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Art Ellison has one dying wish: Feed all New Hampshire students

March 15, 2024

Art Ellison isn’t one to mince words. With a red blanket over his lap and a “support public education” t-shirt on, he has one final request as he rests at the Granite VNA hospice house.

“Feed the damn kids,” he said.

Ellison, a three-term House Democrat from Concord, knows his days are numbered. When he entered hospice, the doctors told him he had between two days to two weeks to live. But that was three and a half weeks ago.

More from: Concord Monitor

Gather reports record demand for food in Seacoast, southern NH

March 9, 2024

PORTSMOUTH — Gather, a nonprofit organization that provides free food to residents in 59 communities in southern New Hampshire, reports January was the busiest month in its 200-plus-year history.

According to Gather Executive Director Anne Hayes, 2023 as a whole saw a notable surge in the number of people seeking food assistance from the nonprofit. Hayes says individuals served by Gather’s Pantry Market and Mobile Markets increased by 43% while food donations declined by 29% vs. just two years ago.

More from: Portsmouth Herald

Spreading the word: Derry changing narrative on subsidized school lunch

March 9, 2024

More from: The Eagle-Tribune

NH is offering free job training to people receiving SNAP benefits

March 1, 2024

New Hampshire is offering free job training to people receiving SNAP benefits, part of an effort to expand career opportunities for people in the nutrition-assistance program.

The initiative — launched a year ago — is a collaboration between the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Manchester Community College and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

More from: NHPR

Advocates say bipartisan school meals bill could make a dent in child hunger

February 20, 2024

Tricia LaBelle has worked in school kitchens near Portsmouth for years. She’s seen the struggles that accompany families applying for free or reduced-price lunch meals. But it wasn’t until her son entered kindergarten that she fully grasped the challenge.

“I remember getting my first meal application and looking at it, as a person who would have qualified, and thinking, ‘No way – how embarrassing,’” she told lawmakers last month. “I’d have to fill out this packet and send it back in with him to give to his teacher.”

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

Funding to fight child hunger is in jepoardy in N.H. Advocates urge the governor to act.

February 9, 2024

CONCORD, N.H. – A new federal program could help 37,000 children who receive free and reduced meals at school access food during the summer months when school is not in session.

But advocates are worried about the state’s inaction, facing a looming deadline of Feb. 15 to submit a plan for the new Summer EBT program, worth $4.5 million.

If the state doesn’t act soon, it won’t be able to participate in the program, according to Laura Milliken, the executive director of New Hampshire Hunger Solutions, one of 30 organizations that sent a letter recently urging Governor Chris Sununu to act.

More from: The Boston Globe

2023 NH Agricultural Policy Forum

December 17, 2023

KEENE, N.H. — Policies that will affect the future of food and agriculture in New Hampshire: that is what policy leaders discussed during the 2023 NH Agricultural Policy Forum on December 13, 2023. The forum was hosted virtually by the Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition (MFCC), NH Food Alliance, and a new co-organizer, the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire.

The forum served as the featured guest topic of Carsey’s monthly discussion series, “Coffee and Conversations.” Yusi Turell of the Carsey School of Public Policy facilitated a well prepared and informed conversation among state leaders representing their organizations priorities in agriculture, organic agriculture, farm to school, food access, and climate change.

More from: Morning AgClips

Anti-hunger advocates have a new focus: the school breakfast

December 15, 2023

For many New Hampshire public school students, getting breakfast at school is not a priority. 

The Granite State has one of the largest divides in the country between the number of school breakfasts eaten and the number of school lunches eaten, according to numbers from the Food Research and Action Center. While an average of 95,337 students per day ate school-provided lunch in the 2021-2022 school year, fewer than half of those students – 45,192 – also ate breakfast, the center found in a 2023 report. 

That ratio puts New Hampshire in the bottom 16 states in the country. Now, educators and child anti-hunger advocates are urging Granite State schools to increase their promotion of school breakfasts and make it easier for students to eat them.

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

Rep's 'no hungry kids' in NH comment draws ire

December 1, 2023

CONCORD — House Finance Committee Chairman Kenneth Weyler, R-Kingston, drew criticism from Democrats for his claim Wednesday that there are “no hungry children” in New Hampshire.

Weyler made the comment during a lengthy debate over a leftover bill (HB 601) from the 2023 session that would let state officials automatically enroll their Medicaid health insurance clients into the free and reduced school lunch programs in public schools.

Currently, 38 states participate in the Direct Medicaid Recertification program.

More from: NH Union Leader

(Opinion) Come Nov. 17, Congress’s continuing resolution for WIC funding will expire

November 17, 2023

We all understand the importance of ensuring the healthy development of young children. But rising costs of food, housing, child care and other basic needs have all contributed to increased food insecurity and hunger in New Hampshire, particularly among households with children.

In October, 66% of households with children reported they had difficulty paying usual household expenses. We should be alarmed but not surprised that over half of New Hampshire households report they don’t have sufficient food for their kids. These are all challenges that can be solved, and solving hunger actually requires little in terms of creative thinking.

