KEENE, NH—OCT. 21, 2021— Monadnock Family Services (MFS) has entered into an Option to Purchase Agreement with Antioch University for its building located at 40 Avon St. in Keene, NH. Antioch would stay in place and lease back a significant portion of the building from MFS for up to 48 months after the sale while it works to finalize the plans for its new campus location in Keene.

“Consolidating our services in Keene to one location has been a part of our strategic plan for some time,” MFS CEO Phil Wyzik shared. “It is important to us that our offices are a purposeful and welcoming environment for those we serve. We’re excited to provide our mental health services in a space that reflects our quality of care.”

As the student body of Antioch has grown, so has the need for additional space where students can learn, innovate in their chosen discipline, and work toward a more socially just world.

“We have seen significant increased student enrollment and growth over the past several years,” says Antioch University Chancellor William R. Groves, JD. “After almost 30 years at our Avon Street location, we are excited to be planning the development of a new, state-of-the-art campus in Keene to better meet the needs of our growing learning community.”

Antioch acquired the former Sprague & Carleton Furniture factory in 1993 and embarked on an extensive renovation and expansion of the facility costing more than $5 million to create the Antioch campus.

“MFS is thrilled at the prospect of moving to this facility. It will provide for a collaborative synergy with Antioch,” said MFS Board Chair Brian Donovan. “Most importantly, it will be a helpful new environment for the clients we serve as well as our hard-working employees. It will bring operating efficiencies as currently MFS is housed in different locations. It is truly a ‘win-win’ situation for all concerned.”

In addition to MFS’s in-person mental health services, the building will allow the organization to house new opportunities for non-talk therapies to complement traditional clinical services, provide dedicated space for telehealth services, and position the organization to grow in the future.                                                                                

“We are excited about the possibilities for collaboration between Antioch and MFS to provide mental health services to the community,” said Antioch University New England CEO Dr. Shawn Fitzgerald. “Staying in our current location during the transition not only offers us that opportunity, but it also provides us the time to find a new location that we can redesign or build to optimize the student experience.”

At its Keene campus, Antioch University offers master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, certificates, as well as professional and continuing education in academic departments including Applied Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Education, and Environmental Studies.

Monadnock Family Services (MFS) is a nonprofit Community Mental Health Center that has serviced Cheshire County and surrounding areas for more than 100 years. Their mission is to be a source of health and hope for people and the communities in which they live. As the Monadnock region’s state designated mental health center, MFS fosters mental and emotional wellness for individuals of all ages. They create services that heal, education that transforms, and advocacy that brings a just society. For more information visit mfs.org.

Antioch University was founded in 1852 by its first President, Horace Mann, the father of public education in the United States.  Antioch’s mission is to provide learner-centered education to empower students with the knowledge and skills to lead meaningful lives and to advance social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.  Antioch University is a national university that operates campuses in Keene; Los Angeles; Santa Barbara; Yellow Springs, Ohio; and Seattle, as well as online and low residency programs, such as its acclaimed PhD program in the Graduate School of Leadership and Change and its very successful Clinical Mental Health Counseling program in Keene. A bold and enduring source of innovation in higher education, Antioch University is a private, nonprofit 501(c)3 institution that has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1927. antioch.edu.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Kathy Waters, Director of Development. Monadnock Family Services  at Kwaters@mfs.org or (603) 338-0052

Karen Hamilton, Director of Marketing, Content and Communications, Antioch University at khamilton1@antioch.edu or (310) 804-3795

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