Food Pantries Struggle for Supplies

Late in 2008, the social service provider Community Action Program, or CAP, compared how many people had used food pantries in the fall to how many had gotten help in early winter.

According to their calculations, 60,000 people had come to one of about 180 pantries around the state.

TAPE: when I saw the number, at first I went back to see if a mistake was made because I’ve never seen the kind of numbers I was seeing.

Randy Emerson runs Community Action’s Emergency Food Assistance Program.

That 60,000 he says is up 50% compared to the numbers of people who typically use the pantries.

The North Country in particular was hit hard, with that region responsible for almost half of all new clients.

Emerson says in normal times, food pantries- which often are run by volunteers- secure food and household items from donations, cash contributions, and the CAPs.

But as demand swells, some pantries have struggled to keep shelves stocked.

Rhoda Hardy helps her sister at a food pantry in Boscawen.

She says just in their little town there’s been a 40% increase from the number of people they served just back in February.

And that has sent them scrambling for food.

TAPE: we have to work harder at it. we have to tap all the resources. If we know anybody has anything, we’ll go and get it.

Hardy is speaking from the Boscawen Town Hall, where she and 50 other people affiliated with pantries had come to share tips on ways to get more food.

Both Hannaford Supermarket and the New Hampshire Food Bank made suggestions that local food pantries might want to consider as they continue to search for donations.

Food Bank Executive Director Melanie Gosselin encouraged people to approach local bakeries, grocery stores and meat shops.

TAPE: if you are not sure how to approach one of these businesses call us. we can supply you info, how to sell yourself. Talk about numbers served. Talk about what’s going on in your community. A lot of these folks are looking to make a donation. They just don’t know how to go about it.

Both Gosselin and the Hannaford store manager said food pantry operators should develop strong relationships with grocery stores.

That means, for example, volunteers familiarizing themselves with requirements how to handle perishable items, and sending thank you letters.

Local pantries also made suggestions.

A number of people mentioned success they had by growing fruits and vegetables in community gardens.

One man talked about a New London Church that went through a state certification program so congregation members could bake casseroles.

Many in the room had heard of, if not incorporated, most of the suggestions discussed during the several hour meeting.

But long-time CAP worker Barbara Chellis had never heard of hitting up funeral parlors.

TAPE: asking people in lieu of flowers to donate food. Or to even have envelopes already made up that people can make a cash donation or something to. So that was kind of different.

Towards the back end of the meeting, practical advice morphed into moral support.

Paul Rowley from Meredith stood up and reminded everybody- no matter how hard it may be- food pantry folks have to be willing to ask for help.

TAPE: I go to the people, and I am not bashful. I go to the farmer’s market right around closing time. they all know who I am. They give me a box of this, a box of that. And I’ve had some people say, Paul, you are a beggar. And I say if I can have 2-3 families go with food, then I’ll be a beggar. It don’t bother me a bit.

While its true food pantries are struggling, there is good news.

The New Hampshire Food Bank says it’s expanding its delivery service, giving pantries another way to get supplies.

And Randy Emerson from the CAP’s Emergency Food Assistance Program says starting in June federal stimulus money will bring in all kinds of food.

TAPE: corn, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, frozen whole chicken, tune, frozen blueberries, orange juice, rice cereal and chicken thighs.

Emerson says he’s confident that the network of pantries statewide will continue to provide help.

But if a pantry is in real need, he says they should call him to help make sure it doesn’t have to turn anyone away.

For NHPR News, I’m DG.