On Monday, October 24th, Waypoint NH hosted a successful Grand Opening event celebrating their new youth drop-in center on Wallace Street.

With a mission to empower people of all ages through an array of human services and advocacy, Waypoint NH (a private, nonprofit agency) offers a wide array of services, including adoption, prenatal support, parent education/family empowerment, services for children with developmental concerns or chronic health conditions, child care, mental health counseling, family preservation, supervised visitation, foster care, homeless youth continuum, home healthcare for older Americans and adults with disabilities, and advocacy.

The new Rochester facility serves as a welcoming space where young people, ages 12–23, can drop in for services, support, and basic needs relief. The building offers free laundry facilities, showers, a food pantry, lockers, a clothing closet, grab-and-go meals, phone charging stations, computers, mail service, outside space, groups (peer and therapeutic), pro-social activities, help with education and employment, case management supports, and more.

According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, a coordinated community response is critical to preventing and ending youth/young adult homelessness, with drop-in centers serving as catalysts for prevention, identification, and early intervention.

Leading up to this decision to establish a center in Rochester, Waypoint spent several months conducting research and focus groups with providers, youth, and community leaders in the area, many of whom played a key role in advocating for a location in Rochester.

Waypoint is located at 3 Wallace Street, in downtown Rochester. Visit www.waypointnh.org to learn more, make a financial contribution, or donate supplies.