When Ben Church accepted a position as a forester with the White Mountain National Forest, he and his partner, Meghan Lahti, an operating room nurse in North Conway, faced the challenge of finding housing.

“There were definitely limited options,” said Meghan. “Areas like the White Mountains have the tough combination of few choices and high demand.”

Ben had known of the Center’s work for years, so he was following the redevelopment of the historic Gehring House, which created nine new apartments in Bethel, Maine. “We came to an open house and after touring the building we felt like this was the perfect fit,” he said. “The renovations are beautiful, and the location is perfect – just a short walk downtown yet still quiet, and with plenty of outdoor space where our dog Bean can play.”

“This is how housing fits into our mission,” said Center President Rob Riley. “Communities need nurses, foresters, teachers, and more young workers to thrive. We constantly hear from hospitals, schools, non-profits, and businesses that the lack of housing is often the deal breaker for hiring or retaining staff. Vibrant communities have steady or growing populations. The new housing we’re creating is helping to make that happen.”

“As a forester, I love the Center’s wood-first approach that prioritizes installing wood fiber insulation, refinishing wood floors and heating with a wood pellet boiler,” said Ben. “It’s sustainable and directly supports the industry I work in.”

Living in Bethel has been a dream for Ben and Meghan. “We’re 10 minutes away from the mountains in any direction so we can easily get out and bike, hike or ski,” said Meghan. And Bethel’s restaurants are a short walk away.

“We both believe the Center’s work is incredibly important,” said Ben. “There’s got to be more attainable housing for the people who want to live and work here.”