Funding allows Meals Financial institution to increase diet incentives at collaborating retailers, rising entry to contemporary produce for these in want.
MANCHESTER, NH – The New Hampshire Meals Financial institution was just lately awarded greater than $660,000 to increase entry to contemporary produce for individuals who are meals insecure in New Hampshire. The funding will likely be used to extend entry to nutritious meals with the opening of 4 new retail places, two new farmers’ markets and a pilot community-supported agriculture program, which can hyperlink members instantly with native meals producers. Inside New Hampshire, state companions embody Seacoast Eat Native, Cheshire County Conservation District and Merrimack County Conservation District. The funding was obtained as a part of a $4.8 million U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA)’s Gus Schumacher Vitamin Incentive Program (GusNIP) grant awarded to the New England Vitamin Incentive Collaborative (NENIC), of which the Meals Financial institution serves because the New Hampshire associate.
“We’re excited to strengthen our partnership with NENIC by means of this grant from the USDA’s GusNIP diet incentive program and to extend entry to nutritious meals, together with contemporary produce, for these in want,” stated Eileen Liponis, Government Director, New Hampshire Meals Financial institution. “Roughly 7 p.c of all New Hampshire residents, together with roughly 9.5 p.c of youngsters, wrestle with meals insecurity in New Hampshire, and this partnership will allow us to fight starvation by increasing our present community of 88 market retailers that serve Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP) members to extra retailers and places throughout the state.”
The USDA awarded NENIC $4.8 million to increase use of diet incentives throughout New England in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Led by Farm Recent Rhode Island, NENIC will search to extend buy and consumption of vegatables and fruits by means of the mission, “Cultivating Regional Development: Increasing The New England Vitamin Incentive System.” By way of this system, SNAP members will obtain monetary incentives for purchases of produce, rising entry to nutritious meals for people and households. NENIC was chosen as one in every of eight GusNIP Vitamin Incentive initiatives to obtain a grant.
By way of this system, Farm Recent Rhode Island and its companions, together with the New Hampshire Meals Financial institution, will distribute almost $5.7 million in diet incentives over three years, with the objective to extend the acquisition and consumption of vegatables and fruits by offering monetary incentives for SNAP purchases without cost or decreased price produce, enhance the quantity and number of retailers accepting SNAP, which may even help regional farms whereas making produce extra inexpensive and accessible.
In 2022, the New Hampshire Meals Financial institution distributed greater than 16 million kilos of meals to greater than 400 nonprofit meals companies in all corners of New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Meals Financial institution expects to proceed rising meals distribution to satisfy the necessity.
For extra info and to donate, go to www.nhfoodbank.org.
