Seacoast Nonprofit Guide!
Whether you’d like to learn about nonprofit organizations on the Seacoast, wish to contribute financially, or are interested in volunteering your time, take a peek at a variety of Seacoast nonprofits that are making a difference in our community. We’d like to extend a sincere “thank you” to each and every one of the caring individuals who work tirelessly to make these organizations operate throughout the year; we appreciate your time and dedication to better our community.
Ready To help our neighbors in need?? let’s go!
Girls On The Run
At Girls on the Run New Hampshire, teaching critical life skills is the cornerstone of our research-based programs. Meeting in small teams, trained volunteer coaches inspire team members to strengthen confidence and other important life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and physical activity.
take a peek!
Families in Transition
The Families in Transition mission is to prevent and break the cycle of homelessness. The Manchester-based organization provides safe, affordable housing and comprehensive social services to individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. These programs and services are designed to ensure that people have the seamless support they need to find and maintain long-term stability. The organization’s goal is to partner with individuals and serve as a single hub they can utilize wherever they are in their journey to exiting homelessness. Families in Transition operates several social services centers in Manchester, NH, including an adult emergency center, a family emergency shelter, a food pantry, the Willows Substance Use Treatment Center, and offers multiple supportive or affordable housing options.
take a peek!
Gather
Founded in 1816, by a group of compassionate women dedicated to feeding the families of fishermen on the Seacoast, Gather is one of the oldest social service agencies in the country. Over the years, Gather has evolved and expanded its reach and programs, but its unwavering commitment to ending food insecurity in Seacoast communities remains at the core of its legacy. Gather provides nutritious food and prepared meals to those experiencing hunger on the Seacoast in NH and Maine. The team accomplishes this through their pantry market, mobile markets, and innovative food access programs. Gather serves more than 7,000 Seacoast residents each month and distributes over 1.5 million pounds of food each year.
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Friends in Action
Friends in Action enhances the lives of people with developmental disabilities by creating social and recreational opportunities. Friends in Action is about friendship, laughter, companionship, fun, and community connections. The goal of Friends in Action is to have people who might otherwise be very isolated have real, meaningful friendships, places to go, things to do and people to meet. To have someone and something to look forward to. Friends in Action has a variety of programs including Basketball Ball, Arts and Games Club, Friday Night Social, Dinner Club, Bowling Club, Zoom Programs and so much more. Programs are run in the Portsmouth and Durham area.
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Plates for Change
Plates for Change is a volunteer-run organization passionate about ending childhood hunger and food insecurity in our seacoast communities. This local nonprofit champions policy change, educates, and plans and executes amazing events with community partners to raise much-needed funds for local charities and nonprofits that provide healthy food to those in need.
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End 68 Hours of Hunger
End 68 Hours of Hunger is a public non-profit effort to confront the approximately 68 hours of hunger that some school children experience between the free lunch they receive in school Friday and the free breakfast they receive in school Monday. This program puts nourishing food in the hands of school children to carry them through the weekend. Each bag of food costs approximately $10 and provides two breakfasts, two lunches, and three dinners for a child. End 68 Hours of Hunger provided 1.28 million meals to 4,580 children during the 2022-2023 school year.
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Yoga In Action
Yoga in Action provides accessible yoga to individuals in a wide variety of settings and circumstances. Yoga is a low cost, high impact modality that can support the mental and physical health of ANYONE. Yoga in Action’s variety of programs are fueled by a dedicated staff, experienced teachers, and the expertise of partner organizations in the community. The mission of Yoga in Action is to ensure all people have access to the therapeutic benefits of yoga regardless of social, physical, and financial barriers, while the vision is that all people realize their power to connect, transform, heal, and thrive through yoga.
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The Waysmeet Center
The Waysmeet Center creates positive change through direct service grounded in compassion, equity, and social justice in the NH Seacoast and surrounding communities. We host the Cornucopia Food Pantry, serving over one hundred families weekly, offering volunteer opportunities and student leadership. Additionally, we offer affordable housing to eight residents as part of our Intentional Residential Community. We are a small yet mighty organization located adjacent to the University of New Hampshire campus in Durham!
