N.H. food bank needs food, money to keep up with demand

CONCORD, N.H. --Donations are down, demand is up and the New Hampshire Food Bank is heading into the holidays with its biggest shortage of healthy food in decades.

The New Hampshire Food Bank, the central distributor to nearly 350 local food pantries, soup kitchens and homeless shelters, expects to ship 4.5 million pounds of food and supplies by the end of this year, an increase of about 1 million pounds, Thomas Blonski, president of Catholic Charities, which runs the food bank.

He said demand for food is up 35 percent and inventory is down by 46 percent compared to last year.

Meanwhile, a 2005 survey of food bank users found that more than 95,000 people in New Hampshire live below the poverty line, an increase of 15 percent from 80,000 in 2001. Of those 95,000, about 28,000 were children and 11,000 were seniors. A family of four living on less than $37,000 a year is considered to be living in poverty, according to federal guidelines.

The study, "Hunger in America," was conducted by the America's Second Harvest, the national food bank network.

Melanie Gosselin, executive director of the food bank, said more people -- many with jobs -- are seeking help to feed their families because they can't keep up with the cost of living. Forty-two percent of New Hampshire survey responders said they have had to choose between paying for food and paying for heating and utilities.

"We've all felt the pinch at the gas pumps, at the grocery stores and utility bills are increasing," she said.

Gosselin said the food bank also is suffering from the types of food it is receiving. Flooding of farms this year, combined with changes to the way supermarkets clear out surplus items means donations of sugary drinks are up by nearly a third, while healthy food and produce donations have declined to the point that "we've actually resorted to purchasing food to put out on the floor," she said.

On her wish list: canned tuna, soups, fruit and vegetables, peanut butter, 100 percent fruit juice boxes (no glass containers), fresh chicken, non-sugary cereals, rice, pasta, dried beans, bottled water, granola bars and meal replacement drinks. Household supplies needed are: diapers, adult diapers, toilet paper, toothpaste and shampoo.

Gov. John Lynch on Thursday added his voice to the food bank's appeal.

"We all have an obligation to try to help contribute food and money to the food bank," he said.

"It's really quite startling when you go and you visit the food shelves and the pantries to see that the food that is there is in fact not as nutritious as it used to be a year or two ago."

Gosselin and Blonski said the food bank has long-term plans to correct the food shortage problem, including construction of a new facility that would allow workers and volunteers to cook and flash freeze meals so donated produce does not go to waste. Lawmakers also need to address cost-of-living issues like the minimum wage, Gosselin said.

"Make sure your local and national governments know that hunger and poverty are national issues," she said.

In the short-term however, both said the New Hampshire Food Bank needs donations of nutritious food, money and volunteer time to help them through its current dilemma. Gosselin noted that every dollar donated to the food bank provides four meals to the hungry.

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On the Net:

New Hampshire Food Bank: http://www.nhfoodbank.org

America's Second Harvest: http://www.secondharvest.org