Community Members Can Help Their Local Food Pantry By Sharing Their Resources.


SHARE Fund is kicking off its Spring Fundraiser Campaign, "Spring Into Action", welcoming donations both online and by mail to continue to maintain its services of providing food to families in need through Gerry's Emergency Food Pantry. The campaign will run from April 23 through May 23, 2020.

One out of every nine men, women and children in the Granite State are food insecure, meaning they do not know where their next meal will come from.

In New Hampshire, approximately 12% of children are living in food insecure environments.
Nearly 6% of seniors are food insecure in New Hampshire.  With one out of six American families relying on food pantries to help feed them, the pantries often have a hard time meeting the demand – especially with the increased need resulting from the COVID-19 crisis.

“SHARE Fund has experienced a 50% rise in food assistance requests since early March when the pandemic broke out”, says Skip Smith, Executive Director. “Planned fundraising events have been cancelled, combined with the loss of income from our Community Clothing Shop sales, making the challenge of dealing with Covid-19 an even greater strain on our resources”.
Food pantries have access to some food through the NH Food Bank, but it can be challenging to obtain supplies with every pantry in the state seeing an increase in requests for help, combined with certain operating costs that cannot be covered by cans and boxes. Now with an increase in health issues due to the crisis, the continued operations in providing access to nutritious food is more critical than ever.

Gerrys Emergency Food Pantry has been operating a “drive-thru” format, with members lining up in cars and sometimes bicycles along the soccer field fence at the Rochester Community Center. “We are here with a small group of dedicated volunteers several days a week sorting and bagging food to hand out on Monday and Friday afternoons from 1 to 3 pm”, Smith said. “And we have welcomed many new neighbors to using the SHARE Fund services, all we ask is that you please call us in the morning prior to your first visit”. SHARE Fund also provides the only local Diaper Bank to help families with young children, as well as adult diaper needs. Smith states that “while we cannot access our office or clothing to assist our neighbors with certain needs, our core service of providing food to the hungry remains constant and will likely increase the longer this emergency lingers on”. Smith encourages Rochester and Farmington residents to “Take 5”. “Take 5 minutes to donate securely online or write and mail a check to SHARE Fund, and just think, as little as $5 can provide up to 5 meals for a neighbor in need!”.

“Today, this is about springing into action to help the food pantry during the COVID-19 crisis, but we know that when this is long behind us, the community will continue to share their time, talent, and resources to the SHARE Fund, helping to assure that their neighbors in need are provided food, diapers, clothing, and financial assistance as we have for over 25 years” noted Smith.

About SHARE Fund:
The SHARE Fund began over 25 years ago as an outreach ministry program of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Rochester.  With the help, support, and guidance of the Parish, the SHARE Fund grew into a successful assistance service.  In 2008, the SHARE Fund became an independent nonprofit agency, federally registered as a 501c3 public charity, operating out of the Rochester Community Center at 150 Wakefield Street. The SHARE Fund continues to grow and has become an integral service provider for people in need living in our community. Programs include Gerry's Emergency Food Pantry, the Community Diaper Bank, Emergency Financial Assistance, and the Community Clothing Shop.  SHARE Fund relies on donations to operate its programs and facilities.  You can “Spring into Action” today by visiting ShareFund.org or call 603-330-3468 to find out ways you can help, or be helped, in the Rochester/Farmington area.

For more information, contact Donald “Skip” Smith, Executive Director via email at rochestersharefund@gmail.com, or by phone at 603-330-3468.