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Ronald McDonald House Charities Of Maine
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine offers comfort and compassion to families with pediatric patients, ensuring they can stay close to medical care. Operating 24/7, 365 days a year, RMHC Maine is a home-away-from-home, with two Houses for overnight stays, and two Family Rooms directly on the pediatric floor of hospitals in Bangor and Portland. The organization’s mission is to keep families close to hospitalized children, recognizing that the family’s ability to work closely with their child’s medical team is essential for healing IN 2023, the Ronald McDonald House Charities Of Maine provided 5,722 nights for over 350 families.
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Alliance For Greater Good
The Alliance for Greater Good believes in the transformative power of kindness to create positive change in the lives of our Seacoast community members. This local organization coordinates events designed to address local community needs such as backpacks for children of welfare families, new winter accessories for food insecure families, holiday cards for long-term care residents, and more. The Alliance amplifies the generosity of others through all-inclusive ways to give—time, goods, and money— so that anyone who is interested can contribute.
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Fair Tide
Fair Tide’s mission is to reduce homelessness by providing housing and supportive services to individuals and families on the Seacoast. The team develops and operates affordable housing, partners with landlords to match their units with families and individuals who have housing vouchers, and offers short and long-term case management. Fair Tide operates a thrift store located at 15 State Road for low-cost clothing and housewares, with proceeds benefitting the organization’s Housing Program.
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3S ARTSPACE
3S Artspace believes art is essential. They are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization grounded in an unwavering appreciation for the vital role that contemporary arts play in the health of a community, both locally and globally. They believe art has the power to transform individual lives, bridge divergent perspectives, and establish meaningful connections between and across communities.
Thanks to the support of our community and its business leaders, 3S Artspace is able to provide the space to share transformative experiences, engage in meaningful discussions, and serve artists and audiences in impactful ways.
Take a Peek!
look at all of the good happening in our community!
Footprints Food Pantry
For over thirty years, Footprints Food Pantry has been dedicated to reducing the impact of hunger in the community, sharing resources, and providing essential support to sustain healthy lives. This local nonprofit’s mission is driven by the goal of eradicating the scarcity mentality and providing food assistance with dignity, respect, and abundance. Footprints looks to provide immediate and long-term solutions to combat food insecurity and provides the following programs to all individuals throughout the Seacoast region (no town restrictions): Weekly Shopping, Home Deliveries, Meal Kits, Spice Shelf, Phinn’s Pet Food Pantry, Community Gardens, School Pantries, Older Resident Pantries and a Community Support Fund.
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I Got Bridged
I Got Bridged bridges the gap for people in need on the seacoast. For the last 3 years, the volunteers at I Got Bridged have been transporting those in need to the food pantry, recovery meetings, medical appointments, grocery stores, church services, and local events. They also provide care packages and essential bags for the homeless and those who need a little bit of kindness.
If you know of anyone needing assistance, please reach out to I Got Bridged!
take a peek!
The Kittery Art Association
Founded in 1958, The Kittery Art Association is located in the heart of Kittery Foreside. The gallery and shop features the work of Seacoast Artists in monthly shows, and welcomes new members and art appreciators of all ages. The Kittery Art Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, committed to its mission to promote knowledge of the arts, stimulate interest in the work of local artists, and express appreciation for the abundant creativity in the Seacoast area.
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Education For All Children
EFAC is an 8-year education-to-employment program serving Kenyan youth who demonstrate strong academic merit and leadership potential—individuals who would otherwise be unable to continue attending school beyond 8th grade due to economic circumstances. EFAC supports students in their academic, social, and pre-professional development throughout high school, college, and into their careers. EFAC’s in-depth investment is long-lasting, as the ultimate goal is the empowerment of EFAC Scholars to gain employment after graduation, and creating a path out of poverty that transforms their own lives and positively impacts their families, communities, and country.
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Ink 4 Pink
Ink 4 Pink is on a mission to help breast cancer survivors feel at home in their bodies with nipple, breast, eyebrow, and scar camouflage tattoos. This Seacoast nonprofit organization provides financial assistance to help cover the cost of these life-changing tattoos, because they believe that all survivors deserve to feel complete after recovery regardless of their financial situation..
