Considering Charitable Giving? 4 of Our Favorite Charities in New Hampshire (And Surrounding Areas)

As the holidays approach, we’ve got giving back on the mind here at Chameleon Group! We thought it the perfect time to spread the spirit of giving with fellow caring businesses. We’re sharing four of our favorite charities in New Hampshire that we’ll be supporting this season. 

The best part is that companies can give back in many ways, including donations, volunteering, in-kind support, and partnerships to help spread the charity’s mission. Organizations that lead the way with genuine generosity positively impact their local and statewide communities. 

Not to mention, there are many fulfilling benefits of donating to charity as a business, including:

• Goodwill: Employees, customers, community members, and prospective employees notice when you participate in charitable activities in your community, strengthening brand loyalty.
• Community Connectivity: By supporting local organizations and nonprofits, you set an example and bring people together while boosting the community for everyone who lives and works there.
• Opportunity Creation: Working with charities can also present opportunities to network with local officials and other community and business leaders.
• Tax Deductions: You may also receive a charitable tax deduction for donations such as sponsorships, inventory or service contributions, and monetary donations.

Plus, your team will experience the joy and bonding of doing good deeds together! 

Are you ready to experience the priceless benefits of corporate giving? If so, check out these local charities in New Hampshire and consider supporting their causes!

SOS Recovery

First on our list of charities in New Hampshire is SOS (Strength Over Stigma) Recovery Community Organization. It is a community-based peer organization supporting those in recovery. Identifying as “an RCO with a capital C,” the nonprofit is run by a small staff and primarily volunteers consisting of individuals in recovery, family members, friends and loved ones of those in recovery, those who may still be struggling with substance misuse, and community allies. 

There is still a significant stigma around substance use disorders. Sadly, this is despite plenty of medical evidence that shows addiction is a complex form of mental illness. As people with addiction are blamed for their disease, they receive poor treatment or are rejected by hospitals and medical facilities, continuing the cycle of drug use.

SOS Recovery Community Organization understands this. It’s on a mission to reduce this stigma through peer-based addiction recovery support programs, including:

• Peer-recovery support services, such as one-on-one recovery support, crisis response, telephone recovery support, meetings and workshops, harm reduction services, and more.
• Advocacy related to sufficient local prevention, treatment, and recovery support services and educating the public, policymakers, and service providers about addiction recovery.
• In-person and virtual events that create space for those in recovery to find the community and support they need.

Those operating SOS understand the recovery journey because they’ve been there and seek to better their communities through their own experiences. 

And they’re certainly making an impact as one of the amazing charities in New Hampshire, having received the following:

• Greater Dover Chamber Non-Profit of the Year 2021
• Exeter Area Chamber Small Non-Profit of the Year 2021
• Falls Chamber Small Non-Profit of the Year 2020
• 2020 Granite State Award by Granite State College
• 2019 Harvard Pilgrim Healthy Community Impact Award
• 2017 Recovery Provider of the Year by the NH Providers Association

To learn more and find out how you can support them, visit sosrco.org. 

Recovery Friendly Workplace

We encourage businesses that want to directly impact the Granite State’s addiction crisis through their own workforce to become a Recovery Friendly Workplace. According to their site, “The Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative gives business owners the resources and support they need to foster a supportive environment that encourages the success of their employees in recovery.”

Chameleon Group is proud to be a Recovery Friendly Workplace. We aim to do our part to ease the effects of New Hampshire’s addiction crisis while supporting those in recovery. 
A 2017 report showed that substance misuse costs the state $2.36 annually in health and criminal justice costs, lost labor force participation, and lost worker productivity. The report also found that alcohol dependence reduces the Granite State’s workforce by 1.65%—or 12,000 workers—at a time when employers were already struggling to find and retain talent.

The Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative equips businesses to provide an inclusive, supportive work environment. Everyone deserves a fresh start for those on an addiction recovery journey. As a designated Recovery Friendly Workplace, your company will receive recognition from Governor Sununu and the Recovery Friendly Workplace organization, along with resources to support your team members.

Learn more and apply to be a Recovery Friendly Workplace today.

