Exhibit: On the Edge of Home

On the Edge of Home
Stories of Housing Insecurity, Home, and the Path to Sustainable Housing Solutions

Exhibit | November 1- December 13

Film Screening & Panel | Tuesday December 3, 6:30 - 8:30 PM

Talk | Wednesday December 4, 4 PM

Join us for a series of collaborative events with the Home for All Coalition, raising awareness about housing insecurity in our community!

From November 1 to December 13 the library will host an interactive exhibit in the lobby, including a curated book display and list of titles for adults and children relating to housing insecurity and homelessness. The exhibit will also include a series of Voices of Home, capturing stories, hope and community-driven housing solutions, as well as interactive activities for all ages.

On Tuesday December 3 at 6:30 PM, join us for a film screening of Communities & Consequences II: Rebalancing New Hampshire’s Human Ecology, with a panel discussion to follow. Directed by Jay Childs, the short film explores the economic and social realities of workforce shortages in our state - the nation’s second oldest state in terms of median age. Hear stories of how people are working together to find innovative ways to create vibrant and welcoming places for people of all ages and backgrounds, and ensure a thriving future for their communities and the state.

The panel discussion will feature experts from various fields, including business leaders addressing the impact of housing shortages on the workforce, developers, and advocates highlighting often-overlooked populations such as the elderly, low-income workers, and those with intellectual disabilities. The discussion aims to explore actionable housing solutions for the Seacoast region. Panelists include:

• Kara Anne Rodenhizer, host (Home for All Coalition, Granite United Way)
• Isabella (Bella) Romero, keynote storyteller (603 Forward)
• Taylor Cray, moderator (Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast)
• Jay Childs (Director, JBC Communications / Producer, Communities and Consequences II)
• Emily Flinkstrom (Executive Director, Fair Tide / Co-Founder of Mainspring)
• Jay McSharry (Restauranter, J Group Hospitality)
• Mike Castagna (Developer, Castagna Consulting Group, LLC)

On Wednesday December 4 at 4 PM, the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth will present a talk by Art Meconi of Meconi Financial Management & Advisory: “The Business Case for Supporting Workforce Housing in Our Community.” This presentation will outline steps business leaders can take to support your employees and encourage more housing for the workforce on the seacoast.

In January 2024, NH Business Review shared that maintaining NH’s workforce is the greatest challenge facing business leaders in New Hampshire today. This is largely due to a lack of housing. Currently, “the state is an estimated 23,500 housing units short of meeting demand.” New Hampshire Housing reports show that this results in the number of working-age households in NH declining, even while the number of available jobs is rising.

Knowing that this is one of the greatest challenges in our state and directly impacts the business community, the question should be asked: What is the business community's role in solving today’s housing challenges?

Registration is not required for any of these events. 

About the Co-sponsors/Presenters of This Series
Home for All Coalition
Home for All is a multisector partnership of over 90 individuals and organizations dedicated to ensuring that everyone has access to a safe, stable, and affordable home and housing insecurity and homelessness are rare, brief, and non-recurring. Our mission is to prevent housing instability by expanding access to affordable and deeply affordable housing in the Greater Seacoast region. Through collective action and a unified voice, we advocate, educate, raise awareness, and coordinate resources to create lasting, equitable housing solutions for a sustainable future.

The Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth leads the greater Portsmouth business community as a convener of people, businesses, and organizations, through communication, education, support, advocacy, and cooperative opportunities. 

Kara Anne Rodenhizer, Ph.D. (she/her)
Kara is the Executive Director of the Home for All Coalition and Senior Director of Housing Initiatives at Granite United Way. She leads a multisector Coalition working to create lasting and equitable housing solutions across the Seacoast regions of New Hampshire and Maine. Kara also drives Granite United Way’s investments in affordable housing for low-income households throughout New Hampshire. She holds a B.A. from the University of California, Davis, an M.A. in Forensic Psychology from Marymount University, and a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of New Hampshire. Kara resides in Portsmouth with her partner and their three children. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Portsmouth Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, Vice President of the Women’s Affordable Housing Network, sits on Housing Action New Hampshire’s Governing Council, and the board of the Portsmouth Chamber Collaborative.

