Keene Housing Kids Collaborative

Who We Are

We provide access to opportunities for kids living in low income housing in Keene, NH. We partner with community organizations to remove the financial barrier to participation in sports, lessons, classes, after-school programs and other activities to give kids the tools and skills they need to succeed at home, in school and in the community.

The mission of the Keene Housing Kids Collaborative (KHKC) is building the foundation for successful adulthood. We are an independent non-profit organization working to help children living in households that are struggling to make ends meet reach their limitless potential. The future of our community - and any community - depends on the ability of our children to grow into productive, healthy, confident, and engaged members of our community.

We believe the experiences of childhood shape adulthood, that investing in children is investing in the future of our community, that all children deserve the chance to reach their maximum potential, partnering with parents is critical to our success and there is power in collaboration.

Just under 650 children between the ages of birth and 17 years live in Keene Housing households, select Southwestern Community Services (SCS) households and Housing Choice voucher holders - with an average annual income of $25,509. If statistics hold true for these kids, most of them will struggle to get ahead as adults, as well.

Research shows that by the time children in low-income housing get to middle school there is a 6,000-hour learning gap between them and their middle-class household peers. School data for these children is sobering, they score about two grade levels behind their more affluent peers on standardized tests in math and reading, are absent from school at a much higher rate, and two out of every five kids who live in Keene Housing households are enrolled in special education.

We are missing out on the contributions these young people could make if they reach their potential as fully successful, engaged adult members of our community: contributions in art, science, business, and civic life. The Kids Collaborative is working to change things for children and youth living in Keene Housing and SCS households by connecting them to existing opportunities and experiences in the community that will give them the tools they need to succeed. 

Goals we have for our kids include:

* Enter kindergarten with behavior that is generally school appropriate and with strong pre-reading and numeracy skills

* Develop strong socio-emotional skills throughout childhood and adolescence, and reach grade level proficiency in reading and math by fourth grade

* Graduate high school with a GPA of C+ or higher without having become a parent and without having come in contact with the juvenile justice system.

We are moving kids toward these goals by connecting kids to quality community activities in the arts, academics, and athletics. We pay tuition and other participation fees, liaise with families to make them aware of what's happening in the community, manage applications and other paperwork, and act as a central point of contact and clearinghouse of information.

Parental involvement is a key component of the Kids Collaborative model and empowers Keene Housing and SCS parents/guardians to provide their children with the experiences and activities that children from more well-off households take for granted.