LISTEN Community Services

A TRUSTED LIFELINE FOR THE UPPER VALLEY

For more than 50 years, LISTEN has been a trusted lifeline for individuals and families in the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont. Through essential programs that provide food, housing support, heating assistance, and basic household goods, LISTEN helps people stabilize in times of crisis and build a path forward. In 2025 alone, we served 8,377 individuals—more than double the number of people we served prior to the pandemic. 

MEETING CRITICAL NEEDS WITH COMPASSION & CARE

LISTEN’s mission is to provide services and support to meet the critical needs of Upper Valley individuals and families, aiming to help them achieve and maintain successful independence. Our mission has always been crucial, but its importance has never been more evident than it is today. The need for assistance with basic needs has reached unprecedented levels. We provide neighbors facing hardship with access to a wide range of resources, ensuring that the most vulnerable—seniors, families, and individuals juggling multiple jobs—have food, stable housing, heating and electricity, reliable ways to communicate, and more. We address people’s needs holistically, collaborating closely with peer social service agencies in the region to access other community, state, and federal resources.

HELPING FAMILIES MOVE FORWARD AND THRIVE

In addition to providing vital food, utilities, and housing assistance, LISTEN is committed to addressing the seasonal needs of families by providing summer camp scholarships, school supplies, and holiday support for families with children. We also help clients with specials needs like gas and laundry cards, prescriptions, and auto repairs. Our aim is to ensure people are not just surviving but actively moving forward to rebuild and thrive in the long term.

SUPPORTING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH COMMUNITY THRIFT STORES

LISTEN also operates three Thrift Stores in Canaan and Lebanon, NH, and White River Junction, VT. We are the region's largest resource for affordable, high-quality second-hand items, employing about 60 individuals. In addition, our stores play a crucial role in minimizing landfill waste by enabling community members to practice the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle through our donation centers. We are committed to positively impacting our community and the environment.

POWERED BY COMMUNITY GENEROSITY

Community donations are particularly important for LISTEN because we do not receive any federal funding. We rely on charitable gifts from individuals, businesses, foundations, faith groups, and civic organizations for about 65% of our programmatic funding. The remaining 35% comes from Thrift Store revenue. Put simply, we cannot do this work without you.

Thank you!