LISTEN Lebanon in Service to Each Neighbor

What it reported doing in 2024

For over 50 years, LISTEN Community Services has been a community-based nonprofit dedicated to meeting the immediate basic needs of Upper Valley residents with compassion and respect. Through food assistance, heating and housing support, and related services, we work to ensure that neighbors have access to essential resources and pathways toward greater stability. More than 8,000 of our neighbors were supported in fiscal year 2025.LISTEN also operates three Thrift Stores in Canaan and Lebanon, NH, and White River Junction, VT. We are the region's largest resource for affordable, high-quality second-hand items. In addition, our stores play a crucial role in minimizing landfill waste by enabling community members to practice the principles of reducing, reusing, and recycling through our donation centers.Community support makes LISTEN's work possible. Program funding comes from philanthropy; individuals, foundations, faith communities, civic organizations, and local towns, while the remainder is generated through revenue from LISTEN's three thrift stores. LISTEN does not receive state or federal funding, making this strong community commitment critical to sustaining and expanding our services.PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS: The Service Coordination Program is the foundation of LISTEN's work, connecting community members with one-on-one support to navigate challenges and build stability. Service Coordinators help clients access benefits, secure housing, obtain financial assistance, and connect to essential services. Through this personalized approach, individuals and families can make meaningful progress toward greater independence and well-being. 3,110 households received service coordination support this year.For households living paycheck to paycheck, even a short-term financial setback can lead to empty fuel tanks, mounting utility bills, or the risk of shutoff during the coldest months of the year. Our Heating Helpers Program responds by providing small emergency grants-typically around $400-to help households maintain safe heat and avoid disconnection. More than 1,500 people were helped this year.LISTEN's housing support includes two efforts: Housing Helpers grants and a Transitional Housing unit. Housing Helpers provides small, targeted grants for rent, mortgage, or security deposits, along with connections to legal services, helping prevent eviction and keep neighbors stably housed. Complementing this, LISTEN operates a Transitional Housing apartment for Lebanon residents facing homelessness, offering temporary shelter while they secure permanent housing. More than 750 people were helped this year.We address food insecurity through two core services: the Community Dining Hall and the Food Pantry, providing neighbors with reliable access to nutritious meals as well as groceries and basic household staples. All community members are welcome. The Food Pantry, located at 60 Hanover Street in Lebanon, is open five days a week and provides visitors with a week's supply of groceries, including fresh produce, pantry staples, and personal care items. Almost 5,000 people were served this year.The Community Dining Hall, located at 42 Maple Street in White River Junction, serves free lunch and dinner to more than 150 people five days a week with the help of over 20 volunteer cook teams. Beyond providing a reliable source of nutritious meals, the Dining Hall fosters a strong sense of social connectedness, bringing together guests, staff, and volunteers in a welcoming space where people can build relationships and feel part of a caring community. More than 38,000 meals were served this year.Our Summer Camp Scholarship Program helps children participate in enriching summer experiences that might otherwise be financially out of reach. Scholarships remove cost barriers for families so children can spend time outdoors, develop social skills, and try new activities that build confidence and independence. 168 children received support this year.Phone H

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 88.2%; rating input score 88
• Program expense ratio: 78.6%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $11.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -3.8%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.33; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.27; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.3%; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 14% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.5% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings