Benchmark’s Bedford Falls Donates Over 500 Pairs of Socks to Manchester’s Homeless Through New Horizons Shelter
With temperatures set to hit single digits frequently in Manchester this winter, the area’s homeless are in desperate need of warm clothing. Socks are among the most needed items yet are the least-often donated. Because of the shortage of socks and other warm clothing, the Manchester area’s over 1,500 homeless people are in severe danger.
After learning about the local need at New Horizons for New Hampshire, an adult homeless shelter and soup kitchen in Manchester, N.H., Bedford Falls, a Benchmark assisted living and memory care community in Bedford, N.H., organized a sock and clothing drive. Led by Joanne Rizzo, its director of community relations, Bedford Falls associates and residents collected and donated over 500 pairs of socks, hand knit scarves made by some of the residents and other warm winter clothing. On Dec. 6, Rizzo, accompanied by associates and residents, arrived at New Horizons to present the gifts to grateful staff members.
“What drives us every day at Bedford Falls is the motto that we are all ‘Better Together,’ so it’s important that we continue giving to our neighbors,” says Rizzo. “Our relationship with New Horizons is one where they tell us what they need and we find a way to make it happen. We are always delighted to do it because we truly are Called to Care, not just for our residents and families but also for those in the local area in which we serve.”
In the spirit of the town where fictional movie character George Bailey discovers It’s a Wonderful Life, Bedford Falls is committed to elevating human connection and providing the experiences that help its residents and families stay connected to what matters most in their lives. The community’s leading assisted living and memory care services are supported by an experienced staff and Benchmark’s effective, award-winning Mind and Memory approach. Individualized care enables seniors to maintain their independence for as long as possible. A robust activities program fosters engagement and social interaction while a host of convenient on-site amenities provides peace-of-mind.
About Benchmark
Based in Waltham, Mass., Benchmark is a human connection company and leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast. Founded in 1997 by Tom Grape, Benchmark, with 6,300 associates and 58 communities, offers independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s care and skilled nursing in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. The organization this year was selected by FORTUNE magazine for its inaugural 2018 Best Workplaces for Aging Services list, taking the number 16 spot on the list of top 40 aging services companies and ranking number three among companies with more than 40 communities. Benchmark is one of only six companies named to The Boston Globe Top Places to Work list every year of the 11 years it has been published. And it has been consistently recognized by Boston Business Journal, Hartford Courant and Hartford Business Journal as a top workplace, and by the Boston Business Journal, Providence Business News and Hartford Business Journal as one of the healthiest employers. Click here for more information.
Press Contact: Carol Arnold, Arnold Communications, carol@arnoldcomm.com, (603) 502-0469.
Bedford Falls
