Last year, on National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day in front of the Peterborough
Townhouse, Monadnock Area Transition Shelter board members gathered to remember friends, neighbors, and strangers who lost their lives before they found a way out of experiencing homelessness. A few others straggled in, but the group was too small. One woman showed up, stating that if unhoused people must live outside on a night as cold as this, the least she could do was to show up for half an hour to recognize them.

In January 2025, the state’s sheltered unhoused population rose to 1,754, a gain of 88
from the prior year. The unhoused population in New Hampshire surged to 672, a rise of
73 from 2024. Hillsborough County accounted for 1,052 of the counted unhoused
individuals. The lack of affordable housing and limited voucher availability contribute to
homelessness in New Hampshire. New Hampshire’s vacancy rate continues to be less
than one percent. (nashua.inklink.news/2025-point-in-time-homelessness-count-up-from-2024-in-nashua-and-the-state/)

Death by homelessness is epidemic. In 2025, environmental factors and underlying
health conditions were the major causes of death for people experiencing
homelessness. Last March, Eddy Rayno froze to death in his tent in Manchester. In October, Jillian Collins died of a gunshot wound near an encampment in Concord. An unnamed individual in Manchester died in November after a mental health crisis.

On Dec. 21, we will remember Eddie, Jillian, and other named and unnamed
people who died while experiencing homelessness. The more people raise awareness
to the public that homelessness kills people, the more likely we will convince lawmakers
that affordable housing will prevent, and affordable healthcare will cure, this problem.

Please join the MATS board and others to recognize those who struggled and died in
2025 because they had access to neither. Use this moment to show our community
how dire the situation is. It may be cold outside, but imagine a homeless family
spending the night in their car. Join us to spend 30 minutes remembering people who
will otherwise go unremembered because they are unnamed or estranged from families
and friends. Use this moment to give voice to those who still experience homelessness
before we must add them to the list of those who don’t survive homelessness in 2026.

The Vigil will take place on the steps of the Peterborough Town House on Dec. 21, from 4 to 4:30 p.m. We will read names and brief stories of individuals who died while experiencing homelessness in 2025, share music, and reflect on how we can help prevent future loss.

Elizabeth Goodhue is a board member at the Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter. MATS believes everyone deserves a safe place to call home and a chance to rebuild their lives with dignity. As a donation and grant-funded nonprofit, we rely on the generosity of individuals, businesses, and community partners to make that belief a reality. Your support fuels every part of our mission, from keeping our transitional shelter doors open, to providing vital services, to helping children and families find stability during times of crisis. Your donation changes lives. To learn more about MATS, visit matsnh.org.