MANCHESTER, NH – The Board of Directors of Families in Transition (FIT) and New Horizons announced today that they will merge into one organization effective January 1, 2018. The nonprofit homeless services providers, under one entity, will integrate services, identify specialty services, scale programs, and eliminate gaps to help serve more people in need of emergency shelter, affordable housing, food, and supportive services in order to gain self-sufficiency and respect.

“After months of doing our due diligence, it’s exciting to be embarking on this endeavor,” said David Cassidy, Chairman of New Horizons Board of Directors. “This is about improving the continuum of care for people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Joining together with FIT will not only benefit homeless individuals with a simplified and targeted process, but other agencies will benefit from a reduction in duplicative intake functions, reductions in time spent on filling out forms, and an overall increase in interagency collaboration.”

Dick Anagnost, Chairman of Families in Transition – New Horizons’s Board of Directors, stated, “As two of the largest and most well respected homeless service organizations in the State of New Hampshire, the merger presents a unique opportunity for the City of Manchester to become a model for the creation of a robust and integrated system of care that will lead to tangible results for those most in need. The fact is, we’re better together.” Anagnost continued, “This is truly a strength-based merger. The biggest winners in this merger are the beneficiaries of our services; those most in need in our community,”

The plan is for the merged entity to take the first six-to-twelve months to observe operations and outcomes of both organizations. Over time, the organization will implement processes or systems that are identified to help eliminate gaps in services.

The organization will be raising money to help with the merger. There are unavoidable costs associated with bringing two organizations into one, including technology, professional development opportunities for staff, creation of systems to make the operations of one organization more efficient, streamlining employee benefits, and improving services identified over the first six-to-twelve months, etc. Businesses or individuals wishing to invest in the merger process or support the organizations’ work can do so on either entity’s website at www.fitnh.org or www.newhorizonsnh.org.

Founded in 1991, Families in Transition is a nonprofit organization that provides safe, affordable housing and social services to individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, enabling them to gain self-sufficiency and respect in Manchester, Concord, Dover, and soon-to-be Wolfeboro, NH. FIT also owns and operates a thrift store in Manchester which serves as an economic engine to help pay for services that FIT provides. For more information about FIT and the stores, visit www.fitnh.org or call 603-641-9441.

Since 1973, New Horizons has worked to assist low-income persons to address the social issues facing them.