Tamworth Select Board hears funding requests from domestic-violence shelter, food pantry and home-health provider

Representatives from three nonprofits appeared before the Tamworth Select Board to ask for town appropriations and to explain how local residents use their services.

Rita, a representative of Starting Point, told the board the organization provides “free and confidential services to victims of domestic and ****** violence, stalking, and human trafficking here in Carroll County.” She said Starting Point served 20 Tamworth individuals last year and provided 520 services in town; the group is requesting $6,357 from Tamworth this year. “We never turn them away,” Rita said, describing the shelter and relocation support the program provides.

Maureen Diamond, co-chair of the Community Food Center, asked the board to restore the pantry’s request to $5,000 after the town reduced last year’s request to $3,000. Diamond said the food center is “100% volunteer organization. No 1 in it.” She reported 77 Tamworth households enrolled with the pantry between January and December and described cumulative visit counts that the group uses to estimate meals provided. Diamond said the pantry has seen a roughly 8% decline in cash income year over year and that in-kind donations fell sharply toward the end of the year; she asked the board to consider stable support as the pantry ramps up fundraising and extended hours.

Erin Joste, chief executive officer of the Lakes Region Visiting Nurse Association (VNA), renewed the VNA’s request for $15,000, the same level funded last year. Joste described the VNA’s spectrum of home-based care — from newborns to geriatric patients — and said the agency provided “approximately 600 visits to your community” in the past year. She said reimbursement rates are falling while patient complexity is rising and noted the VNA’s commitment to charity care and staff tuition assistance.

Board members asked about regional funding and overlap. A board member noted the county has approved regional appropriations and said Starting Point had already been awarded $25,000 at the county level. Starting Point confirmed it applied to the county this year and that the organization receives state and federal grants in addition to private fundraising. The Lakes Region VNA was asked whether last year’s town appropriation represented a specific ‘‘charitable deficit’’ for Tamworth residents; Joste said she would attempt to return with a clearer breakdown of Tamworth-specific charitable care.

Why it matters: Each of the three organizations serves Tamworth residents directly — victims of domestic violence, food-insecure households and residents needing home health or hospice services. Town appropriations are part of the nonprofits’ budgets and were described as a modest but meaningful share of local service delivery.

Next steps: Board members did not make funding decisions on the spot. Requests will proceed through the town’s appropriations process ahead of town meeting.