The Mark Stebbins Community Center officially opened on Manchester’s West Side on September 8, creating a new hub for children and families. The center represents a $20.7 million investment in the community, including an endowment intended to support its operations and maintenance in perpetuity. Beginning September 9, children and families can access health care, after-school activities, a food pantry, community navigators and referrals to other nonprofit organizations in one location.
The Catholic Health Care Foundation of Greater Manchester announced a $1 million gift toward the project’s final fundraising efforts during the opening celebration. Project leaders said fundraising had surpassed its original $18.5 million goal, with $20.7 million now raised. The project also received a multimillion-dollar grant through Community Project Funding secured with the efforts of U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Business and institutional donors included M&T; Bank, St. Mary’s Bank, CGI Business Solutions, Catholic Medical Center, Northeast Delta Dental, Hannaford and Bangor Savings Bank. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester and Amoskeag Health are the center’s anchor tenants.
The center is named for the late Mark Stebbins, a longtime New Hampshire philanthropist. His wife, Sally Stebbins, said the opening fulfills his vision of focusing philanthropy toward children and families in Manchester and encouraging nonprofits to collaborate. Diane Fitzpatrick, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester, described the project as an ambitious “Apollo Project” that now provides the organization with a physical presence on the West Side. Gov. Kelly Ayotte said the day is about “hope, opportunity and love.”
The source does not specify the total square footage of the facility, the number of families expected to be served annually, or the breakdown between construction costs and the endowment. It also does not detail the specific terms of the federal grant or the timeline for full program rollout. The long-term operational impact remains to be demonstrated as services begin.