Governor Ayotte Delivers for Manchester

CONCORD, N.H. - Today, Governor Kelly Ayotte will address the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce at their annual State of the State. Governor Ayotte has and will continue to deliver for Manchester, and she is committed to strengthening New Hampshire's largest city as a center of opportunity, safety, and economic vitality.

Governor Ayotte Delivers for Manchester:

• Protected Manchester Schools: Fought against and successfully reversed a proposed $10 million cut to Manchester schools, protecting critical funding for students and educators.
• Invested in Mental Health Services: Delivered $12 million in funding for the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester to strengthen services and support individuals and families in need.
• Protected Homelessness Services: Successfully advocated to reverse proposed federal funding changes that would have harmed homelessness services in Manchester.
• Supported Workforce Development: Advocated against federal changes that would have closed the Manchester Job Corps program, protecting valuable workforce training opportunities.
• Strengthened Public Safety: Fixed the state's broken bail system, ending the revolving door for violent criminals and helping keep communities like Manchester safe.
• Addressed the Housing Crisis: Passed new laws to speed up housing construction, cut red tape, and expand housing opportunities, including allowing the conversion of empty office space into housing.
• Mobilized Emergency Food Support During Federal Shutdown: Partnered with DHHS and the New Hampshire Food Bank to launch mobile food pantries and food box distribution sites across the state, ensuring SNAP recipients and families impacted by the federal government shutdown had continued access to food assistance.
• Supported Granite Staters in Recovery: Strengthened programs that help Granite Staters recovering from substance use disorders, including the Doorways program, which connects individuals to treatment and recovery services, and the Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative, which helps businesses support employees in recovery.
• Recognized Manchester Leadership: Recognized and celebrated extraordinary leaders in Manchester who are making a difference in their community, such as:
  • Manchester Community College nursing students Ajla Mustafic and Katie Tewksbury, who aided a man who suffered life threatening injuries after a motor vehicle accident
  • Harbor Care CEO and veteran Henry Och, Harbor Care Director of Veteran Services and veteran Katie Tovar-Paciulan, U.S. VA Manchester Healthcare System Homeless Outreach Coordinator Emily Reisine, and U.S. VA Manchester Healthcare System Coordinated Entry Specialist Nicole Frisella, who have played a critical role in advancing efforts to end Veteran homelessness in Manchester
  • American Medical Response Paramedic Supervisor Frank Cushing, Jr., AMR Advanced EMT Alyssa Merrill, AMR EMT Ryan Dean, Manchester Firefighter EMT Captain David Jay, Manchester Firefighter Advanced EMT Nicholas Pelletier, Manchester Firefighter Advanced EMT Aaron Graham, and Manchester Firefighter EMT Easton Dubois, who successfully resuscitated a Manchester resident suffering from cardiac arrest.