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April: Strengthening Families Month in New Hampshire
April 9, 2009
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| Dear Friends: |
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It is with a sense of loss, tempered with celebration for her many accomplishments, that we bid farewell to Karen Carpenter as she retires as Executive Director of the New Hampshire Children's Trust Fund.
Karen joined the NHCTF seven years ago and has overseen tremendous growth of the organization. She has guided the organization to its role as New Hampshire's lead agency for child abuse and neglect prevention. She has become well known on the state and national level as an expert in this field and has received many honors for her work.
Karen has strengthened the NHCTF's relationship with DCYF and other statewide agencies, and guided the organization's evolution as the NH Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America. Under Karen's guidance the NHCTF has developed the Outcomes Research program, which helps statewide non-profits evaluate the effectiveness of their programs. The NHCTF has also promoted the Parent Advocacy Project and the Strengthening Families Community Library Project. During her tenure the staff has grown to five talented and committed individuals supported by a vibrant Board passionate about keeping children safe and families strong.
So join us in thanking Karen for her years of dedicated work to the children and families of New Hampshire, and wishing her a long and happy retirement. |
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Sincerely,
Peirce Hunter, Board of Trustees Chair
New Hampshire Children's Trust Fund
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2009
Board of Trustees
Deborah Chase, Gilmanton
Melissa Correia, Vice Chair, Manchester
Senator Peggy Gilmour, Hollis
Representative Anne Grassie, Rochester
Courtney H.G. Herz, Esq., Secretary, Hopkinton
Peirce Hunter, M.D., Chair, Bow
Kristina Ickes, Candia
Audrey Knight, MSN,RN, Hopkinton
Senator Bette Lasky, Nashua
Representative Betsy McKinney, Treasurer, Londonderry
Representative Karen Sandra Matheson, Hooksett
Lynne Bartlett Merrill, Past Chair, Ex Officio, Kingston
Malcolm Smith, PhD, CFLE, Durham
Brenda Tibbetts, Colebrook
Staff
Karen H. Carpenter, MA, JD
Executive Director
Diane Hastings, MS
Special Projects Director
Julie Day, BS
Parent Advocacy Director
Valerie Quinn, BA
Administrative Assistant
Sabrina Harris, BA
UNH Masters Intern-Parent Advocacy |
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A Farewell from Karen Carpenter
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 Dear Friends:
Thank you. I feel privileged to have worked with so many dedicated people in New Hampshire, all who work in common cause together to keep children safe and families strong.
Wherever I go, I am proud to tell the New Hampshire story: despite the absence of abundant financial resources, New Hampshire is truly rich in human resources-- in bright, dedicated energetic and talented people who staff state agencies, who serve in the legislature and at foundations, volunteers, parents, donors --- all who come together to support child abuse prevention.
New Hampshire is proud to be ranked First in the Nation in child well being, the result of so many doing wonderful and effective work to strengthen families, ensuring a bright present and future for children.
In particular I thank the board and staff of the NH Children's Trust Fund: their collaborative efforts produced much terrific and good work-for the biennial Smith Award, the Strengthening Families Initiative and the Outcomes Evaluation which measures protective factors, the key to helping families develop the strengths and resiliency to overcome risk factors.
Finally, I thank the staff, board, parents, and volunteers at the community based agencies all over New Hampshire: theirs is the front line work in every county, city and town that is essential in preventing child abuse and neglect.
I leave for retirement, whatever that means, in addition to gardening year round, feeling really confident that the NHCTF will continue to thrive and forge new important ground under the strategic leadership of new Executive Director Keryn Bernard-Kriegl. She 'gets it': her work at Families First and with Family Support NH has produced real benefits and lasting impacts.
Since my garden in Florida is now full of broccoli, arugula and squash, and since we know that growing fresh vegetables has many benefits-even my dog is eating basil and arugula, one very personal way to continue to help families and children is through a project known as "Plant A Row." If each of us added a few extra plants and rows to our gardens to share with Food Banks and shelters, which in this dismal economy are struggling to help families down on their luck, we can provide some very important basic support to help families eat healthy.
Karen's Florida Garden in March
And, it's important to share the flowers as well as the vegetables: nourishing the spirit and brightening the table provides that extra and essential lift to help encourage a family to move to a better place. The words from the 1911 poem, Bread and Roses, inspire us and provide meaning today: 'Hearts starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread, but give us Roses." The work of strengthening families continues.
Thanks again, for the great experiences and the great memories.
Until we meet again.
Karen Carpenter |
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"To be fully alive is to work for the common good."
--Unknown
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Add an Extra Row to Your Vegetable Garden
Donate the Extra Produce to Your Local Food Pantry |
 Last year North American gardeners donated over 1.4 million pounds of fresh produce to feed the hungry. Consider joining them.
Many food pantries welcome fresh produce. Plant an extra row in your vegetable garden and donate the extra harvest to your local food pantry! Visit the NH Food Bank website for a statewide listing of area food pantries.
Click here to find out more about a nation-wide Plant a Row movement started by the Garden Writers Association.
"According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1 in 8 households in the United States experiences hunger or the risk of hunger. Many frequently skip meals or eat too little, sometimes going without food for an entire day. Approximately 33 million people, including 13 million children, have substandard diets or must resort to seeking emergency food because they cannot always afford the food they need. The demand for hunger assistance has increased by 70% in recent years, and research shows that hundreds of hungry children and adults are turned away from food banks each year because of lack of resources." (from the Garden Writers Association website)
Photos of a neighborhood cooperative garden in Contoocook, NH.
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Neither Sleet nor Squalls will keep Karen from her Retirement Party!
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The snowsqualls of March 9 provided a fitting sendoff to Karen Carpenter, our retiring Executive Director, reminding her of the real reason she is retiring to live year 'round in sunny Florida!
A reception in Karen's honor was held at the Upham Walker House in Concord; well wishers attended from across the state.
Former board Chair Lynne Bartlett Merrill and current Chair Peirce Hunter look on as the children assist Karen with the opening of the gifts.
RSVP Volunteer Laura McCormack, former board Chair Lucy Breed, Liz Hager (in background) and board Vice Chair Melissa Correia enjoy listening to memories shared by guests.
Mike Ostrowski, Child & Family Services of NH, Liz Hager, United Way of Merrimack County, Kim Firth and Mary Vallier-Kaplan, Endowment for Health
Former board members: Representative Mary Stuart Gile, Senator Sylvia Larsen and Lucy Breed with NHCTF Program Director Karen Ryan
NHCTF Special Projects Director Diane Hastings, Karen Carpenter and NHCTF Program Director Karen Ryan
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To obtain an email pdf copy of the Proclamation, contact Julie Day, NHCTF Parent Advocacy Director.
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Give the Gift that Gives Twice! |
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  Easter, Birthdays, Mother's Day, Bereavement...
To Show You Care... When remembering loved ones with flowers or gift baskets, support child abuse prevention in New Hampshire through an ongoing FTD promotion.
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The New Hampshire Children's Trust Fund was established in 1987 by legislative statute RSA 169-C:39 to support programs in New Hampshire that work to prevent child abuse and neglect. Our focus is primary prevention initiatives that keep children safe and families strong.
To find out more about our programs and partners, go to our website at www.nhctf.org
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