Philanthropist buys building for needy children’s group
Published: September 24, 2007
A New Hampshire businessman and philanthropist has stepped in and provided a home for a charity that provides food, clothing and holiday gifts to needy families.
Robert Finlay learned last year that the Friends of Forgotten Children was being evicted and would have to close. He contacted the group’s lawyer and set in motion plans to buy the charity a building.
On Saturday, the Friends held an open house at its new facility, a former daycare center on Bog Road.
Sponsored by Southern New Hampshire University, Finlay’s alma mater, the event featured children’s games, a magician, a city fire truck, music and plenty of food.
Finlay joked about cutting short his speech during a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony: “There’s a bouncy castle with my name on it waiting.”
The charity is run by volunteers and depends on donations from local residents and merchants.
“When you give money, you want to make sure it goes to the cause,” Finlay said. “Here, you can see where the dollars go.”
After a successful stint on Wall Street, Finlay now runs his own private investment company, Hillcrest Management LLC. He is a trustee and supporter of SNHU, which was called New Hampshire College when Finlay graduated in 1992 with a degree in economics and finance.
Finlay, 37, and his wife, Karin, live in Peterborough with their four children and run their own philanthropic foundation. Among the many charities they support are the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Institute for Museum and Library Services and the Peterborough Fire and Rescue Squad.
Friends of Forgotten Children was started 30 years ago by Eleanor Still out of her Concord home. She died in 2004 and the Concord Moose lodge let the Friends operate out of their building, until the international organization decided its bylaws prohibited that.
“We were going to have to close up,” said Alice Blodgett, the group’s president.
Then came Finlay’s offer.
“I feel like I won the lottery,” Blodgett said.
“He was an angel on wings who came and saved us,” volunteer Pat Kraft said.
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