Thank you for visiting the website of the Manchester Initiative for Supportive Housing. We hope that by visiting this site you will learn more about supportive housing and will join the effort in Manchester and elsewhere to bring about a permanent end to homelessness.

The Manchester Initiative for Supportive Housing - or, MISH, as we call it - is comprised of several area churches and dozens of Manchester area residents who are dedicated to permanently ending homelessness. That's right, ending homelessness. Not treating it. Not reducing it. Ending it. Permanently.

The idea that we might permanently end homelessness started about fifteen years ago when it became apparent that we spend tremendous resources treating the symptoms of homelessness for people living on the street or in shelters. Yet no matter how many services were offered, a person living on the street or in a shelter is still homeless. Other attempts were made to provide low cost housing to homeless persons. However, when the causes of homelessness - mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence - remain untreated, people have difficulty maintaining a home.

Then the idea of combining the housing and services was tried. While it does not sound like much now, it was groundbreaking then. Not only did it work, but it turned out to be the only successful means of permanently ending homelessness.

It sounds expensive. Well, it is. But it is less expensive than any other method that has been tried so far. It is less expensive than shelters, hospitals, jails, motels or any other means of dealing with homelessness.

Here in Manchester, many of us have worked for more than two years to spread the word about the success of supportive housing and how it will work to end homelessness in our community. We now have legal status as a non-profit corporation. We have retained a consultant and we are beginning to identify potential sites. Still, we need your help to make supportive housing a reality in Manchester and to truly bring an end to homelessness.

We hope that you take the time to get acquainted with our site, which was created with the help from students at Manchester Community College. We also hope that you will sign our guestbook and show that you support the efforts of the Manchester Initiative for Supportive Housing.

Thank you.