Last updated on February 21, 2008

The McConnell Tenants Collaborative provides adults and children of diverse backgrounds, and the community at large, with opportunities to enrich their lives through programs of education, recreation, arts and culture, and health and human services.

Description:
In 2001, a Dover citywide survey revealed that residents overwhelmingly wanted a centrally located Community building where they could find many community services under one roof and where they could enjoy family-centered events. Two subcommittees went to work and five years and $7.5 million later, this renovated 1904 school building, the McConnell Community Center, located in the heart of Dover in the Civic Campus, is open and flourishing.

The building is nearing capacity─housing 12 nonprofit, 3 municipal, and 1 state organization─offering social, educational, arts/cultural, and recreational services to the community and the surrounding towns. The tenants include:
Ageless Dreamers
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Community Action Program
Dover Adult Learning Center of
Strafford County
Dover Children’s Center
Dover Human Services
Dover Police Outreach
Dover Recreation Department
Dover Senior Programming
Easter Seals
The HUB
Seacoast Hospice
Southern Strafford Community Health Coalition
UNH Social Work Internship Program
Wentworth Douglas Hospital Pete’s Place

The 12 nonprofit tenants, holding long-term leases with the City, formed a 501 C 3 (incorporated in 2005, given nonprofit status by the State of New Hampshire in 2006, and having pending status with the IRS in 2007) that makes possible leveraging and sharing resources, such as collective bulk orders, recycling and reuse of resources (from donated furniture to extra bulk paper); and sharing common equipment, as in the computer lab and training rooms. Additionally, the collaborative shares a common weekly newspaper column informing the community about what is going on at the center and provides cross-collaboration programming opportunities (such as the planned McConnell Community Tile Project, scheduled for May, 2007).

There are jointly shared building-wide needs that are being addressed through the MTC coordinator's grant writing, such as for the $45,000 security system, the $42,000 shades for 218 windows, and attractive, appropriate internal signage (estimated at $11,350), among other projects.

History:
The MTC offers 1-stop community services by housing up to fifteen nonprofits under one roof. We share the building with municipal organizations through governance regulations, but they are not members of the 501 (c) (3). Our renovated and expanded historic school building offers 60,000 square feet of programming and office space to nonprofit organizations at reduced rates for long periods of time, so agencies will not have to move due to changes in the housing market. Tenants share resources with one another and save money (by putting bulk orders out to bid); they collaborate for event sharing, such as the upcoming Chamber of Commerce Open House in which 600 business owners, the McConnell Tenants, and invited guests can share a scavenger hunt within the building, hear a speaker discuss everyday philanthropy, and learn about the exciting wide range of services available in the building.

The possibilities are endless.The Collaborative, through monthly meetings and often through daily unplanned casual conversation in hallways, is creating a strong pool of creative, cooperative, community-based services and visions beyond what has been offered traditionally. Through the interaction of community and social services, we are thinking outside the box to offer events, such as the Art Adventure: McConnell Community Tile Event, which brings citizens of every stripe together to make, decorate, and share stories about their relationship to the McConnell Community Center, past, present, and to imagine the future of the Center, including their hopes and dreams for what the Center can do for them, through their tiles, which will eventually decorating one of the major hallways in the Center.

We know, through our HUB, our UNH Social Work, Dover Children’s Center, and through our NH Easter Seals tenants, among others, that coming together for a variety of “community” services, not just “social” services, creates a level playing field for everyone. Modeling occurs without a word being said; parents disciplining their children appropriately in public, playing games in the gym together, working on the community arts projects with every age participating . . . these experiences inform one another’s concepts about family, about community, about interacting, about being a member of something greater than oneself and one’s family. The hope and optimism about renewing and expanding community spirit runs rampant and is becoming more and more contagious. The McConnell Tenants Collaborative was one of 4 recipients of the WOKQ Citadel wards this past week. The radio station commits to airing news of the McConnell and to helping us with our fundraising events.

Contact people:

Jim Verschueren, President McConnell Tenants Collaborative, (phone) Gary Bannon, McConnell Facilities Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (603) 743-6896

Address:

61 Locust Street Dover, NH 03820 (See a map)

Web Site: None specified

Directions:

Directions to the McConnell Community Center, 61 Locust St., Corner of St Thomas and Locust, Dover, NH From the South (Newmarket/Exeter) Take Route 108 into Dover. Turn LEFT at the traffic lights in front of Burger King, onto Locust Street. Follow Locust Street through a set of traffic lights to the bottom of the hill. The McConnell Community Center is on the LEFT. Turn left into the driveway between the Dover Public Library and the Center. From Portsmouth Take the Spaulding Turnpike to Exit 8E. Follow Silver Street to a second set of lights. Turn LEFT onto Locust Street. Follow Locust Street to the bottom of the hill. The McConnell Community Center is on the LEFT. Turn left into the driveway between the Dover Public Library and the Center. From the west Take Routes 4 or 125 to the Lee Traffic Circle. Then take Route 4 East. Take the first exit to Route 155. Turn left on Route 155 toward Dover. Follow Route 155 through the traffic lights, over the turnpike, then Follow Silver Street to a third set of lights. Turn LEFT onto Locust Street. Follow Locust Street to the bottom of the hill. The McConnell Community Center is on the LEFT. Turn left into the driveway between the Dover Public Library and the Center. From the north Take Spaulding Turnpike south from Rochester. Take Exit 8 East, then Follow Silver Street to a second set of lights. Turn LEFT onto Locust Street. Follow Locust Street to the bottom of the hill. The McConnell Community Center is on the LEFT. Turn left into the driveway between the Dover Public Library and the Center. Parking Follow the driveway between the Library and the McConnell Center; park away from the Library. Do not park in the area marked Permit Parking Only or you will be ticketed.   Nearest Bus Stop: 61 Locust Street, 1/2 minute walk

Miscellaneous Information

Name of Executive Director (or equivalent) if not listed above:
	Jim Verschueren
Type of organization
	Nonprofit 501(c)3
Is your organization a Health and Human Service agency?
	No

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