The opioid epidemic remains one of the top public health issues facing New Hampshire in 2026. While significant progress has been made in addressing overdose deaths in the past few years, three out of four Granite Staters are still not receiving needed treatment and services, according to the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute.
To support recovery services, Granite United Way Opioid Abatement Community Grants Program and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Responsive Grant (Alice Hale Penniman Memorial Fund)recently awarded New Hampshire Humanities’ Connections program grants totaling a combined $25,000 to support book discussions with individuals recovering from substance use disorder and their children impacted by the opioid crisis.
“I think that the opioid crisis has impacted many people, even peripherally, over the past decade. Here at New Hampshire Humanities, we are firm believers that one book, one conversation, can change a person’s life. Literature can normalize conversations or provide different perspectives around addiction and incarceration,” says Mary Nolin, Connections program manager.
“Ultimately, we hope that our book discussions can help individuals impacted by substance use disorder maintain the stability, wellness, and community connection needed to successfully reintegrate into society. We are grateful for the support we receive from Granite United Way and the NH Charitable Foundation to make this work happen,” she added.
Connections offers two specific program models that support recovery services. The first model uses book discussions to maintain and support family bonds during incarceration and substance use recovery. Afterwards, incarcerated parents, or parents engaged in treatment, send the books home to their children to read and discuss them together on Zoom. The second model uses book discussions to build community and support individual recovery at residential treatment facilities. In both models, all participants receive a free copy of each book to keep or share with their families.
Tiffani Arsenault, Administrator at the NH Department of Corrections and longtime Connections program partner, spoke of the impact of literature on the incarcerated parents and their children participating in the Connections program.
“Using literature to open the conversation and maybe encourage them [the incarcerated parents] in the right direction, maybe this can break that cycle because they are okay to talk about it,” she said. “Now they are using literature as a tool and talking about it with their kids. Their kids have this knowledge without going through it.”
To learn more about or support the Connections program at New Hampshire Humanities, please visit https://www.nhhumanities.org/connections-adult-literacy
About New Hampshire Humanities: New Hampshire Humanities (NHH) funds and supports programs that inspire curiosity, foster civil dialogue, and explore big questions. An independent, statewide nonprofit, NHH made possible last year 709 free public programs and digital broadcasts reaching 15,118 residents, in partnership with 252 organizations in 145 communities, to engage all citizens, regardless of their age or educational level, with the humanities. For more information, please visit www.nhhumanities.org.
About Granite United Way Opioid Abatement Community Grants Program: Granite United Way administers the Opioid Abatement Community Grants Program (OACGP) on behalf of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission. Through this program, $10 million in settlement funds will be invested over two years to support community-based efforts that prevent, reduce, and address the harms of the opioid crisis across New Hampshire. OACGP supports programs, partnerships, and community-led work that strengthen prevention, treatment, recovery, and long-term well-being.
About New Hampshire Charitable Foundation: The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, New Hampshire’s statewide community foundation, is dedicated to making New Hampshire a more just, sustainable and vibrant community where everyone can thrive. We are the place where generosity meets the dedication and ingenuity of nonprofits and the potential of New Hampshire students. For six decades, thousands of people have entrusted their charitable resources to the Foundation, creating a perpetual source of philanthropic capital and making it possible for the Foundation to award more than $70 million in grants and scholarships every year. For more information, please visit www.nhcf.org