Forty Years Later, the Mission Endures
Forty years later, the purpose and mission that the founders of Harbor Care championed still endures. Together, all those who have committed their time, talent, and support to this organization have made a real difference in the lives of countless individuals and families in our community
Peter Kelleher, President & CEO
Earlier this summer I attended an intimate gathering with members of the Hall family to celebrate the lives of Judy and Betty Hall. Betty Hall was a founding member of Harbor Care (then Harbor Homes). Her grandson, Ted, later served as board chair. A small group of friends came together at 3 Winter St. in Nashua, the original site of Harbor Care. As we assembled outside, I kept thinking about the dining room table inside.
Forty years earlier, a group of parents and concerned community members gathered around that table with a clear purpose: to provide opportunities and supports that improve the quality of life, both for individuals with severe mental illness, and their families.
The nine rooms at Winter St. quickly filled with residents. Next, we opened a 15-unit building on Allds St. for individuals ready to live more independently, then a ten-unit building on Chestnut St. for those who needed higher levels of support. We realized each individual is unique and we must integrate supports to best meet their needs. This model of care blossomed.
The organization has evolved significantly from those early days. Yet, the commitment to our original purpose developed around that dining room table at Winter Street, now the Betty Hall House, hasn’t wavered. I was reminded of this the very same day of the celebration, as I walked to my car. That’s when I ran into an old friend, David.
David came to Harbor Care ten years ago. After the death of his parents, whom he lived with, David had no place to go. David’s sister took him in, while they looked for a more permanent solution. He was managing some significant mental health challenges at the time and ended up in the hospital. David moved into an apartment at Harbor Care’s Allds St. location. He began accessing counseling services at our community health center and medication he needed through our pharmacy.
When I spoke with David he told me it was at this time “I started feeling better about myself.” By 2015, David was ready to move out on his own. He moved into his own apartment just down the street from the Betty Hall House where I ran into him this summer.
A decade has passed since we first encountered David, and I am thrilled to see how well he is doing. He’s living independently, and he’s healthy. As we spoke, I was struck by something he said. “Don’t just judge someone by their behaviors. Judge them by their character. That’s what Harbor Care does. They understand humanity. Someone actually cared about me.”
Forty years later, the purpose and mission that the founders of Harbor Care championed still endures. Together, all those who have committed their time, talent, and support to this organization have made a real difference in the lives of countless individuals and families in our community
