Fall Newsletter 2026
LISTEN’s mission is to provide services and support to meet the critical needs of Upper Valley individuals and families.
Last year, LISTEN provided support to 9,050 of your neighbors across New Hampshire and Vermont. More than 2,600 turned to LISTEN for the first time.
From the Executive Director
Your Support Makes Help Possible
Dear Friends,
Maybe you’ve shopped at LISTEN for years. Maybe you’ve donated clothing, volunteered your time, made a monetary contribution, or supported LISTEN in more than one way. Or maybe this newsletter is introducing you to the rest of LISTEN for the first time.
However you know us, we invite you to be part of what comes next by making a financial gift today.
Across the Upper Valley, more neighbors are turning to LISTEN for help with life’s most basic needs. They come because there isn’t enough food at home, a heating bill has become impossible to pay, rent is out of reach, or an unexpected challenge has left them unsure where to turn.
LISTEN is here to help, with assistance and people who will listen and work alongside your neighbors as they navigate difficult circumstances and regain stability. But we can’t do this work without you.
Your financial support makes LISTEN’s mission possible. Your generosity stays here in the Upper Valley, helping neighbors through challenging times and giving them a path forward.
Please join us.
With gratitude,
Kristi Lenart-Rikert
Executive Director
Your Donation Matters.
Last year, YOU helped LISTEN provide:
Food Pantry
495,230
Pounds of produce and goods at our Pantry
Community Dinners
47,051
Home-cooked meals for the community
Service Coordination
3,628
Households with service coordination for basic needs
Heating Helpers
1,665
Individuals with heat and electricity to stay warm during the winter
Housing Helpers
800
People the safety and security of housing
Summer Camps
164
Children with the opportunity to attend summer camp
Thrift Stores
$251,251
In Thrift Store gift cards for essential clothing and home goods
You know our Thrift Stores.
Now discover more about LISTEN.
For more than 50 years, LISTEN has been part of the Upper Valley. You may know us from one of our three Thrift Stores. You may have dropped off a bag of clothing or searched our racks for a great find.
Our stores are part of a larger mission.
Every day, neighbors turn to us because there isn’t enough food in the refrigerator. Because the heating bill is overdue. Because rent has gone up again. Or simply because something unexpected happened and they don’t know where to turn.
LISTEN is here to help.
IT TAKES BOTH.
Together, they create something much bigger: a community where neighbors help neighbors through difficult times.
Donate goods.
The clothing, furniture and household goods you donate keep useful items in our community, provide affordable shopping options, and generate revenue for LISTEN’s mission.
Make a financial gift.
Financial contributions put food on tables, keep homes warm, help families remain housed, and make LISTEN’s broader work possible.
Who Funds LISTEN’S Programs?
YOU DO!
Our COMMUNITY funds 100% of LISTEN’s work.
To donate, mail in your gift with the enclosed envelope or make your gift online at www.listencs.org/donate
LISTEN IS HERE TO HELP
It doesn’t take much to tip the balance
A higher rent payment can leave less money for groceries. An unexpected car repair can make it difficult to pay the electric bill. A job loss can quickly put both food and housing at risk.
That’s why LISTEN does more than respond to one immediate need. Our staff takes the time to connect neighbors with the resources that can help them move forward.
Over the past year, more neighbors turned to LISTEN for support.
+44%
Service
Coordination
Hours
+24%
Heating
and Electric
Assistance
+24%
Meals Served at
our Dining Hall
+8%
Housing
Assistance
+6%
Food Pantry
Visits
SERVICE COORDINATION IN ACTION
Don’s Story
Don is a friendly face in LISTEN’s Lebanon Office. When he comes by for an appointment with his Service Coordinator, he makes a point to say hello to the other staff members he passes in the hallway. Most have had the chance to work with Don since he first reached out to LISTEN when he was facing a housing crisis.
A proud single dad of a teenage daughter, Don can no longer drive long-haul trucks for a living due to a disability. Making ends meet is an ongoing challenge. This is particularly difficult for Don because he wants to provide the very best for his child, who is passionate about horses and being outdoors.
Don is quick to praise the LISTEN team. “LISTEN has been real good to me,” he says. “They go out of their way to help me—they fight for me.”
Advocacy is a big part of service coordination work at LISTEN. Navigating paperwork for benefits is challenging, so LISTEN staff work with Don to complete his applications for fuel and utility assistance while accessing other supports like food assistance through our Food Pantry. Occasional Thrift Store gift cards also allow him to purchase clothing and household necessities.
Don has been recovering from surgery this year and hasn’t come into the LISTEN Office as often. He knows, however, that whenever he returns, he’ll be greeted warmly by a team that’s ready to help.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE TURNS TO LISTEN?
We listen.
Every situation is different. We start by understanding what someone needs.
We respond.
Food, heating assistance, housing support, clothing and other resources can help address an immediate crisis.
We connect.
Our Service Coordinators help neighbors navigate benefits and connect with additional resources available throughout the community.
We’re here.
When another challenge arises, our neighbors know there is somewhere they can turn.
VOLUNTEERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
There’s a place for you at LISTEN
Every day, volunteers help make LISTEN’s work possible. Whether you have a few hours to give, want to volunteer regularly, or are looking for an opportunity for your workplace, family, or group, there’s a place for you here.
Food Pantry
Help unload deliveries, stock the shelves, and assist visitors.
Community Dining
Hall Prepare and serve meals, welcome guests, and help keep things running smoothly.
Thrift Stores
Sort clothing and household goods and help get donated items ready for our stores.
Executive Director
Kristi Lenart-Rikert
Sharon, VT
Board of Directors
April Harkness
Chair
Hartland, VT
Melissa Robinson
Vice Chair
Lebanon, NH
Dick Green
Treasurer
Hanover, NH
Ken Wells
Secretary
West Lebanon, NH
Julie E. Findley
Lebanon, NH
Dawnlynn Marston
Croydon, NH
Valerie Nevel
Lebanon, NH
Shawn Nichols
Grantham, NH
Nancy Sansevere
Lebanon, NH
Andrew Steele
Hanover, NH
Find your opportunity and sign up today at listen.volunteerhub.com
MEDIA CONTACT
Organization Name:
LISTEN Community Services
Email:
Send Email
Phone:
(603)448-4553
Address:
60 Hanover St
City:
Lebanon
State:
New Hampshire
Country:
United States
Website: www.listencs.org
