As the poor economy is continuing to plague New Hampshire with a high unemployment rate, state and municipal welfare programs and homeless shelters are experiencing an increase in demand. Cassie Bushnell, a 21- year old high school dropout, is just one of the many people who are seeking aid from these programs. She stays with friends and family from time to time and works temporary jobs when she can. “I kind of bounce from place to place,” she said. For two months, she has been a resident at the Carey House, a homeless shelter in Laconia.

At Carey House, as with most homeless shelters in the state, residents are required to daily look for work, seek aid for permanent housing, or seek job training or education. Little education and homelessness are serious marks against a person in a tight job market where there are more college-educated, middle-class people competing for lower paying jobs. My Friend’s Place, a homeless shelter in Dover, is experiencing increased demand and longer stays. At Crossroads House, a homeless shelter in Portsmouth, also says that demand is up and people have been staying longer.
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