EconomicOpportunity

During the fall of 2002, United Way of Greater Nashua awarded a Venture Grant to Southern New Hampshire Services, Inc. (SNHS) to explore the feasibility of developing a Community Development & Resource Center in Greater Nashua.

The center’s purpose was to function as a resource center, business development center and a cultural center. The center was designed to be a key economic resource in the community acting as an umbrella for many existing services, as well as developing programs where service gaps existed.

The Economic Opportunity Center (EOC) opened in the Millyard Technology Park on November 1, 2004. The Center became a true resource center, stitching together exising community resources and filling in service gaps to provide economic development to the low-income, underserved, multi-cultural residents and the Nashua community as a whole.

Our mission is to be a progressive, collaborative resource in the Nashua community by providing economic programs that encourage financial self sufficiency, assist with employment opportunities, and support entrepreneurial endeavors.

Pathways, grant funded by the Workforce Opportunity Council, addresses needs of at-risk/court involved youth, age 16-21, in the Nashua area.

By working collaboratively with various service providers in the Nashua area, the program strives to address the needs of the youth in the community and assist them in succeeding and reaching set goals for their future. Youth work closely with the Pathways Program Coodinator in assessing individual strengths and focusing on a variety of areas including work readiness training, educational opportunities opportunities and peer mentoring.

For more information about Pathways, please call 603-889-0962 or via email at sziegler @snhs.org.

Southern NH Services, Inc. is a participating agency in the Greater Nashua Asset Building Coalition (GNABC). The coalition educates individuals and families about their eligibility to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and connects them to asset building programs like the Individual Development Account (IDA), and financial literacy education.

GNABC organizes free tax preparation services for low/moderate income individuals and families at various locations in Nashua during tax season (February -April). These locations include the Nashua Public Library and the Triangle Credit Union.

The coalition is made up of the City of Nashua, Southern New Hampshire Services, Inc. the Internal Revenue Service, the AARP Tax-Aide Program, Nashua YMCA, Nashua Pastoral Care Center, United Way of Greater Nashua, University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, Triangle Credit Union, Legal Advice & Referral Center, Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce, Nashua High School (North & South), Corpus Christi Food Pantry and Assistance and Nashua Housing Authority.

The Families at Work Job Retention and Support Program is designed to increase job retention, achieve earnings gains, and reduce the persistent high rate of recidivism among TANF recipients, i.e., recipients who return to TANF within 12 months of closing their case due to employment-related earnings. Families @ Work provides temporary help to former TANF clients who are working but whose earnings may be insufficient to ensure the family's continued economic independence. The Program is managed by Southern NH Services and operates statewide with other CAP staff located in Berlin, Raymond, and Keene, NH .

The Workplace Success Job Club Program, funded by the NH Division of Family Assistance, will help provide an estimated 450 Nashua area TANF public assistance recipients with the ability to link 20 hours a week of on-site community-based work assignments with another 10 hours weekly of individual and small group training. The training includes: Employability Skills; Workplace Conduct & Standards and Basic Computer and Customer Service Skills.

After 4 weeks, participants will either obtain paid jobs or engage in unpaid work experience assignments for 20-30 hours per week through the Community Work Experience Program. For more information about this program, please call 603-889-0805.

The center has successfully transformed form a "program" to a "place". The Economic Opportunity Center (EOC) which provides a platform for programming and services designed to enhance economic stability of individuals and the community. Current services offered include Workplace Success, Pathways, Familes at Work and Asset Building Coalition.