The first in a series on our journey to build a comprehensive housing resource program for Marguerite’s Place families and our broader community in downtown Nashua. We are grateful for community partners and funders like United Way of Greater Nashua for helping us bring this vision to life.
At Marguerite’s Place, we’ve always believed that safe shelter is just the beginning. Healing from trauma, rebuilding with confidence, and finding a path to permanent housing requires something more: connection, knowledge, resources, and community support. That’s exactly what our new Community-Based Case Manager, Mitzy Chavarin, is working to build.
We sat down with Mitzy to learn more about her vision for the future and what’s already in motion through our current community resource and outreach programs.
More Than a Referral List
Mitzy’s role is rooted in relationships. Rather than simply pointing families to outside resources, she is actively building partnerships with housing organizations across New Hampshire—getting to know their programs, understanding how they work, and making sure that when a resident is ready to take the next step toward permanent housing, the right door is already open.
“I’m connecting with housing organizations that have services or resources for permanent housing,” she shared, “and building relationships so that they can understand what we do at Marguerite’s Place and how we support our residents, and then our residents will be ready to connect with them when the time is right.”
Family Empowerment Night & a Vision for the Future
In May, New Hampshire Housing joined residents for Family Empowerment Night at Marguerite’s Place, sharing an overview of their programs, answering questions, and sharing resources that many residents didn’t even know existed.
The conversation was eye-opening. Many residents were surprised to learn how many programs and grants they may already be eligible for, including pathways to homeownership! Perhaps most powerful was learning that some housing vouchers can travel across state lines, opening the possibility of a fresh start somewhere entirely new or where they may have more family support.
“It really created hope,” Mitzy reflected. “Our Residents were like — I could be a homeowner. I could move to permanent housing faster than I thought!”
The plan is to host informational events like these quarterly, inviting different housing organizations to connect directly with our Residents. And one day, Mitzy envisions something even bigger: a single event where multiple organizations are all in the room at the same time to build a relationship with the moms at Marguerite’s Place and walk alongside them toward their housing goals.
A One-Stop Resource for the Nashua Community
What’s being built here isn’t just for Marguerite’s Place residents. When our new building on 106 Pine Street opens its doors, it will serve as a community hub, a place where anyone in the neighborhood can walk in and access housing resources, support services, and guidance, regardless of their situation or background.
That vision is intentional. Mitzy shared that too many people who need help face barrier after barrier just trying to find it, including transportation challenges, language differences, cultural gaps, and a system that can feel overwhelming to navigate alone.
“So many people have such unique situations,” Mitzy said. “Everyone’s going to need a different type of resource. Really trying to understand what’s out there so we can meet everybody where they’re at — and have it all in one place — that’s what’s important.”
Resources will be available in multiple languages because trust often begins with language. As Mitzy explains, when people can communicate in their first language, they’re more likely to feel understood, not just through words, but through shared cultural context and nuance.
Collecting, Connecting & Building
Right now, Mitzy is in what she calls the “collection phase,” creating an archive of community resources, building her network, and laying the groundwork for what will eventually become a comprehensive housing curriculum. She has already connected with local organizations, including New Hampshire Housing, the Youth Council in Manchester, Black Lives Matter New Hampshire, Lamprey Healthcare, and is a new member of the Fair Housing Advisory Council. She is also leading a community engagement group with the Department of Health & Human Services and NH Housing to stay closely connected to trends across New Hampshire.
The next step? Building out a community resource list that will be organized by need, whether that’s legal assistance, medical support, transportation, childcare, or housing, so that when someone walks through the doors of the new building needing help, the support is ready and waiting for them.
What Is Mitzy Most Excited About?
When asked about her biggest hope for this work, Mitzy’s answered excitedly,
“We’re literally building a community here within Marguerite’s Place! People who are already struggling with their current living situations are able to meet others going through similar challenges and connect with the resources that they need, and that is so important.”
And for the families still on the waitlist, still waiting for a home, this work is for them, too:
“If we’re able to really help families find resources while they’re waiting for an opening, that is so needed. I’m just excited that we’re going to be able to support so many more people than ever before.”
Stay tuned for the next installment in this series as we continue to build, connect, and grow toward a more comprehensive housing support program for families and our broader community. To learn more about Marguerite’s Place or our upcoming expansion, visit theplaceforpossibility.org.