Isabella (Bella) Romero (she/her)
Isabella is the Housing Advocacy and Engagement Organizer for 603 Forward and an active member of Manchester Neighbors Welcome, a coalition dedicated to advancing changes to city ordinances aimed at expanding attainable housing options for Manchester residents. A 23-year-old Granite State native, Isabella graduated from Lipscomb University in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in law, Justice, and Society. During college, she worked as an editorial intern at The Contributor, a nonprofit street paper addressing chronic homelessness in Nashville, Tennessee, and with Entryway, a nonprofit assisting individual facing situational homelessness. After graduation, Isabella served as a Rape Prevention Educator at the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence before returning to her hometown of Portsmouth in February 2024.

Taylor Cray (she/her)
Taylor is the Housing Navigator with the Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast. With a background in community organizing and public policy, she is dedicated to exploring the many nuances and perspectives of the housing crisis and enjoys working with communities to identify solutions that meet their unique needs. Prior her time with the Workforce Housing Coalition, Taylor worked in the Advocacy Department at Preble Street, an organization that focuses on assisting individuals who are struggling with housing and food insecurity in Portland, Maine.  Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and a Master of Arts in Global Policy, both from the University of Maine at Orono. She lives in Portland, Maine, and can most often be found running, rock climbing, or attempting to grow vegetables in the raised-bed gardens near her apartment.

Emily Flinkstrom (she/her)
Emily joined Fair Tide in August of 2016 as Executive Director.  A native of South Berwick, Maine she returned to her roots after ten years of working for non-profits in Utah, Colorado and Michigan. Emily has led Fair Tide through significant expansion in their affordable housing development and supportive services work.  She is also the co-founder of Mainspring, a one-stop-shop social services collective for the Seacoast. Emily lives in Kittery, Maine with her husband and two young children. Emily serves as vice chair of the Kittery Housing Committee, is a representative to Maine’s Statewide Homeless Council, is a member of Home for All Coalition’s Leadership Team and co-chairs the local advocacy workgroup for organization. In 2023, she was named one of USA TODAY's Women of the Year, recognizing her impactful work in the community. Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Vermont and a master’s degree in social work from Colorado State University. She lives in Kittery, Maine, with her husband and two children

Jay McSharry (he/him)
Jay is a local restaurateur who graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1990. Nearly a decade later, he returned to the Seacoast and opened Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Café, which laid the foundation for numerous successful establishments in the region, including Moxy, Vida Cantina, The Franklin, Street, Luigi’s West End Pizzeria, Ore Nell’s Barbecue, The Railpenny Tavern, and Dos Amigos. In 2020, Jay was named a James Beard Award semi-finalist in the Outstanding Restaurateur category. In addition to his culinary achievements, Jay is an emerging business leader in addressing the Seacoast region’s housing needs and understands the importance of attainable housing opportunities for sustaining our regions workforce. He is currently developing an eight-unit housing project in Eliot, Maine, for residents aged 55 and older, recognizing the growing demand for housing both locally and nationally. Jay is also deeply involved in the community, serving on the boards of Share Our Strength, The Music Hall, and The Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth. He also established the Diversity Scholarship at the University of New Hampshire, his alma mater.

Mike Castagna (he/him)
Mike is the principal of Castagna Consulting Group, established in 2003. With over 40 years of construction experience, Michael manages projects from concept through completion, including budgeting, permitting, design, and construction phases. His portfolio spans residential and commercial developments across the U.S., including the Double-A Baseball Stadium in Manchester, NH. Michael is a four-term past president of Plan NH and past president of Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Nashua. He currently serves as President of the Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast, focusing on housing solutions and providing expert consulting services.

Jay Childs (he/him)
Jay is the owner of Portsmouth-based JBC Communications, is an Emmy and Telly-awarded documentary filmmaker. His work, including “Communities & Consequences II” and “FOOD FIGHT,” has been featured on public television and streaming platforms. Jay was the recipient of the 2022 Housing Action NH “Housing Matters Media Award” for his affordable housing advocacy. He serves on the Board of Leadership Seacoast and is member of the Home for All Coalition Leadership team and Co-Chair of the organization’s Storytelling and Communications workgroup. Jay holds a B.A. in Communications Production from Ithaca College and resides in Exeter, NH, with his family.

Art Meconi (he/him)
Art is a Private Wealth Advisor at Meconi Financial Management & Advisory, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial. He has 21 years of experience and services clients across 29 states, specializing in areas including wealth preservation strategies, investment management, retirement planning strategies, estate planning strategies, and more. Art’s mission is to empower his clients to achieve their financial goals through personalized financial planning, tailoring to each client’s needs and fostering collaborative relationships built on trust