Hunger Isn’t Seasonal

Every holiday season there is an influx of generosity that helps to fill the shelves of our local food pantries. This is a critical need, especially during the holiday season, and it is always heartwarming to see such an outpouring of kindness.
Vickie Plourde, the former director of the Feeding Hope Food Pantry in Berlin, NH, emphasizes the importance of continuing these efforts after the holiday season.

“Hunger isn’t seasonal,” said Plourde. “It doesn’t take a holiday off. Our local food pantries are helping supply individuals and families with critical resources throughout the entire year.”

Often times those in the greatest need are children. Many children dealing with food insecurity rely on the nutrition they receive at school. When those schools are closed during the holidays, those children still need to be fed. Food pantries become even more important for those families.

Granite United Way is proud to help with this effort. In addition to supporting many of the local food pantries, the organization helps to promote the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive each May. This past spring thousands of pounds of non-perishable food items were donated by residents across all of our regions.

Another resource for residents is to call 211 or visit www.211nh.org. Comprehensive information on where to access nutritious food is readily available.

“Partnering with Granite United Way gave us a vehicle to get the word out about the needs in our community,” said Plourde. “United Way is crucial to connecting people with the resources they need. We couldn’t have done it without them.”