Your monthly look into what's happening at the NH Food Bank.

Hello agencies! It's time for a Mid-Year Agency Survey! Below you will find a link (which I will also send out via email) to a quick survey to update all of your agency information. Sometimes things change and we're not notified and we want to have the most up to date information as we do get clients that call looking for information for resources in their area and we like to be able to tell them when you're open, who to ask for, phone numbers, etc. This will be a big help to your agency relations team as we know a lot can change when we only visit once a year. Please fill out the link below by August 31st.

-Kristie Deneault, Agency Relations Manager

Click here to fill out the survey!

Save The Date

On Wednesday, October 11th we hope you can join us at our annual Agency Appreciation Luncheon event. This will be a time to gather for lunch, networking with other partner agencies, a couple guest speakers, and a chance to celebrate you(with lots of giveaways). Stay tuned for more details and RSVP information.

Safe Food Handling

What is the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting? Some people think that disinfecting is the same thing as cleaning or sanitizing. But they are actually different:

• Cleaning removes dirt, dust, crumbs, and germs from surfaces or objects. When you clean, you will likely use soap (or detergent) and water to physically clean off the surfaces and objects. This may not necessarily kill the germs. But since you removed some of them, there are fewer germs that could spread infection to you.
• Disinfecting uses chemicals (disinfectants) to kill germs on surfaces and objects. Some common disinfectants are bleach and alcohol solutions. You usually need to leave the disinfectant on the surfaces and objects for a certain period of time to kill the germs. Disinfecting does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs.
• Sanitizing could be done by either cleaning, disinfecting, or both. Sanitizing means that you are lowering the number of germs to a safe level. What is considered a safe level depends on public health standards or requirements at a workplace, school, etc. For example, there are sanitizing procedures for restaurants and other facilities that prepare food. What you do to sanitize will vary, depending on your needs. You might be mopping a floor using a mop, a chemical, and water. You might use a dishwasher to sanitize the dishes. Or you could be using an antibacterial wipe on a tv remote.

If you both clean and disinfect a surface or object, you can further lower the risk of spreading infection. There are products that clean and disinfect at the same time.

To view the full article and more information, visit. https://medlineplus.gov/cleaningdisinfectingandsanitizing.html.

Whitefield, NH- The North Country Senior Meals program (NCSM) serves daily meals to hundreds of eligible seniors in many north country towns. There are currently 3 NCSM locations that are partnered with the NH Food Bank.



We recently met with Krystina who is the Site Manager for Whitefield Senior Meals. Each week Krystina and her team prepare and deliver about a thousand meals to 120 clients in and around Whitefield. Each client receives 5-7 meals on average with some receiving more based on their specific needs. All meals are pre-portioned and are made with health and nutrition in mind. A small dessert and cartons of milk are also delivered with all meals. Several clients are diabetic, so many meals and desserts are created to cater to their needs as well. The program also provides emergency food bags and “blizzard bags” to clients if they are in need of additional shelf stable items or if a storm is predicted. 

Krystina started as a volunteer at Whitefield North Country Senior Meals, then became a cook at the facility and recently moved into her Manager role. She takes pride in what she does and cares about her client’s and their well-being. “I think the main purpose in life is to help people and to be there for others. Coming to work each day allows me to have a positive impact on the daily lives of countless people. Food is an absolute necessity and this program ensures our seniors don't go without.”



The NH Food Bank is thankful for all the work that North Country Senior Meals programs do throughout all of their locations. Respect and nutrition are key elements in making sure our state’s senior population is cared for. The staff and volunteers that provide meals and home visits to the vulnerable members in our state are truly helping to meet the mission of the NH Food Bank. 

Upcoming Mobile Food Pantries

The NH Food Bank will be visiting the following locations to provide free boxes of food to members of these communities. Flyers are sent out to all programs located in and around these regions. If you would like to volunteer at any of these events, please contact volunteercoordinator@nhfoodbank.org.





*Friday, August 4th @11:00am. Comcast, 676 Island Pond Rd., Manchester

*Tuesday, August 8th @12:00pm. Newfound Regional High School. 155 N. Main St., Bristol

*Friday, August 18th @12:00pm. St. Joseph's Church. 23 Moultonville Rd., Ossipee

*Monday, August 21st @12:00pm. NH Liquor & Wine Outlet. 16 Metallack Place. Colebrook

All sessions are held online via Zoom.

To enroll in any upcoming session, please contact your Agency Relations Coordinator. A zoom link will be sent out prior to the class for those who signed up to attend.

New Shopper Orientation

Wednesday, August 9th @10:00am

Tuesday, August 29th @1:00pm

Thursday, September 14th @10:00am

*If you have a new director for your program, our Training & Resource Coordinator can come to you to do in-person training.

• Thanksgiving turkey requests will take place in September. So now is the time to plan ahead and consider the number of turkeys or gift cards you will be requesting this year.
• Granite State Market Match(GSMM) is great way for your clients to receive additional product for their money when using their SNAP card. Here you can find the printable list of participating Granite State Market Match locations.
• Have you missed out on viewing any past bulletins? Visit the Agency Portal to see an archive of past bulletins.