Southwestern Community
Services (SCS) has held Economic Development as
an important tool for both the agency as well as
the communities that the agency serves. SCS
contributes to the overall economic health of
our region in a variety of ways.
SCS, as an employer, provides employment for
over 200 persons and has a multi-million dollar
annual payroll. SCS has grown from a small,
grass roots organization formed in 1965 to a
strong, dynamic, and growing human and social
service organization that impacts thousands of
individuals and families each and every year.
SCS has also been a long time participant in the
original Welfare to Work Programs, which today
have morphed into job and workplace training
programs. These programs have trained and
prepared hundreds of individuals for
sustainable, full-time employment. These
training programs, delivered at each of the six
New Hampshire Community Action Agencies, are
growing in size and quantity as they have proven
themselves to be successful in reaching the goal
of reducing the numbers of families relying upon
public welfare assistance or TANF benefits.
At the community level, SCS has assisted several
small southwestern New Hampshire communities
with accessing Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) dollars for economic development and job
creation activities. Many small New Hampshire
towns lack the knowledge and experience to gain
access to this economic development funding
tool. SCS has authored and administered CDBG
Economic Development Grants for the towns of
Winchester, Walpole, Jaffrey, Hinsdale, and
Newport. These grants represent the creation of
hundreds of jobs. Included among these efforts
were the restoration and adaptive re-use of the
Eagle Block, located on Main Street in downtown
Newport; the 100,000+ sf Plumb-Pak factory
facility in Winchester; and the creation of the
Grist Mill Industrial Park in Charlestown. A
majority of the jobs created through these
various efforts have been filled by low to
moderate income persons, and each of them has
increased the economic health of our region of
the state.
SCS remains committed to serving our communities
with effective and efficient economic
development activities and projects for the
foreseeable future. Often partnering with groups
such as the Monadnock Economic Development
Corporation and other regional development
corporations, SCS will continue to see that
economic development remains a part of its work
in its effort to serve the communities and
families of southwestern New Hampshire.
A United Way Agency
For more information, please contact:
Southwestern Community Services
63 Community Way PO Box 603, Keene, NH 03431
Phone: 603.352.7512
Toll Free: 800.529.0005
Fax: 603.352.3618
TTY-NH Relay: 800.735.2964
Sullivan County
96-102 Main Street
PO Box 1338
Claremont, NH 03743
Phone: 603.542.9528
Toll Free: 800.529.0005
Fax: 603.542.3140
TTY-NH Relay: 800.735.2964
