Lebanon
Silent Warriors now will be known as UVGEAR, aka Upper Valley Giving Emergency Aid & Resources, the group said this week.
The organization’s co-directors, Karen Zook, of Lebanon, and Mike Chamness, of White River Junction, said in a news release that the decision for a new name came after considerable thought, feedback from the community and the “blessings” of Bev McKinley, who founded the group five years ago in Enfield.
“With this new name change, we look to expand on the amazing work Bev and all the program’s supporters have done over the last five years to create an organization vested in providing critical emergency items and services for the region’s homeless population,” the release said. “UVGEAR better describes what the organization’s focus has become and what we’re growing into, which is a mutual aid resource that helps anyone in a crisis situation needing life’s essentials — food, water, clothing, survival gear, temporary shelter and support.”
Zook and Chamness also said the organization will expand its outreach efforts by working with other area relief agencies and health care providers to ensure the target population has emergency services available to them.
“This can include individuals in a domestic crisis situation, people who are being displaced or are at high risk of becoming homeless, or victims of flood, fire or other natural disasters.”
Broadening its reach will mean improving the network of service providers and building stronger partnerships with other agencies that do similar work in the Upper Valley, Zook and Chamness said.
In a phone interview this week, Chamness said the group also was reorganizing its logistics to more effectively distribute donated items to those in need. The big change will be to move the warehouse operation from behind a donated space not far from the Powerhouse Mall in West Lebanon to a section of the new Listen Community Services store on Miracle Mile.
“This will let us have a better collection point and also serve folks,” Chamness said.
UVGEAR has teams of volunteers that collect items left at area donation sites.
The main goal is to avoid duplicating services and to better coordinate with Listen, The Upper Valley Haven and others to meet the needs of those living on the edge, according to Chamness.
He also said drop boxes set up at encampments will allow those living there to list items they need so the volunteers with UVGEAR will know what items to leave.
UVGEAR will not change its number — 603-443-7637 — or its Facebook page, but social media and online information will be updated to reflect the new name.
For more information, visit www.uvgear.org or on facebook at www.facebook.com/uppervalleyGEAR.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