More from: NH Business Review

Republican lawmakers balk at Medicaid Direct Certification program, citing cost and privacy

November 8, 2023

A push to automatically sign up New Hampshire students for free or reduced-price lunches if they are enrolled in Medicaid is facing a setback, after Republican lawmakers voted to not recommend the move, citing privacy and cost concerns.

Medicaid Direct Certification, a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that states can choose to join, allows school districts to use Medicaid data to determine which of their students already qualify for free or reduced-price meals, without needing to contact parents. 

Advocates note that nearly 8,000 K-12 students could receive free or reduced-price meals but don’t, according to state Medicaid data, and say automatically enrolling them could benefit their health and their family’s finances.

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

Federal program to encourage universal school meals sees low NH take-up

October 3, 2023

The program is designed around a simple tradeoff. A public school with a sufficient percentage of low-income students agrees to provide free school meals for all students. In return it receives additional funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Schools receive more money, and parents and students avoid the stigma of applying for free or reduced-price school lunches. 

But in New Hampshire, the take-up of the program has been low. This school year, the state had just two schools out of 20 eligible participate in the federal program, known as the Community Eligibility Provision, according to numbers from the state’s Department of Education. And some anti-hunger advocates say that without additional state support, many schools are not able to afford it.

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

NH seeing higher food insecurity because of inflation, end of pandemic aid

September 11, 2023

Earlier this year, people who pay attention to food insecurity in New Hampshire noticed something alarming: The rate of families reporting insufficient food access shot up by more than 10%. By this spring, estimates showed that more than half of Granite State households with children didn’t have enough to eat.

And in the most recent Census pulse survey last month, nearly 200,000 children in the state lived in households that lacked sufficient food – that’s up by nearly 40,000 additional children since January.

More from: NHPR

Renters must earn $70,600 a year to pay for two-bedroom apartment in NH, survey shows

July 21, 2023

To afford the statewide median cost of a typical two-bedroom apartment with utilities, a New Hampshire renter would have to earn 137% of the estimated statewide median renter income, or more than $70,600 a year, according to the just released New Hampshire Housing 2023 survey.

The statewide monthly median gross rent (including utilities) of $1,764 for two-bedroom units is up 11.4% over last year.

Average monthly utility costs increased substantially over the last year due to a spike in energy prices, which contributed to the survey’s reported 11.4% increase in monthly median gross rent for two-bedroom units. The 2023 Residential Rental Cost Survey gathered responses from the owners of 17,116 market-rate (unsubsidized) rental housing units, or 11% of all units statewide.

With a vacancy rate of 0.8% for all rentals, finding an apartment that is affordable is very difficult. (A vacancy rate of 5% is considered a balanced market for tenants and landlords.)

More from: The Nashua Telegraph

NH Hunger Solutions, Elliot Hospital and Manchester Library team up to feed meals to kids

July 16, 2023

MANCHESTER, NH – The Winchell Room in the Manchester City Library on Pine Street, usually reserved for book sales and other functions, has found a new usage: feeding hungry children. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12  to 12:30 p.m. parents are invited to bring their children to the Winchell Room on the library’s bottom floor to receive a free meal for a child. No proof of residency or proof of income is required.

The project came about as a result of the work master’s candidate Sherisse Salter of SNHU has been doing with New Hampshire Hunger Solutions. NHHS is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating hunger in New Hampshire. Among those are school children, some of whom are not participating in school breakfast. Others, due to a variety of circumstances, had to utilize a food bank on school grounds just to have something to eat.

More from: Manchester Ink Link

Lawmakers balk at Medicaid direct certification despite push by anti-hunger advocates

June 8, 2023

Senate lawmakers Wednesday voted 13-11 against a floor amendment to the budget that would have required the state to enroll in Medicaid direct certification as a pilot program, a move that disappointed advocates. As a compromise to Senate Republicans, the direct certification amendment would have applied only to municipalities in which Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation is at 11 percent or greater based upon federal fiscal year 2021 data.

Medicaid direct certification is a federal program that would automatically sign up eligible students for free and reduced-price lunch based upon their family’s Medicaid enrollment. As of now, families must first submit paper applications to be enrolled.

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

New SNAP rules come as state struggles to reach thousands eligible for help but not getting it

June 7, 2023

About 1,000 older Granite Staters are at risk of losing food assistance under the debt ceiling deal signed into law Saturday, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 

That’s a new worry for anti-hunger advocates in the state as they focus on another potentially more significant concern: Only half the adults and children in the state eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are enrolled.

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

To Make NH Hunger Free

June 5, 2023

Tens of thousands of people in New Hampshire cannot say with any degree of confidence that their families will have enough to eat tonight — or tomorrow, or next week. Maybe dinner will just be instant noodles for a while, and maybe adults will skip meals during school vacations so that their kids have enough.

“Food insecurity” is a U.S. Department of Agriculture term to describe that reality.

More from: Purpose from the NH Charitable Foundation

N.H. families struggle to afford food amid inflation, end of COVID-era food assistance

June 1, 2023

Laura Milliken, the executive director of NH Hunger Solutions, said when the program ended there was a spike in food insecurity. It includes people struggling to afford the kinds of food they need like protein or fresh vegetables.

