CAPITOL REGION FOOD PROGRAM
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Mission Statement
The Capital Region Food Program is a private, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to help reduce hunger in the Greater Concord Area through year-round distribution of food to individuals and families. This is accomplished by securing financial donations and in-kind services and by coordination, collaboration, and cooperation with other community distribution and service agencies.
About This Cause
We are an all-volunteer run organization servicing 18 communities in Merrimack County including: Allenstown, Boscawen, Bow, Canterbury, Chichester, Concord, Contoocook, Dunbarton, Epsom, Hopkinton, Loudon, Pembroke, Penacook, Pittsfield, Salisbury, Suncook, Warner, and Webster. Established in 1974 as the Holiday Food Basket Project, the CRFP grew from servicing 100 families to over 2200 families during the economic downturn of the early 1990’s. In 2004, in excess of 1800 families, more than 6500 individuals, received enough food for a special holiday meal plus 2-3 additional weeks. As the project grew, it moved from the Concordia Lutheran Church to the St. John’s Church Activity Center and in 1983, to its current location at the NH Army National Guard Armory on Pembroke Road where the December distribution takes place. Along with the growth have come many revisions to enhance the effectiveness of the program. Originally, the application process was done manually; issues regarding dietary restrictions, infants, and other special needs were not addressed. Today the applications are processed electronically and dietary needs as well as infants are accommodated. The HFBP began in 1974 with Reverend Sherwood Treadwell of the Wesley Methodist Church co-opting his friend and fellow Kiwanian, Mark E. Manus, into raising financial support from the downtown merchants to enable them to procure the food. Mark quickly became actively involved and arranged for this project to be part of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s “Take A Good Look At Concord” events. The Holiday Food Basket Project became a joint project of the Greater Concord Interfaith Council of Churches, St Vincent de Paul Society of St John’s Church and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce which was chaired and championed by Mark E Manus. In 1984, the Holiday Food Basket Project became a separate non-profit organization known as the Capital Region Food Program. In 1992, the Year Round Distribution Project was formally established. This project of the CRFP is responsible for providing monthly food supplies to over 30 are food pantries, which translates into providing over 5,500 meals per month to needy families. This project has grown from representing 10% of CRFP budget to over 44%. IMPACT OF CRFP Key Facts • Capital Region Food Program, a 501(C)3 not-for-profit organization, that is all-volunteer; no paid staff, no administrative costs. Every dollar donated to the CRFP is used exclusively to purchase food for our partner agencies, families and individuals in need residing in Concord and the surrounding 17 communities. • Over 3300 tons of food has been distributed to the hunger insecured in Concord and surrounding 17 communities over the past 45 years with items purchased valued in excess of $3,200,000. In addition, CRFP has redistributed donated food items with a value estimated at $1,600,000; the combined value of purchased and donated food exceeds $4,800,000. • 30 Partnering agencies with the CRFP Year Round Distribution Project receive free caseloads of food to continue their good work, which translates into a minimum value of $5,000 and maximum value of $10,000 annually. The CRFP YRDP is a supplemental source of food for these partnering agencies without which they would likely be unable to secure these resources. • The CRFP HFBP provides a wonderful holiday meal and enough food to sustain a family of 4 for a minimum of 2 additional weeks. In doing so this addresses the issues of childhood hunger during the holiday vacation. • In 2017, according to the US Census Bureau, US Department of Agriculture and the Food Research and Action Center, 10% of the residents in Merrimack County are hunger insecured. Of those, 20.1% were children under the age of 18 and 9.9% were seniors. While these numbers are an all-time low we are experiencing an increase in need. During our 2018 HFBP 27.1% of the 7,110 individuals served were children, over 51% served were female and another 11% were elders. • CRFP employs ongoing research into hunger insecurity to assist the board in making informed decisions. These decisions have resulted in adjustments to food offering and packaging in consideration of the diversity of recipients’ needs. Recognition and adjustment for age specific dietary needs. Inclusion of products that foster good nutritional value. • CRFP fosters collaboration, cooperation, coordination and communication between and among the social service agencies, soup kitchens, churches, food pantries and schools. • Through strategic partnerships, CRFP receives in-kind support from postage and administrative supplies to transportation and facilities to legal and accounting and beyond. On annual basis the value attributed to these in-kind contributions is in excess of $350,000, about double of the current operating budget. It is unlikely the organization would be successful in raising funds to cover those costs and the $175,000 for the current operating budget. • Agencies repeatedly confirm their appreciation for the support CRFP gives them as they believe the impact makes the difference between getting by and making a significant difference. Links to e-newsletters Summer 2021: https://conta.cc/3yQdVON Winter 2021: https://conta.cc/3upj26p Fall 2020: https://conta.cc/31i83yv Summer 2020: https://conta.cc/3gO6rCW Winter 2020: https://conta.cc/327bo2M