Grand opening to feature ceremonial ribbon cutting and food drive to address growing food insecurity in the North Country

Manchester, N.H. – The New Hampshire Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charities New Hampshire, is opening a temporary warehouse in Berlin to increase access to nutritious food in northern New Hampshire. A grand opening, including a special food drive, is scheduled for Friday, September 27.

The 2,200-square-foot facility is a response to rising levels of food insecurity across the region. In Coös County, 13.3% of residents, including 21.1% of children, are food insecure, according to Feeding America. Between 2021 and 2022 alone, food insecurity rates in the county increased by 3.1% overall and 6.2% among children. Neighboring Carroll and Grafton Counties experienced increases of 2.8% and 2.9%, respectively, during that time. In total, across all three counties, 19,160 residents, including 4,700 children, are food insecure.

“We are filled with gratitude and excitement to officially mark the beginning of operations at our new temporary warehouse facility in Berlin and to amplify our efforts in the historically underserved North Country region of the state,” said Thomas Blonski, President and CEO, Catholic Charities New Hampshire. “This new facility further strengthens our efforts to distribute food where it is needed most and empowers our organization to continue its mission to eliminate hunger in New Hampshire.”

The temporary warehouse is the result of the New Hampshire Food Bank’s extensive search for the right property to support its work in the North Country. Earlier this year, they entered into a temporary lease agreement with New Hampshire Distributors to secure the new space to better reach underserved residents. The warehouse can house up to 20,000 pounds of shelf-stable food and will also include one freezer and one cooler for storing produce, meat and dairy products.

The New Hampshire Food Bank will host a grand opening event at the warehouse, 92 Jericho Road in Berlin, on Friday, September 27, at 11 a.m.

Attendees will include Executive Councilor Joseph Kenney, Berlin Mayor Robert Cone, and Catholic Charities New Hampshire Vice President and COO Dominique Rust, along with New Hampshire Food Bank staff and volunteers.

As part of the grand opening celebration, the New Hampshire Food Bank is encouraging the public to support North Country neighbors experiencing hunger by bringing a non-perishable, non-glass food donation.

“New Hampshire Distributors has been a longtime supporter of the New Hampshire Food Bank, and we are excited to further support their mission by being a part of their expansion to the North Country. Through our shared partnership of warehouse space, we are happy to help the New Hampshire Food Bank provide much-needed food and resources to the men, women and children facing food insecurity in the North Country,” said Chris Brown, President, New Hampshire Distributors, Inc. “With food insecurity continuing to rise in the North Country, we are glad to know that we can play a part in New Hampshire Food Bank’s ability to distribute additional, nourishing food and resources to our neighbors experiencing hunger.”

In 2023, as the state’s only food bank, the New Hampshire Food Bank procured and provided more than 16 million pounds of non-perishable food items, fresh produce and meats to more than 400 nonprofit food agencies in all corners of New Hampshire.

The New Hampshire Food Bank services New Hampshire through various channels, from distributing food statewide to providing a wide array of programming, making it a critical resource for hunger prevention and education in the Granite State. The New Hampshire Food Bank provides a variety of services, including Cooking Matters NH, free Culinary Job Training, the Fresh Rescue Program, the Recipe for Success Program, the Nutrition Pantry Program, the Production Garden, NH Feeding NH, mobile food pantries, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program education and outreach, all aimed at addressing the root causes of hunger.

About the New Hampshire Food Bank
The New Hampshire Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charities New Hampshire, has been working to relieve hunger in the Granite State since 1984. In 2023, as the state’s only Food Bank, the New Hampshire Food Bank efficiently procured and distributed more than 16 million pounds of food to people in need through more than 400 nonprofit registered agencies. Agencies include food pantries, neighborhood centers, low-income housing sites, senior nutrition centers, family crisis centers, hospices, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after school programs and day care centers. For more information about the New Hampshire Food Bank, please visit www.nhfoodbank.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

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