During the pandemic, people receiving the supplemental nutrition assistance program, or SNAP, were able to get the maximum amount based on their household size through an emergency allotment. .When that benefit ended in March, that meant $106 less per month for an individual and $206 less for the average household, according to Milliken.

More from: The Boston Globe

Senate delays proposal to expand free and reduced price lunch eligibility

April 24, 2023

A push to increase who is eligible for free and reduced price lunches in schools is facing a setback, after the Senate Education Committee recommended delaying a decision on the bill until next year. 

House Bill 572 would raise the income threshold for reduced price lunches from 185 percent of the federal poverty level to 300 percent of the federal poverty level. The bill would make the upper cap for a family of four around $90,000 per year next school year, compared to $55,500 per year under current law. 

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

Local Extension specialist named to NH Hunger Solutions board

April 12, 2023

CONCORD — Heidi Barker, a field specialist based in Coös County with UNH Extension in Nutrition and Healthy Living, has been added to the N.H. Hunger Solutions board.

More from: The Berlin Sun

Food insecurity, stigma are prevalent in region. So are resources to help.

April 8, 2023

Sarah Lanpher has been food insecure for much of her life, using food stamps on and off since she was a teenager.

With mental health issues making it difficult for her to hold down a permanent job, the 26-year-old Chesterfield resident said state assistance has helped her stay afloat.

“I could focus on my health without one more worry to check off the list,” Lanpher said.

More from: The Keene Sentinel

House moves toward using Medicaid data to enroll families in free and reduced-price lunch program

March 29, 2023

For families making up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level, New Hampshire public schools offer free or reduced-price lunches, a federal program intended to reduce childhood hunger among low-income residents. But first comes an application. 

In order to get the discounted prices for lunches, a parent or guardian must write down the income of everyone in the family – including kids, if they are working – note how often the income arrives, and record any additional payments like alimony or regular support from relatives. Then, the parent must send the application back to the school, whether through their child, in person, or online.

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

N.H. residents can apply for discounted farm shares

March 24, 2023

As of February, more than 482,000 Granite State residents lived in households that reported food insecurity, according to tracking by New Hampshire Hunger Solutions. More than 30% of them were children.

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire says people across the state, regardless of income, should have access to fresh and local food. Its Farm Share Program is trying to make a dent in the fight.

More from: NHPR

Extra SNAP benefits coming to an end, but overlooked exemptions could help fill gap

February 21, 2023

The number of Granite State adults and children without enough food dropped during the pandemic, in part because the federal government increased food stamp payments, according to a New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute analysis

That extra aid for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ends this month for the state’s nearly 72,600 food stamp recipients, as they continue paying more for groceries, heat, and electricity. Advocates and state officials worry beneficiaries will not only lose money but also overlook exemptions that could lessen that loss. 

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

Inaugural N.H. Food and Nutrition Security Summit meets in Concord

February 15, 2023

On Friday, Feb. 10, the NH Food Access Coalition and NH Hunger Solutions hosted the inaugural N.H. Food and Nutrition Security Summit.

Food access partners from across the state met at the Holiday Inn in downtown Concord to celebrate working together to advance nutrition equity in 2022, learn best practices and take action to continue vital work in 2023 to improve health equity and eliminate hunger throughout the Granite State.

More from: The Berlin Sun

Opinion: Tackling hunger in the Granite State

February 9, 2023

"We want to ensure every New Hampshire resident has the nutrition they need to be healthy and well because hunger seriously affects physical and mental health. But last month, 38% of New Hampshire residents and 48% of children were in households that reported not having sufficient food. Federally funded nutrition programs are essential to ensuring the health of New Hampshire’s residents. Yet, we have poor participation in these programs."

More from: Concord Monitor

SNAP outreach money coming to New Hampshire

January 6, 2023

New Hampshire Hunger Solutions will receive around $250,000 to do outreach about nutrition assistance programs, as participation lags.

The funding comes from the government spending bill recently signed into law, which included $111 million for New Hampshire projects, according to an announcement by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. It will fund two outreach positions.

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

N.H. schools work to get the word out to families who need to reapply for free, reduced lunches

August 26, 2022

Free school lunches have been available to all students for the past two years, but that’s no longer the case. Families that qualify for free or reduced-price meals must once again apply for the benefit, something that hasn’t been required during the pandemic. New Hampshire schools are working to get the word out.

More from: NHPR

New state outreach on food assistance program becomes law

June 21, 2022

New Hampshire will begin promoting an underused food assistance program after Gov. Chris Sununu signed Senate Bill 404 into law on Friday.

An analysis of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program found that 29,000 children and 45,000 adults in New Hampshire received benefits monthly in 2019, but an additional 17,000 potentially eligible children and tens of thousands of adults did not.  

More from: New Hampshire Bulletin

Lawmakers, policymakers, volunteers working to address issues and causes related to food insecurity in N.H.

May 2, 2022

NH Hunger Solutions' deputy director, Jessica Gorhan, discusses solutions to food insecurity that involves access to Food Stamps, and addressing cultural diversity and stigma.

More from: NHPR