The positive power of a pleasant and secure home was on full display on a recent visit to a Peterborough apartment. My host, a MATS (Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter) participant since last September, recently moved to the organization’s second facility, which affords more autonomy as people await a permanent apartment in the current tight housing market. This woman, in her late 60s, has decorated her one-bedroom apartment with care and pride. On the first full day of spring, sun streamed into the small living room as we nibbled on homemade biscotti and talked about the past six months – and what had led her to MATS. 

Last fall, she found herself suddenly in need of housing after the small cabin she had rented for seven years was sold. Through her daughter, she learned about MATS, spoke with Program Manager Susan Howard and was accepted into the program. When I asked her to summarize how MATS had helped her in the time since then, she said with a little smile, “Where to begin…?” 

I have learned from my years on the MATS board that the assistance the organization is able to provide begins with Susan, and this woman confirmed that. She said Susan has given her the confidence to ask for help and guidance in navigating complex social service networks. But most importantly, she now has tools to help herself, which she will carry with her to her next home. 

This woman’s physical and emotional health has improved. Last fall, she was suffering from anxiety and depression. Showing me around her bright and tidy apartment, she said, “How can I be depressed here?” She is regularly cooking healthy meals (as well as treats!), which she shares with a daughter and two grandchildren, who live nearby. She is looking forward to warm weather when she plans to walk and plant flowers in the yard.

MATS has provided secure shelter and a road-worthy used car, and our talented program manager has provided empathetic guidance. This woman, through her own initiative and positive attitude, has taken everything offered, and is looking toward a stable future in her own apartment. But despite this, there is no happy ending to this story just yet. The waiting list for New Hampshire Section 8 housing is many months long, and affordable private rentals are almost nonexistent. Policy and local zoning changes are urgently needed to address the housing crisis, one that affects many individuals and families in the Monadnock region.

MATS, founded over 30 years ago and sustained by grants and the generosity of the community, is a small organization compared to the scope of the housing shortage in our area. But the positive impact it has on people’s lives is profound and lasting. To learn more about the organization or to donate, go to matsnh.org. In particular, MATS is always looking for donations of serviceable used cars, which we pass along to our participants -- an important part of the equation that leads to stable housing.

 Mary Loftis is a board member at Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter.

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