In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Lauren Petraitis, Director of Development at the Dover Children's Home, continuing a series spotlighting local nonprofits.
Petraitis explains that although the 133-year-old organization was founded in 1893 as an orphanage, it's now known as a residential treatment program for youth serving any young person in New Hampshire, not just Dover. The main house serves up to 12 youth ages 10–21, while a separate independent living program houses up to 4 residents ages 18–21 as they prepare to live on their own. A former high school teacher, Petraitis found her way to the nonprofit through volunteering and now leads fundraising, grant-writing, and community partnerships.
She describes a staff of about 25 working around the clock, guided by a "trust-based relational intervention" model that emphasizes relationship-building and personalized care—down to decorating a new resident's room with their favorite colors before they arrive. Stays vary widely, from six-month juvenile justice placements to five-year stays for youth working toward independence. Looking ahead, the organization is considering expanding services, potentially adding a higher level of care, housing for young adults aging out of the system, or vocational training.
State funding covers the bulk of the budget, supplemented by fundraising events (including an annual golf tournament each September), an Amazon wishlist, a meal-donor program, and a robust volunteer and mentorship network. More information is available at doverchildrenshome.org.
In This Week in Dover History, we hear the story of Plato Waldron, a formerly enslaved Dover resident who worked as a courthouse janitor and church sexton before his body was found in the Cochecho River in July 1835, his death still shrouded in mystery.
