The homeless in Dover and how to help is topic of Library discussion

posted on: 1/19/2017

For 27 years My Friend’s Place has been providing emergency shelter, transitional housing and support for homeless men, women and families. On Monday, Jan. 23, 2017 at 7 p.m., join Executive Director Susan Ford at the Dover Public Library for an informal discussion about the homeless shelter and how the community can help those in need.

The talk is sponsored by the New Hampshire Harry Potter Alliance, a non-profit library-affiliated community service group that encourages volunteering as a way for fans to become heroes. The discussion will include a brief overview of the shelter and invite attendees to participate by asking questions or sharing their own stories.

My Friend’s Place is the only full-time homeless shelter in Dover and has been home to thousands of people since it opened in 1989. In addition to the shelter, My Friend’s Place also operates four transitional housing units. Approximately 200 people stay at the shelter every year, including 30 to 40 families with children.

Susan Ford was one of these people when she became homeless as a single parent of two in the mid-1990s. She stayed at the shelter for five months and eventually received her Bachelor’s degree in Human Service Administration from Granite State College.

Before becoming executive director at the shelter, Ford had five years’ experience running the Homeless Center for Strafford County in Rochester and prior to that 15 years’ experience in human services at Strafford County Community Action Partnership. During this time, she also served on the board for My Friend’s Place and was a member for over 15 years.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Library at 603-516-6050.