Liberty House NH is committed to offering substance-free housing and essential community support for homeless and at-risk veterans. Their mission centers on empowering these veterans to attain independence and self-sufficiency through a comprehensive 4-step program emphasizing recovery, wellness, meaningful employment, and independent living.

The true impact of Liberty House is best demonstrated through the success stories of the veterans who have thrived under their care:

Doug is now nearly a year into his stay at Liberty House, the Catholic Charities NH program that provides substance-free housing for veterans facing homelessness and other significant barriers in their lives…

Though Doug regularly drank during his early adulthood, it didn’t stand in the way of his busy life or present any serious problems to himself or to those around him.

When he reached his mid-40s, however, his marriage had fallen apart and his kids moved out. The drinks became higher in frequency and volume. He received his first DWI, then another a few years later. 

“While I was still functioning and supporting my family, it was clear something was different,” said Doug. “It got to a point where I would have a drink and not know how to shut it off. While I was technically sober a lot of the time, it was never a good sobriety. My brain was so saturated with alcohol that I was in a fog and I felt so distorted and out of place. And I certainly wasn’t happy with myself.”

…Now 62 and sober for a year, Doug is back on the road to independence. He is currently on the third stage of Liberty House’s four-stage model. He’s stabilized his recovery and has meaningful work as a quality engineer in the Lakes Region.

You can read Doug’s story here: Doug - Rewriting His Own History One Day at a Time

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Growing up in the Midwest, Sheldon lived with his mother, stepfather and two siblings until he was a teenager, suffering abuse at home and eventually drifting off and ‘hanging out with the wrong crowd,’ which led to him being sent to live with his aunt in a rough part of the city.

“It was a culture shock for me,” he recalls. “Gang violence, drugs – and I kept waiting for my family to pick me up but they never showed.”

…Homeless and addicted to substances, Sheldon entered a local addiction treatment center in Manchester. While there, he was referred to Liberty House, a program of Catholic Charities NH that offers homeless and recovering veterans transitional housing and support to help them get their lives back on track. At Liberty House, Sheldon connected right away with “Coach” Dave Keefe, who would become his case manager.

…Today, Sheldon’s shoes take him to a full-time job and to his home, where he has reunited with his wife. He still maintains regular contact with Liberty House and meets periodically with Coach Dave – and he never hesitates in his praise of the program, the staff and the donors who make it all possible.

You can read Sheldon’s story here: Sheldon - Sole Searching: Footsteps to Freedom

Follow along with us through the month of July as we share more about the work Liberty House is doing in our community – and how you can join us in getting involved!