School may be out, but things are ramping up at The Chase Home in Portsmouth, as staff coordinate a variety of activities for the youth who live there during the summer.
Some of the organizations with whom The Chase Home works include Adventurelore, Portsmouth Paddleboard, Gunstock Tree Top Adventures and Wild Life Adventures among others. In addition to the activities provided through these organizations, youth will go deep sea fishing this summer, camping, work in a garden, ride on the Scenic Conway Railroad and attend education seminars facilitated by partner nonprofits.
According to Executive Director Meme Wheeler, Title I funds these activities.
“Our summer program helps to empower kids and experience things they have never tried before,” she said. “It’s important we support them in these ways, especially during the summer, which has much less structure than the school year.”
Founded in 1877, The Chase Home is one of the oldest nonprofits in the Granite State, serving more than 140 at-risk youth annually statewide through prevention, early intervention, residential and community-based programs. Some youth live at The Chase Home while receiving services.
“We serve kids who have been abused, neglected, or starting to get in serious trouble,” added Wheeler.
The Chase Home is also working to combat teen suicide in the state as part of a multi-year initiative funded by Exeter Hospital.
“The backdrop for all our services is that kids and young people today are feeling enormous pressures in a society that is 24/7 and always on the go,” she said. “Today’s society is a pressure cooker, so it is very important that we and other human service agencies work together to build frameworks for support that help kids and families alike.”
The Chase Home works with youth and families in crisis from Portsmouth and throughout the state. To learn more about The Chase Home, or its programs, visit www.chasehome.org.