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“What makes community building so complex is that it occurs in an infinite number of small steps, sometimes in quiet moments that we notice out of the corner of our eye….
The key to creating or transforming community, then, is to see the power in the small but important elements of being with others.”
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CBH Vision
The vision of the Community Builders Hub is to connect people in the North Country to one another and the resources needed to help their communities thrive. The Hub is dedicated to fostering optimism, trust, and a sense of belonging in the communities we serve. We work in partnership with individuals from all walks of life, including those who may have previously gone unnoticed or have been underestimated.
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CBH Purpose
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The purpose of the Community Builders Hub is to, over time, build a critical mass of local people with tools, relationships and belief in the region who are actively collaborating to address community-identified needs and opportunities.
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The stories below intend to capture some of our learning
and experimentation in community building over the past year.
Both our organization and roles began in May 2023, and we are
excited to share how things are taking shape.
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Strengthening Our Communities:
Stratford Rising
by Britni Haley –
Community Steward for the Canaan/ Colebrook/ Stratford Region
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Stratford is definitely on a positive up-swing, and the community is making that happen together.
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As a Community Steward I meet a lot of people and hear about a wide range of needs and goals in the area I serve. The challenge is to find and prioritize common threads that impact many, and increase connections for progress. I’m really excited about the energy that is rising with collaborative efforts across the region. I’ve created a regional CBH Facebook group for community members to share information on events, resources and happenings, and it is proving to help people to learn about and participate in things they may not have otherwise known about. Effective communication is powerful.
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From Neighborly Chat to Community Success
by Tara Giles –
Community Steward for the Groveton/ Lancaster/ Littleton Region
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A serendipitous meeting with a North Country neighbor led to the beginning of our Homestead Classes in Groveton. A question we begin with here at the Hub is “Did a neighbor ask for it?” In this case the answer is yes! Kayla Leighton a young homesteader and farmer living in Stark had mentioned wanting to get more locals involved in homesteading and had an interest in sharing her passion for old fashioned living in a modern world. I had mentioned wanting to bring more opportunities for neighbors to gather in the Groveton area. Together we pulled our resources and within three weeks of that meeting we held our first class, “Let’s Make Butter” and it was a blast.
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Woven Together: Working with
The Milan Village School
By Mandy Bernd –
Community Steward for the Milan/ Berlin/ Gorham Region
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The Milan Village School is a community hub in its own right and the school as a whole works incredibly hard to be active contributors to the community. The sixth grade class, in particular, complete Community Service Learning Projects that they work on throughout the school year. In a small group, sixth graders Ember, Pippa, Mak, Natalie, and Loui, and I worked together to present a free dinner to area senior citizens. Amazingly dedicated, the girls not only prepared and served a lovely dinner, but also raised the funds needed in order to provide the evening completely free of charge. This was truly a community supported event that reached across town lines with folks generously giving their time, energy, and resources.
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North Country Neighbors – Stronger Together
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