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April 2nd, 2026 | Issue 42 | |
17th Annual SouperFest
Next weekend is our 17th Annual SouperFest, and we hope you’ll join us for this beloved community event as we come together to support our mission to end homelessness.
SouperFest will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Concord Community Center (14 Canterbury Rd, Concord, NH).
Guests can enjoy a variety of delicious soups from local restaurants, vote for their favorites, browse raffle baskets, buy locally-made soup bowls, and connect with community members—all while supporting CCEH’s work.
Tickets are available at the door (no pre-sales). Soups are $5 per 8 oz. serving or 5 for $20. Both cash and credit cards are accepted.
We’re so thankful for the generosity of our sponsors, participating restaurants, and community members who make this event such a meaningful and impactful day each year. We hope to see you there!
Get more information about SouperFest Here!
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Welcome to CCEH!
Ashley Chouinard, Resource Center Specialist, joined CCEH at the end of March. Ashley is passionate about helping others and making a positive impact in her community. She most recently worked at the Emergency Winter Shelter and Warming Center during the winter season, supporting individuals in need with care and compassion.
We are delighted to welcome Ashley to the CCEH team!
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Welcome Home
Since January, CCEH has helped 10 individuals exit homelessness and move into stable housing. We are beyond proud of the hard work of our staff and clients on achieving this milestone.
If you'd like to help welcome home some of our neighbors in need, please consider putting together a Welcome Basket! Welcome Baskets are filled with some of the essentials for someone exiting homelessness and moving into their new apartment.
Learn more on our Donate Items page.
| | Please note that we are not able to take any clothing besides what is listed here and on our website. Reach out to us with any questions and to schedule a time to drop off your donations. | |
Resource Center Needs
Spring is here and we have updated needs in the Resource Center:
- Handwarmers
- Footwarmers
- Toothpaste
- Travel size shampoo and conditioner
- Deodorant
- Umbrellas
- Rain ponchos
- Men's and women's seasonal tops
- Men and women's jeans
- Tissues
- Coffee
| | | Emergency Winter Shelter Season 2025-2026 | | |
The Emergency Winter Shelter season has come to a close. While Wednesday, April 1, marked the end of the 2025–2026 season, the need for support does not end when the weather warms.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our dedicated seasonal staff, led by Shelter Manager Brian Doyle, and to the many volunteers who showed up day after day to keep the shelter running smoothly.
569 volunteer hours were donated to the Emergency Winter Shelter this season. Your commitment, compassion, and care made a meaningful difference in the lives of our guests.
The shelter operated at, or above, capacity for most of the winter. The shelter averaged 37 people per night this season, our highest average to date.
CCEH provided 4,466 bed nights - measured as one person in one bed per night - an increase of almost 400 bed nights over the 2024-2025 winter shelter season.
These figures show that the shelter operated at a consistently high level of demand, reflecting not only a higher overall utilization of the shelter, but also increased reliance on shelter services across the season.
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On April 1, our partners at Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack (CAPBM) were on site with their street outreach van, providing survival gear, basic necessities, comfort items, and critical information to help individuals connect with housing support.
For many, the challenges of homelessness do not disappear with the snow.
We are incredibly grateful for partners who show up early, consistently, and with compassion. CCEH and CAPBM will continue working together to ensure our neighbors experiencing homelessness have access to resources and support throughout the year.
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We're often asked, "Why can't the shelter stay open all year?" The shelter building was designed and variances from the city obtained with the intent that it would serve as a seasonal shelter, only operating during the winter months. A year-round shelter facility would require significant physical and programmatic changes that CCEH never intended to make. Shelters are a temporary fix, and CCEH is focused on permanent, long-term solutions to homelessness.
You can learn more about the Emergency Winter Shelter here.
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Thank You Girl Scouts!
We extend our sincere thanks to Lydia and Cordelia Scott and their Concord Girl Scout troop for their generous donation of Girl Scout cookies to our Resource Center.
For the past several years, the troop has chosen to give back at the close of their cookie season, and we are especially grateful for their continued commitment and increased contribution this year. These donations provide not only a thoughtful treat, but also a meaningful reminder of the care and support within our community.
We appreciate Lydia, Cordelia, and their fellow troop members for their generosity and dedication to making a difference.
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April Resource Center Sponsor
We are grateful to Didi Machiels, a student at St. Paul’s School, for organizing a donation drive in support of the CCEH Resource Center for the month of April. Through her initiative, essential items were collected to help meet the ongoing needs of guests accessing services at the Resource Center.
Didi and her parents also took the time to visit the Resource Center for a tour and to learn more about the work CCEH does in the community. Their generosity and genuine interest in our mission reflect the kind of compassionate engagement that makes a meaningful impact.
Support like this helps ensure that individuals experiencing homelessness have access to the resources, care, and dignity they deserve. We are deeply thankful to Didi and Sarah for their thoughtfulness and commitment to supporting our community.
CCEH's Resource Center provides a safe, reliable, judgement-free space for individuals experiencing homelessness. The supplies used in the Resource Center keep our guests, volunteers, and staff happy and healthy. We are sincerely grateful to our Monthly Resource Center sponsors for ensuring that we have the supplies we need each month!
| | Pictured here, CCEH Director of Development & Communications, Kait Gallagher (left), with Didi Machiels during Didi's visit of the Resource Center. | | Thank you to our 2026 Platinum Sponsor | Thank you to our 2026 Silver Sponsors | | Thank you to our 2026 Bronze Sponsors | | |
Machias Savings Bank
McLane Middleton, PA
St. Mary's Bank
The H.L. Turner Group
Vintage Kitchens
White Park Dental
Shaheen & Gordon, PA
| | Want to see your business logo or name here and demonstrate your commitment to a community where everyone has a safe, stable, and decent place to live? Reach out to us today! | | You are receiving this email because you previously donated to Concord Coalition to End Homelessness or you signed up for our email list. We would like to stay in touch with you, but if you'd rather not hear from us again, please feel free to unsubscribe from our communications emails. | Help us reach more people! LIKE, SHARE, and COMMENT on our Social Media platforms! | PO Box 3933, Concord, NH 03302-3933 | 603-290-3375 | office@concordhomeless.org | concordhomeless.org |
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