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Boston Globe
15-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Amid Trump administration cuts, hunger is rising as charities struggle to keep up
Amid sweeping federal cuts, the charitable food system is straining to meet the need, as more people seek help and less money is available to assist them. And private philanthropy isn't enough to fill the gap. Advertisement Experts warn high food costs have driven up demand, at the same time that federal cuts have hobbled the nonprofits and charities that have long provided free food to people in poverty struggling to get enough to eat. And advocates fear the gaps could widen if Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up 'There's no way the charitable food system is going to be able to pick up the slack,' said Laura Milliken, executive director of New Hampshire Hunger Solutions. 'They're already completely overburdened.' While private philanthropy can address emergency food needs, she said, it isn't designed to lift people out of poverty and solve hunger. Plus, money is tight right now. Inflation and the economic uncertainty around tariffs are also impacting the philanthropists and foundations that give to charitable causes, as they field urgent requests for funding from all angles. Advertisement 'We are all looking for that funding,' said Elsy Cipriani, executive director of the New Hampshire Food Bank, the state's only food bank. 'I think it is putting some funders in a very difficult and challenging situation between deciding which cause to support.' With decreased funding, the Food Bank is trying to do more with less, Cipriani said. About 10 percent of New Hampshire residents don't have enough to eat and don't know where their next meal will come from, a While Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts offer A patchwork of organizations provide free food to people in need in New Hampshire, including food pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and senior centers. About 400 of those agencies receive on average 60 percent of their food from the New Hampshire Food Bank. But this year, the Food Bank said, it has to shrink some efforts, after the US Department of Agriculture about $300,000 per year over the next three years of money for purchasing healthy local food. Advertisement 'The negative effect of that was immediate,' Cipriani said. Even if fund-raising efforts succeed, the program won't be restored, Cipriani said: The food bank needs that money available for other operating costs as it prepares for future cuts. An additional $1 million in food orders placed by social service agencies from May to July have also been canceled by USDA, according to Jeanne Agri, CEO of the Belknap Merrimack Community Action Program. The cancelled orders were placed through the federal programs such as Reducing those food supplies means more people must turn to the Food Bank to make up the difference, Cipriani said. But it's unclear where the funding to meet that need will come from. And in the meantime, the cost of food continues to rise. Cipriani said one provider in Canada is now charging 10 percent more because of tariffs. She anticipates prices for other items, such as canned food, will rise because of tariffs on aluminum. Higher prices will make food insecurity worse, she said. 'The first people to be affected are the people that we serve,' she said. 'They always struggle between the choice of paying rent, buying food, buying clothing for the children, and very often, one of the things that they do is they don't buy as much food as they need because there are other priorities.' It's a problem that private philanthropists are working to address through different programs around the state. Advertisement With a $225,000 grant from the Maine-based grocery chain Hannaford, New Hampshire Hunger Solutions is working to encourage more children to eat breakfast at school, including at the Concord School District, where the school provides grab-and-go breakfasts for students. Right now, only 20 percent to 25 percent of students there do so, according to Donna Reynolds, the school nutrition director. Traci Pratt, the kitchen manager at Broken Ground School in Concord, shows one of the grab-and-go breakfasts the school is now offering students. She said the program to encourage more children to participate in breakfast is going well, even if it's off to a slow start. "We're getting more and more each day," she said. (Amanda Gokee/Globe Staff) Amanda Gokee/Globe Staff She's hoping increased participation can alleviate hunger and help students succeed. But because the federal government reimburses the school district for most of the cost of the meals, Reynolds said, she fears additional cuts. 'Any cut in funding for that is very alarming,' she said. For Hannaford, it's a common sense investment, said Sherri Stevens, community impact manager for the supermarket chain. 