Challenge for Recovery Matching Grant Gets $35K Boost

In an overwhelming show of support, New Hampshire residents and businesses stepped forward in the last two weeks to answer Common Man Family owner and founder Alex Ray’s $100,000 Challenge for Recovery.

Together, they exceeded the $100,000 goal to improve options in the state for friends, family and neighbors seeking recovery.

With momentum in high gear and over a week left to continue raising funds before the Nov. 1, 2015, deadline, the NH Charitable Foundation, Alex Ray and Easter Seals Boards of Directors have increased the matching gift challenge to $135,000, bringing the potential total amount that can be raised to $270,000, according to a press statement.

”New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is proud to partner with Alex Ray and Easter Seals in extending this challenge for the expansion of Farnum North. The Foundation has a long-standing commitment to address drug and alcohol issues through our Substance Use Disorders Portfolio,” said Tym Rourke, Director, Substance Use Disorders Grantmaking and Strategic Initiatives for the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. “Our investments have taught us that there is profound impact that philanthropy can have in helping individuals and families who struggle with this terrible disease, and we hope engagement of the Foundation and its donor community in this challenge will help foster further giving to address our state’s drug epidemic.”

All gifts received will help increase the number of treatment beds by 62 at Easter Seals NH, which has been on the front lines of this battle and is committed to supporting people in need, through substance abuse treatment programs at the Farnum Center in Manchester, and Farnum North in Franklin. With New Hampshire ranking 49th in access to treatment for substance addiction, and heroin use at epidemic proportions, Granite State residents have joined together to support their own.

Many of the 150 gifts that have already been received come from family members and loved ones who have lost their battle with addiction and in memory of children and siblings gone too soon.

One donor wrote on the giving page, “I donated for all of those who have felt the hopelessness and anger at losing a loved one to this terrible epidemic.”

Another local donor stepped forward immediately with support upon hearing of the Alex Ray $100,000 Challenge for Recovery to honor her son who went through treatment and is now in recovery. She is committed to ensuring not one more family has to go through the extreme pain of loving someone who is battling addiction. Her family will be donating the plaque they received as a result of their donation to a family that has lost a family member to an overdose and is unable to make a donation.

She said, “We contributed because we have experienced first-hand the life changing power of treatment. Farnum is working hard to make treatment available to as many individuals and families as possible, and we are very pleased to be able to contribute to their work.”

Gifts may be made in memory or honor of a loved one and all gifts $5,000 and above will receive a naming opportunity at Farnum North. Donors who give $100 or more will be recognized with their name on a plaque at Farnum North. To make a gift to the Challenge for Recovery by Nov. 1, 2015, visit easterseals.com/nh. Also contact Easter Seals Vice President of Major Gifts & Planned Giving Courtney Smith at 603-621-3456 or casmith@eastersealsnh.org.