Wells Fargo Senior Vice President Daniel O’Connor, center, presents a $10,000 check to support the Front Door Agency’s Transformational Housing Program for single women and their children in 2018. Accepting the funds on behalf of the agency are, from left, Director of Transformational Housing Rebecca Gagne and CEO Maryse Wirbal. File photo

NASHUA – As tens of thousands of Granite Staters apply for unemployment benefits, the Front Door Agency also is noticing an increase in people requesting financial assistance.

“We’re starting to see, now, an uptick in applications for assistance with rent and utilities,” CEO Maryse Wirbal said.

This week, the Nashua-based nonprofit announced it is now accepting applications for aid from community members struggling to make ends meet due to the coronavirus pandemic. Applications for aid are now being done online, although options are available for those without an internet connection. For additional information, call 603-886-2866.

While staff is working virtually, Wirbal is the only staff member working every day in the office. Applications, program details and requirements are available online at https://www.frontdooragency.org/. All applications for assistance are available on the website, and the agency has an encrypted and secure file sharing site people can upload any necessary documents to. An email is then generated directly to their housing advocates.

Qualified applications can receive assistance with rent and utilities, both overdue payments and payments coming due, through the agency’s Housing Stability program. Additional funding was allocated to prevention services in last year’s state budget agreement, enabling the agency to expand the program to serve those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Wirbal said this aid covers anything a family may need, even including a vehicle repair if it is something that is affecting one’s ability to get to work. The agency also is doing security deposits, offering help with moving costs and food as a few more examples of the aid being offered. Wirbal said the agency still is encouraging people to first call their local welfare office, because they have more ability and funding.

On Wednesday, Gov. Chris Sununu said in just three weeks, unemployment security in New Hampshire issued more than 67,000 total payments with nearly $19 million in benefits paid out. Additionally, the governor said that just this week, approximately 30,000 payments were released, totally $8.5 million.

As this crisis continues, Wirbal expects the need to become greater. Right now, she is noticing that people still are unsure what is going on with federal unemployment. She said even the state’s unemployment office seems to be a little unsure when that is kicking in and happening, emphasizing how people are counting on that. Wirbal also said that if that money has not come in yet, it will affect some people’s ability to meet their monthly payments on their housing costs.

“Even going one week without income makes it really difficult for families,” Wirbal said.

This is especially true in those areas of the state where the cost of living is higher, and Nashua is one of those locations. Wirbal said the average monthly cost for a two-bedroom plus utilities in Nashua is more than $1,500.

Right now, the agency is hearing more from people in the hospitality industry that are beginning to inquire to line aid up, knowing that if this situation continues on for longer they are going to be struggling. Restaurants are now restricted to only offering take-out and delivery options. Some restaurants also have reduced their staff and shortened hours during the pandemic, which means many people are either out of work completely, or working less hours. Those people, Wirbal said, are having trouble paying their bills.

In addition to expanding its services to those negatively impacted by COVID-19, the agency also is taking safety precautions, such as having all program applications available online and restricting visitors to the main office. However, because of social distancing and restrictions on people gathering together in large groups, the agency’s fundraising efforts also are being affected.

The Front Door Agency’s Housing Stability program is funded from a variety of different sources, but Wirbal said most of it comes from their own fundraising from the agency. As it is, a couple fundraisers have had to be postponed, including Nashua’s Mom Prom to benefit the agency, which will likely be postponed to the fall.

“Our largest fundraiser, our Gourmet Festival and Auction, was supposed to be held on March 22. (It) has currently been postponed to May 17, but it looks like we’re going to probably end up cancelling even that,” Wirbal siad.

This is supposed to be the 32nd annual event, but Wirbal said the agency probably can’t push it out past May 17, because the main part of the event involves restaurants and their support, citing how they have been struggling due to current circumstances.

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