LFPA Executive Summary - New Hampshire

The NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food (NHDAMF) will collaborate with the NH Food Bank (NHFB) and its partners on the expansion of NH Feeding NH. NHDAMF will subaward procurement activities for this grant to the NHFB, which will use its NH Feeding NH program to distribute funds to its network of more than 400 partner agencies. The agencies, in turn, will purchase food from at least 170 identified producers, of whom at least 51% are socially disadvantaged. Funding in support of NH Feeding NH will be used to expand current efforts to purchase vegetables, fruit, and other produce, dairy, and meat from local farmers, and distribute it to NHFB partner agencies wishing to participate, including homeless shelters, soup kitchens, food pantries, schools and after-school programs, senior centers, and more. NH Feeding NH will increase the amount of produce purchased so that it will account for at least 50% of the food purchased and distributed, increase the amount of meat and fish purchased so that it will account for at least 25% of the food purchased and distributed, and expand the amount of culturally relevant food purchased to at least 10% so that the state’s immigrant communities become aware of and utilize charitable food services. Funding through the LFPA would enable NH Feeding NH to shift toward focusing on the nutritional value, freshness, and local sourcing of food provided rather than quantity and price being the sole factors determining acquisition.