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In 2018, The People’s Service Exchange (PSE) underwent a transition.  We are always seeking opportunities to meet the changing needs of our community while being mindful of our own capacity and resources. Our goal is to embed the spirit and intent of the PSE into other volunteer led efforts, such as our Community Tool Lending Shed, where volunteers can lend their time toward light home repairs in our community.  For more information about the PSE, please contact us.

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For more information or to make a referral, please contact us. 

The Grapevine is a proud partner of the Monadnock Alliance for Families (MAF), a collaboration of five organizations in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire.  Other partners are The River Center, Rise for Baby and Family, Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services, and Monadnock Family Services.  MAF is supported by generous funding from Monadnock United Way and Impact Monadnock. To learn more, visit Monadnock United Way’s Website. 

Here are some answers to the most common questions:

• What is Home Visiting? Home visiting is one to one support for all types of families. Home Visiting is about making connections and building community. It is geared toward families who need access to community resources, someone to talk to and some extra support.  This service is offered at no cost to the family. 
• Where does Home Visiting happen? Our Home Visitors provide support to families in their home or another comfortable location, depending on the specific situation.  
• What does a Home Visitor do?  Our experienced home visiting staff talk to parents/caregivers about child development and how to support a child where he/she is, help families connect to local resources, ensure access to food, heating, employment and other basic needs, share ideas, talk, and act as a caring person who will listen. Home visiting staff are encouraging and positive and help parents and caregivers build confidence and skills.  
• Who is eligible?  Anyone is eligible, but we primarily focus on individuals and families who are caring for children. Home Visiting usually happens in the home, but sometimes other meetings spaces are more suitable.   
• Who provides services? A small number of highly trained Grapevine staff members provide home visiting support.  Each staff member brings a specialized background and care is taken to determine who the best “fit” will be for a family.
• How are families referred? Families come to us from many different paths.  Some are families already attending programs at the Grapevine.  We also receive referrals from local hospitals and physicians, schools, mental health professionals, DCYF and other human service providers. Self referrals are welcome too!

Our Home Visitors work with families to help them set goals based on the Strengthening Families Five Protective Factors:

• Parental Resilience – Managing stress and functioning well when faced with challenges, adversity and trauma.
• Social Connections – Positive relationships that provide emotional, informational, instrumental and spiritual support.
• Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development – Understanding child development and parenting strategies that support physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional development.
• Concrete Support in Times of Need – Access to concrete support and services that address a family’s needs and help minimize stress caused by challenges.
• Social and Emotional Competence of Children – Family and child interactions that help children develop the ability to communicate clearly, recognize and regulate their emotions and establish and maintain relationships.  

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Kinship Navigation Program

Nationwide, 7.8 million children are being raised by their grandparents or other relatives.  Our Kinship Navigation Program, supported by the NH Children’s Trust, is a wonderful resource for kinship caregivers – relatives who have taken on the care and custody of children. A kinship caregiver can be a grandparent, an aunt, uncle, or really any family relative caring for a child. Our Kinship Navigation Program can help relative caregivers access resources, provide direct financial help and emotional support and connect to others who are experiencing a similar situation. 

Rosemary Nugent is our Kinship Navigator.  Kinship Navigators guide grandparent and relative caregivers to services that help the children in their lives thrive.  Rosemary and her husband are raising their grandson together, so she truly understands the needs and concerns of kinship caregivers. Rosemary is an advocate and has played an active role in enacting legislation in the state of NH so that grandparents and other caregivers have a voice in family court and improved access to resources. 
Rosemary and other Grapevine staff have completed the University of Maine Certificate in Grandfamilies Leadership.  We are here to support you! Contact us for more information.

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The Learning Vine Preschool Program at The Grapevine meets on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9am-12pm. This program welcomes children ages 3-5. Miss Amy and Miss Paula are the teachers for this outdoor based preschool program.

To learn more about The Learning Vine Preschool, contact us.

Our hands-on preschool program takes place almost entirely outdoors so that the children can move freely and breathe in fresh air everyday as they learn and play. We focus on fostering creativity, social interaction, problem solving, independence, physical movement and learning through games and activities.

Each morning the children arrive at the outdoor play yard and choose to play in the sandbox, climb, crawl, run, push trucks around, play in the mud/snow kitchen, paint, or complete a quiet activity in the play house. Later in the morning the children are invited by chimes calling them to our Morning Circle. This is where we gather together to sing the song of the week, play a game, and create a plan for the remainder of our morning. After Morning Circle we eat a hearty snack together and then return to our play and daily activities. Toward the end of our preschool morning the children are again invited by chimes to the Closing Circle. This is where we read a story and sing our closing song.

At The Learning Vine Outdoor Preschool Program we strive to have every child feel welcomed and honored. We want each child’s first school experience to be fun and joyful!

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Better Beginnings Parent-Child Group

The Better Beginnings Parent-Child Program meets weekly on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:30-11:30am; September-June. Birth-5yr.

Registration is required for this program; please contact us to inquire.

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Better Beginnings for Babies

The Better Beginnings for Babies Program meets weekly on Thursdays from 9:30-11am, September-June.

Registration is required for this program; please contact us to inquire.

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Hillsborough Playgroups

The Hillsborough Playgroup meets twice weekly, September-June; Thursday mornings from 10am-12pm and afternoons from 12:30pm-2:30pm at Valley Bible Church in Hillsborough (we go outdoors as weather permits). Birth to 5yr.

Grapevine staff set up the room with fun, developmentally appropriate activities for the children, such as painting, playdough, puzzles, games, etc. All activities are facilitated by staff with a goal of enhancing social skills such as cooperation and communication. The children have the opportunity to socialize and play with other children while the parents take time to chat and relax. 

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Out & About

Out & About is an outdoor-based program for parents and their children. Meets weekly on Thursdays starting September 12 from 10-11:30am.

Out & About is led by Grapevine staff members Maureen Troy and Leigh Frosch. Benefits of this program include getting families together outdoors, taking local hikes, and visiting fun places!