With $23 million in federal funds, Easterseals NH is set to begin construction of its 15-acre military and veterans campus in Franklin, N.H., in October.
The project, a retreat for veteran and military members and their families, has been made possible by money awarded to Easterseals NH from the state through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and New Hampshire Fiscal Recovery Funds, the Concord Monitor reported Sept. 20.
"The Easterseals NH Military & Veterans Campus will change lives, support families, and offer a much-deserved way of saying thank you to all who have served or are serving in the military today," said Andy MacWilliam, chair of the nonprofit's board of directors.
At its core, the goal of the project is to transform and connect two existing historic buildings in Franklin into affordable rental housing for veterans and their families.
The new connector will enable residents and their guests to access all parts of the building, no matter their abilities, Easterseals NH noted on its website. It will include a ramp for entry into the building and an elevator to each floor.
The two buildings, known as Henry and Webster, will have 29 apartments and room for community space. In total, there will be 30 units of accessible, affordable rental housing on the soon-to-be-developed campus.
Other amenities planned for the Easterseals NH Military & Veterans Campus include:
- A hub of services with meeting and event space. Multiple military service organizations will be located there to ensure a continuum of care for each visitor to the campus, along with opportunities to hold events and training sessions.
- A retreat center made up of 20 short-term rental bedrooms, some featuring kitchenettes.
- Several therapeutic recreation components, including access to a nearby rail trail along the Merrimack River, a multipurpose building for equine and dog therapy, a rock-climbing wall, ropes course, military-themed playground and an outdoor performance stage.
"This is truly coming together the New Hampshire way because there is no other facility within the region that has incorporated housing, hub of services, therapeutic recreation and family supports the way this project has been developed," explained Maureen Beauregard, president and CEO of Easterseals NH.
Planners Visited Similar Sites Before Designing Franklin Campus
Construction of the project's first phase, which includes the affordable housing, hub of services, and portions of the retreat center, will begin in the coming weeks with completion date in early 2025, the Monitor learned.
Prior to embarking on the Franklin project's design, Easterseals NH said it convened a taskforce made up of representatives from the military and veteran community to make site visits of similar projects across the region. Additionally, its members interviewed dozens of military vets across the state and conducted surveys of known providers throughout New Hampshire to determine the highest needs for the campus.
While the multi-million-dollar federal grant is a significant boost, MacWilliam said Easterseals NH remains committed to raising additional funds to complete the retreat center and the therapeutic multi-purpose building.
"New Hampshire has one of the highest per capita populations of veterans in the country, so we know the need for access to programs and housing is high," he added. "We are confident with the support of our statewide community, the nonprofit sector, private businesses, and citizens that we can raise the remaining funds needed to fully complete this incredible campus."
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