'If our communities are healthy, our business will be healthy,' she said. Hannaford also donates food at risk of going to waste to hunger relief organizations. According to the supermarket, it donated 26 million pounds of food in 2023. Healthy food and snacks are available for students during lunchtime at the Broken Ground School in Concord. (Amanda Gokee/Globe Staff) Amanda Gokee/Globe Staff New Hampshire Hunger Solutions is touting the success of the breakfast challenge: Kennett Middle School in Conway, N.H., increased breakfast participation by 53.2 percent this year. But those accomplishments come as advocates brace for even deeper cuts that could affect the most vulnerable. Proposals in Congress to slash Governor Kelly A. Ayotte said she would fight for federal SNAP funding, and she supports state funding for food insecurity efforts. But some funding in her budget proposal for food assistance was cut by Advertisement 'The state needs to do its part to the extent we can,' she said. In New Hampshire, SNAP serves Nonprofit initiatives, such as pop-up food pantries run by the United Way of Greater Nashua, are only a supplement to food assistance programs such as SNAP, according to Michael Apfelberg, the organization's president. Apfelberg said they began offering pantries in 2020 to address food deserts, and they now serve 20 to 50 people per day at five locations around Nashua. 'Even though I feel like we do a great job, at the end of the day, we're the tip of the iceberg,' Apfelberg said. 'The iceberg is the federal government.' 'If that melts,' he warned, 'we're all going to be drowning.' Amanda Gokee can be reached at
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Seacoast food pantries: 'We need community to step up' amid federal cuts
PORTSMOUTH — Local food assistance programs are bracing for a trickle-down impact and calling for community support after the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut $1 billion in funding, including a $1 million grant utilized by the New Hampshire Food Bank. The cuts come as the Trump administration is making steep reductions in federal spending. Neither Gather, a Portsmouth-based food pantry and mobile market service, nor Footprints, a market inside the Mainspring social services hub in Kittery, Maine, directly rely on any federal funding. Both, however, utilize federally funded programs to obtain the goods they distribute throughout the Seacoast and southern Maine region, causing concern among their leaders about how the nonprofits can properly serve clients amid a growing need for assistance. Anne Hayes, executive director of Gather, and Megan Shapiro Ross, executive director of Footprints, are seeking the public's help in providing monetary donations and food and volunteering their time to help meet increasing food insecurity. More: USDA plans big cuts to food bank, school food programs 'The stress level is going up,' Hayes said Thursday. 'What I would say is, the government is stepping back, clearly, so we need the community to step up. That's where we get our funding. This is a very compassionate and generous community here on the Seacoast, and we've been so grateful for people's support.' In 2024, Gather served 1.7 million pounds of food to people from 119 municipalities in New Hampshire and Maine, according to Hayes. Since 2021, the Portsmouth pantry has seen an 80% bump in demand, which Hayes predicts will increase this year. Potential trouble looms on the horizon. Roughly 15% of the food Gather gives out is from the New Hampshire Food Bank. With the statewide organization's federal funding slashed, paired with the impact the Trump administration's tariffs could have on Canadian food imports, Hayes worries what the future holds. 'Their cuts will be our cuts,' she said of the New Hampshire Food Bank. Last year, Gather received 2.4 million pounds of in-kind food donations and roughly $3 million in financial donations through individual gifts and corporate sponsorships. More: Exeter food pantry expands hours to serve increased demand An average of more than 10,000 people were served every month at Gather last year. Threats to Medicare, Medicaid and other federal programs, in addition to cost of living increases across the board, could result in even more people using Gather's services, Hayes added. 'It's sort of well hidden in the Seacoast better than other places in New Hampshire,' she said of food insecurity. 'It's only going to get worse. I'm worried about people and how they're going to make it through this.' Footprints moved into Mainspring on Kittery's Shapleigh Road this year and has already served 125 new households this year through its market and home delivery program. The Kittery agency had over 28,000 shopping visits from 651 households at its former Old Post Road headquarters in 2024. Shapiro Ross projects Footprints will see a 97% year-over-year increase in households seeking food assistance in 2025. But the nonprofit's ability to serve more locals could be hurt by cuts to various federal programs. Footprints uses The Emergency Food Assistance Program, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 'Reductions in TEFAP or LFPA funding mean fewer USDA food deliveries and less locally sourced produce, forcing us to rely more heavily on purchased food and community donations," Shapiro Ross said in an email Tuesday. "At the same time, cuts to SNAP can push more families toward food assistance programs as households struggle to afford essential groceries." She wrote, "The impact of federal cuts is best measured not just in funding losses but in real consequences, such as decreased food supply, leading to potential shortages of key staple items, increased demand as more families turn to us for support, and a greater strain on nonprofit agencies, requiring more local fundraising and community assistance to fill the gap. Without adequate support, food pantries like Footprints will face more challenging choices about stretching limited resources while ensuring that no one in our community faces food insecurity.' Zach McLaughlin, superintendent of schools in Portsmouth, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture's recent programming purge does not directly impact the city school system's food service. But the district is keeping an eye on how nonprofits like Gather are being hit and how Portsmouth students could be affected in and out of school. 