CHARLESTOWN, N.H. (WHDH) - Members of a Charlestown nonprofit that serves children with special needs are pushing back after their building’s owners are trying to take part of their space to use for offices.
Special Townies has been at its location at Mishawum Park for nearly 20 years, serving children with special needs, founder Debbie Hughes said. But the Mishawum Park Tenants Association is looking to expand its offices and take a third of the nonprofit’s space, which Hughes said would be devastating to children who need the organization.
“With autistic kids routine is so important, if you live it you know it,” Hughes said “They have no idea what they’re doing to these families, my heart’s broken.”
The association has offered to move the nonprofit to a different space and said in a statement they wanted to cause the “least disruption.”
“The decision to seek out additional space was not an easy one, but one that was made in the best interests of the residents, and with the sincere belief that an agreement could be made with the tenant that would cause the least disruption, and possibly benefit them by providing an updated design to their space,” the association said.
Attorneys for both groups are currently in talks about the plans, but Shannon Chambers, whose child attends Special Townies, said she didn’t want to see any disruption at all.
“Any more change is going to be completely detrimental,” Chambers said.
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