On Tuesday, Shaheen met with Turning Points Network (TPN) staff, in regard to the $162,000 that the non-profit received for technology updates to their new location on Broad Street.

“When I think of this room and I think of the grant that you scored for us, I realize that we are able to work with survivors in ways we couldn’t before. When I say we didn’t have internet in some of our offices, we literally didn’t have internet,” outgoing TPN Director Deborah Mozden said to Shaheen at the meeting.

Some of the planned uses for the funding include a new telephone system that will include a 24-hour crisis line, purchase and install of a security system, as well as purchasing office furnishings for the new location. Mozden also acknowledged that security systems and safety of the vulnerable community for which they provide services, is paramount to everyone’s success.

The technology upgrades are a significant piece of a number of large changes occurring with TPN in Claremont, stemming from their active move to a larger, more modern location on Broad Street. TPN administrators have stated that they will continue to run operations from their School Street location for another month or two while community members who are retaining their services acclimate to the new location.

Once they have fully moved operations to Broad Street their intention is to sell the older building. They will continue to retain their satellite office in Newport, as well as an office at the shelter in Claremont.

TPN has provided support and resources to domestic and sexual violence survivors since 1977 and, as a non-profit organization, they are largely able to operate due to volunteer staff. It is at this new location that TPN looks forward to utilizing their newly acquired space to teach prevention training to each of their volunteers.

Prevention training is integral to the work being done at TPN as their belief is, “the only way to stop domestic violence is to prevent it.” Among the many services that TPN provides include emergency shelter, to which they do not put a timeline on because they recognize the importance of safe housing during the healing process.

Representatives with the state of New Hampshires Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence have commented that statewide survivors are not able to receive a number of services due to lack of funding. This includes statistical reports that suggest that only 12 percent of survivors are able to obtain legal services in regard to domestic violence cases and significantly less for stalking cases.