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Haven
HAVEN is dedicated to preventing sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking, providing survivors with a broad spectrum of free and confidential support services. HAVEN’s mission focuses on supporting and empowering individuals of all genders and ages to heal from abuse and rebuild their lives. With a vision to eliminate domestic and sexual violence through education, support, and social change, HAVEN offers an array of comprehensive services, including a 24/7 support line, online chat service, safety planning, in-person support at various institutions, referrals to community partners, emergency shelter and housing support programs, peer support groups, and diverse outreach and education initiatives. The organization’s Prevention Education Program extends to schools in Rockingham and Strafford counties, offering age-appropriate curriculum, while community outreach involves participation in local events and material distribution. Additionally, HAVEN has implemented innovative programs, such as Camp HOPE and the Pathways Mentors Program, for trauma-impacted children, where volunteers provide ongoing support, strengthening our community impact. HAVEN is continuously seeking volunteers for advocacy, outreach, development, events, and pathways mentors to enhance their meaningful work in our community.
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Room For Love
Room for Love, a 501(c)3 organization, passionately designs beautiful spaces for children facing health challenges, special needs, economic adversity, or impacted by substance use disorder. Recognizing the profound impact of a dedicated space on a child’s growth and well-being, Room For Love believes a child’s bedroom should serve as a sanctuary and a reflection of their individuality. Following the insights of design expert Susanna Salk, the organization’s mission is rooted in nurturing emotional bonds and providing a supportive haven for safety, comfort, contemplation, recharging, and peaceful nights. Guided by devoted volunteers, Room For Love initiates the process with a consultation, empowering children to share their visions. The talented team then transforms these visions into reality, ensuring each child’s dreams and aspirations come to life within their personalized space.
*Photos by Greg West Photography*
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Soul Models
Soul Models is a nonprofit organization that serves middle school-aged girls in the Seacoast of southern Maine and New Hampshire. Soul Models’ after-school program curriculum follows the central themes of self-care—incorporating mind, body, spirit, and heart. Girls explore these ideals through hands-on activities that focus on the practice of mindfulness, yoga, creative expression, service, and leadership. By utilizing a balanced approach, participants deepen their understanding of the importance of presence and self-awareness in daily living, while developing resilience and strengthening their own inner compass.
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The Chase Home
The Chase Home provides resources and support for at-risk youth and their families healing from trauma. Since 1877, The Chase Home has provided a home for young people in need throughout New Hampshire; preparing them for their futures, fostering healthy family relationships, and community connectedness, and empowering them to heal through trauma-informed care and community-based treatment programs so they are able to thrive. The Chase Home offers Residential Treatment Services to youth ages 11-18, an Independent Living Program for 18-21-year-olds who have aged out of the care system facing homelessness, home-based services to reunify families or prevent displacement, and the organization’s Seacoast Community Diversion Program that hold delinquent youth accountable for their behavior without resorting to the juvenile justice system and creating a criminal record.
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The Alex Manful Fund
The Alex Manfull Fund (TAMF) was founded by Susan and William Manfull in 2018 to increase awareness, education, and research funding to improve outcomes for children, adolescents, and young adults suffering from infection-related neuroimmune disorders such as PANDAS/PANS. Their unwavering commitment is rooted in the memory of their only child, Alexandra Manfull, whose life was tragically cut short by PANDAS/PANS when she was 26 years old.
The Alex Manfull Fund was instrumental in establishing the POND Brain Bank at Georgetown University Medical Center—the country’s only repository for brains from individuals diagnosed with PANDAS or PANS and Other Neuroimmune Disorders (POND). The facility makes tissue available for research to advance the understanding of these disorders. As a 501(c)(3) organization, The Alex Manfull Fund is devoted to ensuring no life ever again be cut short—or interrupted—by any neuroimmune disorder.
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If there’s a nonprofit organization that you’d like to see featured on this list, please send an email to hello@seacoastlately.com!