s with significant health problems. On disability because of them, she was previously living with a family member, but space was tight. Now at MATS, she feels she can concentrate on improving her physical and psychological health. With the help of a therapist, she has established a routine that includes cooking meals from scratch and going to bed and getting up at regular times.
She says the daylight in the second-floor studio apartment is a welcome change, and she feels a sense of autonomy. Now, she can do laundry and take a shower when she wants, simple pleasures that mean so much.
The biggest boon to this woman in her new living situation is the assistance of Susan Howard, the longtime program manager at MATS. She says Susan has helped her apply for financial assistance for outstanding medical bills and has provided general financial counseling. With Susan’s help, she is working on establishing a budget and organizing financial records as well as applying for housing. She says Susan is “always there,” checking in and sending encouraging texts. After we spoke on the phone, our guest sent me an additional message: “Susan has helped me so much and I want her to get credit for it.”
This guest has been undergoing regular treatments for a chronic medical condition and has relied on her daughter and Community Volunteer Transportation Company for rides to appointments. Soon, with the help of MATS and through the generosity of a local individual, she hopes to have her own used but serviceable car. This vehicle will allow even more independence as she looks ahead to finding her own apartment where, she hopes, she can reunite with her cats (currently in foster care).
MATS is growing. Over the past year, a new building in Peterborough is being renovated into two apartments, which will house families who are waiting for affordable housing in the area. Although progress has been slow because of the pandemic and supply chain issues, the board hopes that the building will be ready for families in the early spring.
An easy way to donate to MATS is to click on Amazon Smiles when you order from Amazon. You can also drop off personal hygiene items in a house-shaped box at Steele’s on Main Street in Peterborough. And, as always, MATS is grateful for the donation of used cars, which provide that important key to independence – reliable transportation. Get in touch via our website, matsnh.org, or visit our Facebook page.
Mary Loftis served nine years on the board of the Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter and is now a volunteer.