Article: Building on Hope completes first major component of Nashua PAL Youth Safe Haven project


ParentingNH Magazine, Staff Writer

Volunteer group adjusts construction schedule amid social distancing

Building on Hope, a volunteer organization of New Hampshire designers, architects, suppliers and builders, recently constructed an elevator shaft in Nashua PAL’s Youth Safe Haven, one of the first major components of the full renovation of the building.

While following social distancing guidelines given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Building on Hope team was able to stick with its original plan to construct the elevator shaft at Nashua PAL last month, and will continue construction in phases throughout the summer.

Every other spring since 2010, hundreds of volunteers from all over the state and beyond work around the clock for 10 straight days to renovate a New Hampshire nonprofit, but this year is different for Building on Hope.

In May the group would have been right in the thick of Build Week, leading up to a grand reveal of the completely renovated Nashua PAL Youth Safe Haven, the group’s sixth nonprofit renovation. Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, in place of its usual 10-day extreme makeover-style Build Week, Building on Hope made the decision to complete renovations in phases throughout this summer for the health and safety of its volunteers and the community.

Over the next few weeks, Nashua PAL will vacate the building. While Building on Hope makes construction progress leading up to the grand reveal celebration on Oct. 4, 2020, when families will see the completely overhauled building for the first time, Nashua PAL will continue to provide services virtually and out of a neighboring building as needed.

Tax-deductible contributions, volunteer commitments and material donations are essential to completing this project. Building on Hope is seeking financial contributions and volunteers in the trades who may be interested in donating their skills and time for a short period.

For more information or to make a donation, go to www.buildingonhope.com/get-involved.

More than 50 people and 16 businesses donated their resources, materials, labor and contributions to the construction of the elevator, including:

  • Academy Roofing (Rindge, NH)
  • All Pro Plumbing of (Haverhill, MA)
  • Atlantic Prefab, Inc. (Wilton, NH)
  • Eversource Energy
  • JET Concrete (New Ipswich, NH)
  • JG MacLellan Concrete (Lowell, MA)
  • Metro Walls (Manchester, NH)
  • Milton Rents (Chichester, NH)
  • Moore Concrete Cutting (Brentwood, NH)
  • Nashua, NH Fire Rescue
  • Nashua, NH Police Department
  • NorthPoint Construction Management (Hudson, NH)
  • Pichette Brothers Construction (Manchester, NH)
  • SL Chasse Steel (Hudson, NH)
  • Southern NH Concrete (Londonderry, NH)
  • Stellos Electric (Nashua, NH)
  • Streamline Waterproofing & Caulking (Londonderry, NH)

Nashua PAL was founded in 1989 and the group has been operating out of the Youth Safe Haven since 2004, located in what is locally referred to as Nashua’s inner-city “Tree Streets.” On any given day, up to 60 “PAL kids” between the ages of seven and 18 come to Nashua PAL after school and during vacation periods to participate in free activities, including homework club, one-on-one mentoring, cooking, crafts, photography, boxing, open gym, gaming, young female empowerment opportunities, field trips and more, with the support of staff, Nashua police officers, community volunteers and interns from colleges and universities across New England. More than 400 Nashua youth are cared for each year at Youth Safe Haven at no cost to families.

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