New Hampshire Food Bank Secures Funding and Food to Fight Hunger

New Hampshire Food Bank Secures Funding and Food to Fight Hunger

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Granite State Food Insecurity Deepens as New Hampshire Food Bank Secures $300,000 Grant and 40,000 Pounds of Relief

One in nine people and nearly one in six children now experience hunger across New Hampshire, according to data that illustrates a widening crack in the state’s economic foundation. That strain prompted two major infusions of assistance this month for the New Hampshire Food Bank, addressing a crisis hitting rural communities particularly hard.

Fidelity volunteers hampshire food bank

The organization announced a $300,000 grant from Feeding America, bolstered by support from Performance Food Group and Morgan Stanley. Alongside that financial backing, the organization took delivery of approximately 40,000 pounds of shelf-stable food provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Rural Counties Bear the Brunt of Rising Need

Map the Meal Gap data shows that food insecurity has increased in seven of New Hampshire’s 10 counties. The geographic spread of this hunger is uneven, hitting rural pockets with severe force. In Coös County, the child food insecurity rate exceeds 22 percent, a figure well above the statewide child average of 15.5 percent.

The fresh funding aims to reconfigure how assistance reaches those isolated areas. Elsy Cipriani, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Food Bank, pointed to the operational goals behind the grant.

At the New Hampshire Food Bank, we’re constantly seeking innovative ways to meet our neighbors wherever they are. This investment is a catalyst for change. It enables us to build stronger, community-driven partnerships that remove geographic and systemic barriers, ensuring everyone has access to the food they need to thrive.

A National Logistics Pipeline Reaches Local Pantries

The 40,000-pound food delivery arrived through a collaboration connecting the America250 America Gives initiative with the Church’s JustServe platform, which matches volunteers with local service opportunities. That delivery forms a single link in a national campaign launched in November 2025, in which 250 truckloads of food will be donated to communities in all 50 states.

For families calculating grocery bills against other household necessities, the timing is crucial. Boyd Maughan, Concord, New Hampshire Stake President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, emphasized the dual purpose of the effort.

By working together, we hope not only to provide food to those experiencing hunger today, but also to inspire more individuals and organizations to volunteer, serve, and support efforts that strengthen communities throughout New Hampshire.

Operating as a program of Catholic Charities New Hampshire since 1984, the food bank distributed more than 20 million pounds of food in 2025 through a network of over 400 partner agencies. Those supplies move through food pantries, senior centers, soup kitchens, and emergency shelters, while underlying programs tackle root causes through initiatives like Culinary Job Training and Mobile Food Pantries.

More on this story: Mountaineer Food Bank Seeks Community Input for New Charleston Site

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Local food bank receives grant to help fight hunger

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