'We are concerned about students whose families rely on these resources to have proper nutrition,' he said. 'We know that students that are going without the right types of food are less likely to achieve academic success. It pushes us to try to think creatively about how we might be able to fill the gaps for those students. That in turn can mean that the cost of having these students healthy and ready to learn is just being shifted from the feds to our local budget.' Recent district data shows just under 14% of Portsmouth SAU 52 students qualify for free and reduced meals, according to McLaughlin. Lisa Jacobus, a social worker employed at Portsmouth Middle School, has heard from families recently who are struggling to afford eggs local grocery stores. 'Food insecurity continues to be a growing problem, especially as housing costs increase,' Jacobus said. 'In Portsmouth, we have many working-class families who do not qualify for free and reduced lunch yet 50% to 70% of their income goes towards their rent or mortgage, making affording school lunch or groceries extremely challenging.' Shapiro Ross encouraged residents of the Seacoast and southern Maine region to support Footprints' cause. 'The impact of this crisis extends far beyond food assistance. As more households struggle to afford groceries, the ripple effect will increase demand for utility assistance, housing support, and other essential services — putting greater strain on local nonprofits and community resources,' she wrote. 'Families facing food insecurity are often forced to make impossible choices between paying rent, keeping the lights on, or putting food on the table. The reality is clear: Without increased local support, families will face even more significant challenges in accessing basic necessities." She added, "It will take all of us together to share resources and get involved through financial support, volunteerism, advocacy, or any other avenue that you can share to support the well-being of each of us.' At Gather, which conducts 40 mobile markets a month predominantly in low-income and elderly housing neighborhoods, clients register with the nonprofit before coming in to shop at the West Road food pantry, oftentimes on the same day. In february alone, the nonprofit took its mobile market to stops in Dover, Farmington, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Portsmouth, Rochester, Seabrook and Somersworth. Milk, eggs and bread are free, in addition to non-perishable items, vegetables, fruits and other goods. Gather additionally supplies its clients with pet food and personal care items, if needed. Gather supports local children from low-income families through its neighborhood-style 'Meals 4 Kids' traveling service during school vacation periods. All are welcome at Gather. With the turn some federal programs are taking, however, Hayes said now is the time to support Gather's open-door policy. 'It's starting to tick up a lot over the past few weeks because people are getting nervous,' Hayes said of Gather's clientele. 'And when people are nervous, they want to make sure people who are there to support them. There's people who never thought they'd need to use a food pantry that we expect to see in the coming months.' This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seacoast food pantries: Federal cuts hit as need for help surges
Boston Globe
12-03-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
‘It's very devastating': Cuts to USDA funding hit New England schools and food programs
New Hampshire is losing about $2.7 million in federal money, including about $968,000 for the New Hampshire Food Bank's Advertisement 'It's very devastating,' said Nancy Mellitt, director of development at the nonprofit food bank. Farm Fresh Rhode Island — a hub that connects wholesale buyers and residential customers with local growers and producers — told the Globe that the Ocean State will lose close to $3 million from the two USDA programs, affecting about 100 small businesses. Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up 'This is a major loss to the state and it will have a very big impact on farmers, fishers, school children and folks who rely on food pantries,' said Jesse Rye, executive director of Farm Fresh Rhode Island, which manages the It was not immediately clear how deeply the cuts affected Vermont, Maine, and Connecticut. In Massachusetts, the cuts amounted to a 'There is nothing 'appropriate' about it. Trump and Musk are continuing to withhold essential funding in violation of court orders, and our children, farmers and small businesses are bearing the brunt of it,' Healey said In New Hampshire, the money helped to purchase locally grown fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy for people in need of food assistance around the state. Advertisement 'It's devastating for the food insecure. It's devastating for New Hampshire farmers. And it's devastating for us because the program was very important to us,' said Mellitt. While The program sent money to 285 partner agencies around the state to buy food from 185 farms, according to Melitt, and it procured 522,000 pounds of food in 2024. The cut eliminated funding starting in April 2025 that would've lasted through January 2028, she added. Around 135,200 Granite Staters are food insecure, which means they don't have enough to eat and don't know where they'll get their next meal, according to a 'I worry about the folks who are relying on the Food Bank because they are above income for other programs,' said Laura Milliken, executive director of New Hampshire Hunger Solutions. A program to help schools around New Hampshire buy local food was also impacted by the federal cuts, according to Rebecca Ross, director of the Division of Agricultural Development for the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food. Cuts to that program mean the state will not receive $1.7 million in federal funding that had been allocated for schools and child care programs over the next three years, according to Ross. New Hampshire first received $558,000 toward the Advertisement The program was supposed to make it easier for schools to afford local foods, and it was awarded based on how many students participated in free and reduced lunch programs. When reached by phone, the commissioner of the New Hampshire's Agriculture Department, Shawn Jasper, said he had no comment on the impact these federal funding cuts would have on the state. 'At this point I have not really taken a close look at what's going on,' he said. 'So it wouldn't be proper for me to comment without having all the information in front of me.' What's driving a food crisis in Massachusetts? Share WATCH: Catherine D'Amato, president and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank, unpacks why 1 in 3 residents are food insecure, the challenges, and how to help. ( undefined ) According to a copy of the termination letter for the grant agreement with the Massachusetts education department, the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service had determined it 'no longer effectuates agency priorities and that termination of the award is appropriate.' In a statement to the Globe, a USDA spokesperson said the grant program was a pandemic-era program, and the agency would 'return to long-term, fiscally responsible' initiatives. 'With 16 robust nutrition programs in place, USDA remains focused on its core mission: strengthening food security, supporting agricultural markets, and ensuring access to nutritious food,' the spokesperson said. 'Unlike the Biden Administration, which funneled billions in CCC funds into short-term programs with no plan for longevity, USDA is prioritizing stable, proven solutions that deliver lasting impact. The COVID era is over—USDA's approach to nutrition programs will reflect that reality moving forward.' In October, the Advertisement That funding included $1.2 billion to support local food purchases with schools, child care facilities, food banks, and other institutions, according to the USDA. School meal programs would get $500 million to make food purchases, and states, territories, and tribal nations would receive another $500 million. Child care facilities were supposed to get $200 million, the USDA said. The money earmarked for food banks, schools, and child care facilities was meant to help them meet the needs of their recipients, and help ensure they had access to healthy foods, according to the USDA at the time. The funding was intended to build on the agency's Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program and its Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, which were created during the pandemic to help connect communities with food producers, according to USDA. Representatives from the Greater Boston Food Bank declined to comment on Wednesday. In Massachusetts, more than 240 school systems received $3.5 million through the Local Food for Schools program in 2023, including some of the state's largest districts, including Boston, Fall River, New Bedford, and Springfield, according to the state's K-12 education department. The grant cut is separate from the state's universal free school meals program and the National School Lunch Program, 'but Local Food for Schools would have provided districts with additional funding to make healthy local food purchases,' according to the Massachusetts K-12 education department. In Boston, the city's public schools received $125,000 in fiscal 2025, and were expecting $250,000 in the coming fiscal year, according to Sujata Wycoff, a district spokesperson. Advertisement 'The Local Food for Schools program provides critical support for our local food economy by making it easier for school districts to purchase food directly from farmers,' the district said in a statement. 'The cancellation of this program is a loss for students and farmers nationwide, but in Boston, we are confident in our ability to continue providing our students with 55,000 fresh, nutritious meals every day.' Amanda Milkovits of the Globe Staff contributed to this report. Amanda Gokee can be reached at
