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The New Hampshire Food Bank’s network of partner agencies work tirelessly to ensure families and individuals across the state have access to the food they need.Manchester Today
The New Hampshire Food Bank plays a crucial role in addressing food insecurity across the state, distributing a record 20 million pounds of food last year through its network of 414 partner agencies. With 1 in 9 adults and 1 in 7 children facing food insecurity, the Food Bank’s services are a lifeline for many Granite Staters, including retiree Peri Deraps and the youth served by the Pittsfield Youth Workshop. The organization also operates a Cooking Matters program to educate people on nutrition and stretching food budgets, and its kitchen provides thousands of meals weekly to soup kitchens, shelters, and youth programs. However, the Food Bank recently lost $1 million in federal funding, making private donations crucial to sustaining its critical work.
Why it matters
Food insecurity is a significant issue in New Hampshire, with 1 in 9 adults and 1 in 7 children struggling to access adequate nutrition. The New Hampshire Food Bank plays a vital role in addressing this problem, providing food assistance to 120,000 people on any given day through its partnerships with shelters, soup kitchens, food pantries, and other agencies across the state. As the cost of living continues to rise, the Food Bank’s services have become even more essential for Granite Staters trying to make ends meet.
The details
The New Hampshire Food Bank distributed a record 20 million pounds of food last year through its network of 414 partner agencies, including shelters, soup kitchens, food pantries, and after-school programs. These agencies report seeing an increased need for food assistance due to rising costs of gas, utilities, and groceries. The Food Bank also operates a Cooking Matters program to educate people on nutrition and stretching food budgets, and its kitchen provides 4,500 to 6,500 meals each week for soup kitchens, shelters, and youth programs. However, the organization recently lost $1 million in federal funding, making private donations crucial to sustaining its critical work.
Last year, the New Hampshire Food Bank distributed a record 20 million pounds of food.Last March, the New Hampshire Food Bank lost $1 million in federal funding.
The players
New Hampshire Food Bank
A nonprofit organization that distributes food to 414 partner agencies across New Hampshire, including shelters, soup kitchens, food pantries, and after-school programs.
Peri Deraps
A 68-year-old Manchester resident who relies on the New Hampshire Food Bank and food pantries to make ends meet on a fixed income.
Pittsfield Youth Workshop
An after-school program that started providing daily meals to students after realizing many were complaining about not having food at home or being hungry.
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What they’re saying
“It’s difficult to make ends meet, with the rising cost of fuel, groceries, and energy. I’d just have to cut back on everything, really, if it wasn’t for the help that I received from the food bank and and the food pantries.”
— Peri Deraps
“Without the New Hampshire Food Bank, we wouldn’t be able to do it at all.”
— Zach Powers, Executive Director, Pittsfield Youth Workshop
“I know the NH Food Bank supplies much of the food that we use for our food pantry and enables us to help the folks in our community. So, we are very, very grateful for the Food Bank and all the ways that they support us.”
— Carolee Churchill, Program Coordinator, Our Hope Center for Women
What’s next
The New Hampshire Food Bank is working to find private donations to fill the $1 million gap in federal funding it lost last March.
The takeaway
The New Hampshire Food Bank’s critical role in addressing food insecurity across the state is underscored by the fact that 1 in 9 adults and 1 in 7 children in New Hampshire struggle with access to adequate nutrition. As the cost of living continues to rise, the Food Bank’s services have become even more essential, highlighting the importance of community support to sustain its operations.
