Ascentria Care Alliance

As NH Gives begins, we're reminded of the power of community support. At Ascentria, we're dedicated to using NH Gives donations to enhance the lives of our program participants, including providing groceries for our In-Home Care clients. With food insecurity affecting one in ten individuals in the Granite State and rising grocery costs, Tabitha, one of Ascentria's Regional Care Providers, regularly sees the effects that food instability can have on New Hampshire residents. Your support ensures access to nutritious food, fostering stability in their lives. Every little contribution can make a significant impact on our New England community! Donate today at 5 pm: https://lnkd.in/e_VngBq #NHGives

We're pleased to share recent changes among our board of directors.   It is with a mix of gratitude and sadness that we announce the resignation of our Board Chair, Fred Jenoure. Fred joined the Ascentria board in 2019 and became Board Chair in 2022. His leadership has been invaluable in shaping our organization’s path and accomplishments.    At the same time, we are excited to welcome Pastor Ross Goodman to his new role as Board Chairman. Ross, who joined Ascentria’s board in 2013, has consistently demonstrated his commitment to our mission both personally and professionally. He has been the Vice Chair of the board for the last several years. We eagerly anticipate his leadership in our next chapter.   Additionally, we are thrilled to welcome Ashish Cowlagi to the role of Vice Chair. Ashish, who joined the board in 2021 and currently serves as Board Secretary, brings a wealth of experience that will greatly benefit the organization.   With Ross and Ashish at Ascentria’s helm, we are embarking on the next leg of our journey, and we are very fortunate to have their guidance.   Our President and CEO, Angela Bovill, shared, "We are deeply grateful for Fred's commitment and leadership. During his tenure, we've achieved remarkable milestones and laid a strong foundation for future growth. We wish Fred all the best in his future endeavors. We are grateful to Ross and Ashish for their willingness to step up to the leadership roles and look forward to working with them to drive towards our future!”   Additionally, Barbara Ruhe has stepped down from the board and has graciously agreed to continue serving on our community services advisory group. We are grateful for her over 40 years of involvement and assistance with the organization and are pleased she will continue to serve with us.   We are standing on the shoulders of all who have led us to this place and look forward to an exciting new chapter with the new leadership!

Catch up with Angela Bovill and Gary O'Neil and learn more about the expansion of Ascentria's newest program in part II of "PeopleFirst Pathways: A Conversation with Angela." Ascentria’s PeopleFirst Pathways serves as a critical linchpin to healthcare and human services employers who are struggling to recruit and retain workers. Ascentria is boldly stepping up to make a significant investment in our own employees by offering this new comprehensive resource to them. Learn more about PeopleFirst Pathways: https://lnkd.in/ghXHZFV6

This past week, four staff from Ascentria Foster Care were thrilled to attend this year's @Family Focused Treatment Association - FFTA Conference in Denver, Colorado! The FFTA Conference is one of the largest of its kind, representing nearly 500 organizations across North America. Our staff learned so much from the workshops led by child welfare experts and are returning to Massachusetts energized and ready to implement positive change! #FosterCareFriday #FFTACONF #FFTADenver #AscentriaFosterCare  

This week's spotlight highlights our Foster Care Community Outreach Manager, Colleen Arruda! Her journey into nonprofit work began with a passion for volunteering in high school, driven by a desire to turn that into a career helping others. Though initially unsure of what her role entailed, Colleen was immediately drawn to supporting youth, particularly the unique population of unaccompanied refugee minors. She considers it a true privilege to assist these incredibly vulnerable youth in finding loving foster homes. Foster care is all about fostering hope! Thank you Colleen for sharing what you love about your job, and for all the work that you do! 

Now that Ascentria is well into the pilot for PeopleFirst Pathways, we would like to give you an update on this exciting new program which is delivering pathways forward for our employees – to professional and personal fulfillment. Ascentria President and CEO Angela Bovill and Chief Social Innovation Officer Gary O'Neil sat down to talk about how the idea of and commitment to PeopleFirst Pathways came about. You’ll also hear feedback from staff in the pilot program who are working with their Pathfinder in a confidential and supportive setting. Learn more about PeopleFirst Pathways here: https://lnkd.in/ghXHZFV6

Meet Arianne Clark, an occupational therapist at Lutheran Rehab and Skilled Nursing Center: Arianne has been an occupational therapist at Lutheran Rehab for more than 10 years. She loves being around people and seeing patients' progress from when they arrive, to their final stages of walking out the door. While Arianne is currently an OT, she hopes to someday have a dual career and work in mental health. Learn more about Arianne's career journey by watching her video below! Looking for a new path in your career journey? View Lutheran Rehab's open positions here: https://lnkd.in/gG_eJsw6 #OccupationalTherapy

Ascentria Foster Care programs in Massachusetts have so much to celebrate this month with at least 14 youth graduating high school, 2 youth graduating continuing education programs, and 1 youth graduating community college! This is a tremendous accomplishment for each of our youth who have overcome any challenges in their path to reach this milestone. One of these graduates is Mohammad, a youth in our Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program. Mohammad came to the United States originally from Afghanistan in 2021. Mohammad worked hard to master the English language and complete all of his high school courses. He is now excited to be attending college in the fall to begin pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science! And just last week, Mohammad traveled to California where he is completing a three-week aviation training. Please join us in congratulating Mohammad and the entire Class of 2024! #AscentriaFosterCare #FosterCareFriday

Stand up against hate and discrimination in New Hampshire! Raise your voice and call Gov. Sununu to VETO the anti-LGBTQ+ bills TODAY! More info below. 📢✊🌈

"A few things in the world can reliably bring different people together: Soccer, food, a nice sunset. Shakira. When the Colombian singer’s 2010 World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka,” came on, the jumble of kids swaying nervously on the gym floor threw up their hands and started to dance. Five Afghan girls in matching pink rompers led the charge. This — a song, a messy dance — was how Concord’s new Americans celebrated World Refugee Day at Keach Park Community Center Thursday. Ascentria Care Alliance, a nonprofit focused on helping refugees settle in New England, hosted the event, welcoming more than 100 now-locals who came to New Hampshire from countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Uganda and Rwanda. Many of the children at the event were part of Project S.T.O.R.Y., a volunteer-powered organization that hosts programming for kids, about half of whom are refugees or children of refugees." Keep reading: https://lnkd.in/gxnj-n9w Thank you to all who made the day a special occasion!