Knights of Columbus, Portsmouth Council #140 recently donated $2,000 to support The Chase Home, which works with at-risk youth and families throughout the Seacoast and New Hampshire.
“It is our great pleasure to support The Chase Home and many other New Hampshire service organizations that provide services to the many people and families in need of help to survive and thrive,” said Bob Valeri, treasurer, Knights of Columbus, Portsmouth Council #140. “The Chase Home has been there to help those in need for so many years.”
Founded in 1877, The Chase Home provides at-risk youth across the state with prevention, early intervention, residential, and community-based services. These services are offered both in the community and at The Chase Home where as many as a dozen youth live while receiving assistance.
According to Meme Wheeler, executive director of The Chase Home, many of the situations in which their staff provide support do not fall into any one category of services. “We recently helped one family in dire need of support, as they were living in a hotel and needed food and money, which we provided,” she explained. “We also provided two beds to their children—that’s just one example of what we see on a weekly basis.”
In referencing community support, Wheeler said donations like the one from Knights of Columbus help the agency address “emerging needs.” “We work in an industry where things change minute to minute,” she said. “I cannot thank Bob and their entire group for their care and support. It means so much.”
For Valeri, making a difference for the Knights of Columbus rests on four core principles, which are Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. “We strive to support all four of them,” he said. “With our fundraising efforts, it gives us a fantastic opportunity to help and support local organizations like The Chase Home that help those in need in our community.”