NH Food Access Resources
What is food insecurity?
Food insecurity is defined by the USDA as the “lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all members of a given household, and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods.”
What's the rate of food insecurity in NH?
A 2024 Feeding America report indicates that 135,200 New Hampshire residents, roughly one in 10 people, experience food insecurity in the state. The report also notes the food insecurity rate for children in New Hampshire has increased to 13.4%.
Resources
We know that food insecurity continues to be a growing concern for many people in New Hampshire. We at NOFA-NH want everyone to have as much access to fresh, healthy, local, and organic food as possible. Below are resources, services, and programs that provide increased access to local, fresh food for those facing food insecurity in the Granite State.
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NOFA-NH's Farm Share Program provides funds and support for New Hampshire community members with limited incomes to purchase certified organic Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, also known as farm shares, at discounted prices across the state. The program especially benefits children, families, seniors, and those most affected by the current inequities in our food system.
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Granite State Market Match doubles SNAP/EBT benefits for fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets, farm stands, and CSAs. Double Up Food Bucks gives 50% off fresh fruits and vegetables (up to $20 a day) at participating retail locations. These programs help households purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables all while supporting local farmers. Granite State Market Match and Double Up Food Bucks can both be used to purchase or receive a discount on fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, seeds, and seedlings.
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MWVEG Food for All Food Access Program
Mount Washington Valley Eaters and Growers (MWVEG) is helping to make local food accessible to low-income community members through several fundraisers. $100-$250 in vouchers will be distributed based on funds available, family size, and individual circumstances to buy local food from farms.
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Brookford Farm Subscription Service
Brookford Farm offers a weekly subscription service for vegetables. A small vegetable share is $20 per week, and a medium vegetable share is $29 per week, and a large vegetable share is $40 per week. You can place a hold on your account at any time with proper notice. They have pickup locations in Canterbury, Concord, Derry, Exeter, Manchester, Nashua, and Salem.
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Local Harvest CSA Payment Plan
Local Harvest CSA offers payment plans for their CSA. Please contact info@localharvestnh.com to set one up. They have pickup locations in Concord, Bedford, Hooksett, and Warner.
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Work Song Farm allows you to pay for half of a share up front and the other half at a later date. Pickup is at the farm in Hopkinton.
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The Monadnock Farm Share Program provides limited-income Monadnock Region residents with the opportunity to support their local CSA farmer and receive reliable high-quality produce on a regular basis all season long. CSA Share prices are discounted through a cost-share model. Applications are accepted through May 1.
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ORS assists clients with access to necessary social services by identifying resources, making referrals to partner agencies, helping to fill out forms, interpreting mail, navigating the immigration process, assisting with scheduling appointments and providing transportation.
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FEED Kearsarge Tray it Forward Program
You can sign up to receive a free garden in a tray. Large trays with 24 plants and small trays with 12 plants are available. All seedling trays are accompanied by a grower’s guide; you can also sign up to receive weekly gardening newsletters and join a Facebook support group to connect with a community of local growers. Seedling trays are reserved for families in need in the Kearsarge, Andover, Sunapee, and Newport areas.
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UNH Extension's resource to find food and resources that support you in eating well no matter your budget.
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UNH Extension worked with the public assistance community to create the New Hampshire Food Access Map, an online platform that enables organizations to offer their services. The map shows locations where free or low-cost food is offered.
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The NH Food Bank distributes food to more than 400 partner agencies across New Hampshire including food pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, children’s programs, senior centers and more. Search their list of partner agencies to find a food assistance program near you.
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NH Feeding NH
The NH Food Bank’s “NH Feeding NH” program, in partnership with the NH Food Alliance, NH Farm Bureau and NOFA-NH, is a statewide initiative designed to support the purchase of NH grown food to feed our food insecure neighbors with nutritious, locally grown fruits, vegetables, dairy and protein throughout NH communities, something we believe every Granite Stater should have access to. This program, modeled after our neighbors in Vermont and Maine, will not only support our local farmers, but will also help nourish communities in need, reduce food waste and replenish our local economy.
NH Feeding NH Program Partners
NH Gleans
“NH Glean’s mission is to coordinate and support a statewide network of regional gleaning leaders that gather and distribute food recovered from local producers to organizations in an effort to increase food access in their communities.