Reality Check

Another of our favorite New Hampshire charities is Jaffrey-based Reality Check. With a focus on prevention, treatment, and recovery, they interact with the community on multiple levels, including:

• School Districts: Reality Check develops prevention activities and campaigns for K-12 schools, with programs targeting students, faculty, and parents.
• Employers: They also provide education, training, and resources to help employers better support employees with substance use issues.
• Recovery Centers: Reality Check has a Recovery Community Center housing prevention offices, support groups, recovery coaches, recovery programs, and addiction training. They also share and help individuals find a recovery center near them.
• Recovery Coaches: The organization connects people with substance use problems to coaches who can help them start building a new life in recovery.

Like the charities in New Hampshire mentioned above, Reality Check consists of driving members who have personally experienced addiction and recovery. In fact, 50% of the board of directors and 75% of staff are in recovery from alcoholism or addiction. Through their personal experiences, Reality Check team members have the knowledge, compassion, and empathy necessary to positively impact those they help.

Thanks to their experience, deep commitment, and approach, Reality Check received a $135,000 grant to help Monadnock Region employers implement the Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative. The collaboration intends to:

• Educate employers on ways to reduce costs related to employees’ substance abuse
• Create a tolerant, supportive workplace for employees in recovery
• Obtain the Recovery Friendly Workplace designation

Discover the inspiring Reality Check story and how they can guide your corporate giving efforts.

Dover Mental Health Alliance

Because mental health and substance use are intertwined, we also want to highlight the Dover Mental Health Alliance (DMHA). This New Hampshire nonprofit demonstrates the benefits of community-based involvement in issues such as mental health stigma and suicide prevention. It aims to show “that our mental health is just as important as our physical health.”

The DMHA teaches that we all play a role in the health and welfare of our fellow community members. We don’t need to be medical experts or therapists to recognize and respond appropriately to someone experiencing a mental health challenge. 

This goes for business leaders, too! After all, research shows that mental health affects companies:

• Serious mental illness costs America up to $193.2 billion in lost earnings annually. (DMHA)
• Depression is believed to cause up to 400 million lost work days annually. (DMHA)
• Depression inhibits a person’s ability to complete physical job tasks about 20% of the time and reduces cognitive performance about 35% of the time. (CDC)

Employees with mental illnesses like depression cost their employers in productivity, earnings, health care costs, and workplace morale. But businesses can improve their mental health awareness and support initiatives by offering:

• Access to free or subsidized clinical screenings and services from a qualified mental health professional
• Health insurance with no or low out-of-pocket costs for mental health medications and counseling
• Free or subsidized coaching, counseling, or self-management programs

Fortunately, the DMHA provides training and resources for businesses that want to create an accepting workplace. They use all donations to fund their solutions toward creating a mental health-friendly community. Check out their complete resources and how to become a “Place.” This is a designation available to organizations that strive to support the mental health of their employees, colleagues, and customers.

Final Thoughts on Charitable Giving Through Your Business

Of course, corporate giving comes with standard benefits, such as tax deductions, positive PR, and heightened public awareness. But when businesses give back, they also contribute to a healthier, more supported, positive, and more productive workforce and community. Plus, your whole team can enjoy the fulfilling feeling of practicing kindness and generosity!

Since becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace, Chameleon Group has experienced firsthand the benefits of giving back. Doing so has:

• Widened our talent pool and helped develop a more diverse team
• Created an inclusive workplace where employees find both acceptance and support
• Increased employee retention—many remain part of our family for years!

As you can see, community giving and involvement doesn’t have to stop at donations! Businesses have many other options, including:

• Charitable Partnerships: Partnering with organizations to spread support and resources for your employees and community.
• Events & Fundraisers: Conducting a fundraiser for a cause you and your team care about, sponsor a local organization (e.g., school teams), or offer your space for a fundraiser event or community group (e.g., support groups).
• Volunteering: Helping out at your local school, food bank, homeless shelter, or animal shelter is a powerful way to unite your team while making a difference!

If your company is exploring new ways to engage in your community and would like to discuss ideas and collaboration opportunities, please contact us today! Our team will happily share more about our experience and how we built relationships with these wonderful charities in New Hampshire.