Changemaker Chronicles: New Beginnings Without Violence and Abuse

Interview with Shauna Foster, Executive Director

More than half of the homicides in New Hampshire between 2009 and 2023 were related to domestic violence according to the State of New Hampshire. It’s a shocking statistic that a local nonprofit is all too familiar with. New Beginnings Without Violence and Abuse is the local organization supporting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in Belknap County. One of twelve member programs of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, New Beginnings has been dedicated to breaking the generational cycle of violence, empowering survivors, and creating long-lasting change within the Lakes Region for over 30 years.  

Executive Director Shauna Foster explains all services are confidential, non-judgmental, and free of charge. These life-saving services include emergency shelter, 24-hour accompaniment to the hospital and police departments, accompaniment to Court, Child Advocacy Center interviews and forensic medical exams, assistance throughout the criminal justice process, emergency financial and material goods assistance, help to obtain protective orders and support and accompaniment throughout the protective order process, one-to-one peer support, participation in projects, task forces, and committees to improve systemic responses to intimate partner violence, and evidence-based, age-appropriate prevention education and outreach in schools across Belknap County. It’s a big mission that brings over 800 clients to their doors every year.

One of the most significant barriers for survivors trying to leave an abusive relationship is finding a safe place to go. Foster says, “without this critical option, many survivors are forced to remain in abusive relationships or seek out unsafe alternatives”.

New Beginnings recently secured additional office space in downtown Laconia to establish a program center. “Moving offices out of the emergency shelter increased our shelter capacity from four bedrooms and two bathrooms to six bedrooms and four bathrooms”, Foster explains. This expansion helps ensure that more survivors can access immediate shelter and care. In addition to expanding the emergency shelter, the new program center has allowed the agency to have more of a presence in downtown Laconia. Advocates can meet with non-residential services users in this space, offering more privacy to shelter guests.

New Beginnings also operates Sadie’s Place, a transitional housing program in Meredith that provides short-term housing for up to two years for survivors of violence and their children. This program bridges the gap between emergency housing and self-sustained living by offering continued support, advocacy, and services. During their time at Sadie’s Place, families receive parenting support, help learning how to be responsible tenants, and help securing permanent housing.

“Ending the generational cycle of violence is also an agency priority”, says Foster. “As the agency’s focus has grown from being solely on the victim/survivor to also working with her/his children, the organization offers an array of services for children and teens who have been affected by domestic and sexual violence, especially those who witness domestic violence”. Prevention education also plays a critical role. The New Beginnings Prevention

Educator provides age-appropriate, evidence-based education to students Pre-K-12.

New Beginnings invites the community to a dinner/dance fundraiser on Saturday, November 8 at the Belknap Mill. Tickets are available by clicking this link. Serving over 800 survivors a year, domestic and sexual abuse has not ended and neither has the need for New Beginnings, which has helped and continues to help thousands of women, men, and children in Belknap County rebuild their lives. 

Those who would like to be involved in ending interpersonal or family violence and are interested in either volunteering on the 24-hour support line or are interested in serving on the Board can reach out to Shauna Foster at shauna@newbeginningsnh.org for more information.

Article written by Beth Osgood Dodge. If you are a Greater Lakes Region Children's Auction funded nonprofit contact Beth at beth03253@gmail.com to arrange an interview and let us spread awareness for your mission!