ChainBreakers, Inc. is helping Portsmouth students strengthen reading skills and confidence...
And YOU can help, too!
ChainBreakers’ Reading Enrichment Program provides elementary students with extra support to strengthen their reading skills and confidence.
This fall, the program will run November 17–20 from 4–6 p.m. at Cradock Elementary School, with a graduation and parent workshop on Saturday, November 22 from 1–3 p.m.
Volunteers are needed to work one-on-one or in small groups with students each afternoon. If you enjoy reading and want to make a direct impact in a child’s learning journey, we’d love to have you join us.
ChainBreakers, Inc. is proud to partner with Mercy Chefs to provide hot meals to our neighborhood during the government shut down and beyond.
When the pantry runs low and paychecks pause, a hot meal can mean everything. That’s why this November, we’re serving twice as many meals on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays starting at 5pm.
We're doing our part to ensure no neighbor goes hungry.
ChainBreakers, Inc. celebrated breast cancer survivors!
Last month, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ChainBreakers celebrated the courageous women and men who have battled this disease.
On October 25th, we hosted an afternoon of great food, loving support, fun and generosity for survivors and those who are still in the fight.
Hit the play button and check out this brief recap. Then be sure to join us in 2026!
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland.
We are now a Local Program Partner for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Portsmouth
Helping Portsmouth’s Families THRIVE—Not Just Survive
ChainBreakers, Inc. is more than a nonprofit — we’re a movement powered by Portsmouth’s families, neighbors, and everyday heroes who believe every child deserves a full belly and a bright future.
In a city bursting with resilience, culture, and potential, we’re on a mission to make “thriving” the new normal. We don’t just talk about change; we deliver it. Whether we’re putting free books into the hands of preschoolers through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, running reading programs that turn struggling students into star readers, or making sure families don’t have to choose between dinner and dignity, ChainBreakers is here for the long haul.
Because when Portsmouth’s children are fed and reading at grade level, crime drops, schools improve, and the whole city rises.
What We Do:
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Nourish the Neighborhood: Food distributions—now bigger and better thanks to new freezers and fridges—serve hundreds of families, making sure no child in Portsmouth goes to bed hungry.
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Fuel a Love of Reading: Our literacy programs, including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, put free, high-quality books in kids’ hands and offer reading enrichment that opens doors for a lifetime.
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Build Community, Block by Block: Everything we do is rooted in partnership—with local leaders, parents, and partners like the Portsmouth United Grant—because lasting change only happens together.
We believe in Portsmouth. We believe in our kids. And we believe in the power of community to rewrite the story — one meal, one book, one family at a time.
Join the movement. Invest in the future. Watch Portsmouth thrive.
OUR PROGRAMS CHANGE LIVES
We're a proud Portsmouth United Community Partner
Portsmouth United proudly collaborates with a diverse network of community based organizations central to its mission of fostering safety, healing, and opportunity in the city of Portsmouth.
We collaborate with trusted community partners to establish deep-rooted relationships, local knowledge, and cultural competence to maximize Portsmouth United's community violence intervention efforts.
Together, our aim is to create a safer, stronger Portsmouth where every resident can thrive!
