Photo by CROSS PHOTOGRAPHY Gov. Chris Sununu joined a tour of the former Infant Jesus School, which was conducted by Stephen Yurcak of Harvey Construction following Thursday's grouindbreaking ceremony by Family Promise of Southern New Hampshire.

NASHUA – The project to expand and renovate the former Infant Jesus School on Crown Street officially got underway Thursday, as Family Promise of Southern New Hampshire hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a transitional housing facility that will house more than 25 families.

The ceremony, which took place outside the school in socially-distanced fashion, featured special guests that included Gov. Chris Sununu, Mayor Jim Donchess, Bishop Peter Libasci of the Diocese of Manchester and Family Promise National CEO Claas Ehlers, along with representatives of the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority and Infant Jesus School Council.

In August, Family Promise was awarded a $2.7 million grant through the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery’s Shelter Modification Program.

The funds, facilitated by New Hampshire Housing and Finance Authority, propelled the project towards a phase 1 completion date of December 2020.

In this renovated space, Family Promise will be able to provide transitional housing to more than 25 families, doubling its current capacity.

Photo by CROSS PHOTOGRAPHY Gov. Chris Sununu was among the speakers at Thursday's groundbreaking ceremony for Family Promise of Southern New Hampshire's new transitional housing building, the site of the former Infant Jesus School.

“We are grateful to the governor’s office, NHHFA, Harvey Construction, and Dennis Mires Architects for turning this project around so quickly for us,” said Family Promise executive director Pam Wellman.

“Construction will be completed just in time for us to support the families facing homelessness as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she added.

Family Promise is now seeking donations to its Building Home Building Hope Capital Campaign in order to raise the remaining $1.3 million of its goal by February 2021.

Donations can be sent to Family Promise of Southern New Hampshire, P.O. Box 450, Nashua, 03061. Donations are also being accepted through the agency’s Website at www.familypromisesnh.org/building-home.

Photo by CROSS PHOTOGRAPHY Participants in Thursday's groundbreaking marking the official start of renovations to the former Infant Jesus School by Family Promise of Southern New Hampshire, which recently entered into a lease agreement with the building's owner, St. John XIII parish, conduct the symbolic breaking of ground following the speaking program.

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