Why We Step Up: Jennifer DuChene, Board Vice President

Last week, we launched our #WhyWeStepUp series, highlighting the reasons why members of our Board of Directors have chosen to support Step Up Parents. Each story offers a window into the passion and purpose that drives our work, which is often shaped by the lived experiences of those closest to our mission.

Today, we’re proud to feature Jennifer DuChene, our Board Vice President. Jennifer began her career as an attorney and later earned her teaching credentials and master’s degree in education. She has been teaching in Montessori preschool classrooms on the Seacoast for fifteen years. She is also a CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate), a position that allows her to utilize her legal and teaching expertise to advocate for children in the Family Court system.

Jennifer plays a critical role in the heart of Step Up Parents' operations: reviewing applications from kinship caregivers across New Hampshire and Southern Maine who are raising children impacted by parental substance use disorder. Each application tells a story of sudden upheaval and courageous compassion.

“As Vice President, I review applications for assistance, each telling the story of children whose lives have been turned upside down by parental substance use disorder and caregivers who opened their hearts and homes,” Jennifer shares. “I am honored to provide support and let them know they are not alone.”

Jennifer’s work ensures that caregivers receive timely, meaningful support when they need it most—whether it’s help covering a utility bill, buying clothes for school, or providing a moment of stability amid uncertainty.

“Our mission is straightforward: we provide timely, often critical, assistance to kinship caregivers who are hard-pressed to meet even basic needs in a suddenly expanded household,” she says. “At Step Up Parents, we recognize that the impact of a parent’s substance use can last for generations, and we are working to disrupt this cycle by providing strategic, no-strings-attached support to kinship families.”

Jennifer’s compassion and leadership are vital to our mission—and a powerful reminder that small acts of support can have a lasting impact.

Stay tuned for more stories from our dedicated board members as we continue to share #WhyWeStepUp. Read last week’s story here.