Seacoast restaurants and pantries offer free food amid SNAP crisis

Black Trumpet Restaurant & Bar in Portsmouth is among the Seacoast restaurants stepping up to offer free meals as the US government shutdown has stalled SNAP benefits.

Chef Evan Mallett, a restaurant staff member and two volunteers bagged lunches Nov. 3 for distribution at the Ceres Street bistro. Mallett said his team would prepare 100 meals based on ingredients inventory and kitchen capacity, adding production might ramp up in the coming weeks if needed. He later reported 78 meals were distributed and 63 more were donated to Gather.

Mallett said he felt compelled to assist people recently thrust into food insecurity and financial unease. All are eligible and no pre-registration is required for the free meals.

“I’m just like everyone else who sees what’s going on and feels a sense of desperation and a strong desire to do something,” Mallett said. “It’s not always clear to most of us what it is that we can do. I am an exception in that I have this incredible vehicle that is my restaurant, its reputation and the following we have that when it’s time to do something for the community, the groundwork has already been laid.”

Black Trumpet’s first free meal was a turkey club with bacon on bread from When Pigs Fly, beet and apple slaw, potato salad and an apple. The lunches were handed out between noon and 2 p.m. Nov. 3.

Farmers from Meadows Mirth in Brentwood and Roots in Reverie in Lee have provided Black Trumpet with local ingredients, as have distributors at Native Maine Produce and Shaheen Bros. Walker Keay Farm in Eliot, Maine has donated produce for Black Trumpet’s anticipated Nov. 10 meal, a squash soup with side salad.

The government shutdown began Oct. 1, affecting local employees at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Pease Air National Guard Base and the National Passport Center in Portsmouth. Federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ceased at the start of November, though federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave eleventh hour rulings ordering President Donald Trump’s administration to use over $5 billion in contingency funds for SNAP. On Nov. 3, the Trump administration announced it would send out partial payments to SNAP recipients.

SNAP benefits for many recipients were reduced earlier this year.

Black Trumpet’s free meal announcement quickly garnered widespread support. Mallett will compile a running list of volunteers to reach out to as long as the Monday lunches last.

“Often an initiative like this gets a very dramatic reception at its outset but then over time the public interest diminishes,” he said. “We know we’re going to face that situation if this shutdown continues and if people don’t have the basic benefits they need to put food on the table. We will be pulling from that database in the coming weeks to get hands to help us get the food out. I can’t say enough how emotionally powerful and overwhelming it has been to see the response from not just people who live around here, but people around the country who see this.”

Members of the public interested in volunteering with Black Trumpet’s Monday meal campaign can contact the restaurant at [email protected].

NH Food Bank and state offer mobile food pantries for SNAP enrollees

The state’s Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with the New Hampshire Food Bank to offer mobile food pantries to SNAP recipients statewide, starting Nov. 4 and 5. This includes seven Seacoast locations.

The pantries are exclusively for SNAP recipients, who must confirm that they participate in the program by displaying their EBT card or a Department of Health and Human Services letter noting their SNAP enrollment.

Locations are subject to change. The list as of Monday, Nov. 3 is as follows:

• Dover: Whittier Falls, 50 Whittier St.; Tuesdays, Nov. 4 and 18, 1-3 p.m.
• Hampton: Municipal Lot, 30 High St.; Thursdays, Nov. 6 and 13, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Portsmouth: Gosling Meadows, 36 Wedgewood Road; Wednesdays Nov. 5, 12 and 19 (2-3:30 p.m. and Nov. 26 (12:30-2 p.m.)
• Raymond: Lamprey Health Center, 128 Route 27; Tuesday, Nov. 25, 1-2 p.m.
• Rochester: Grace Church, 57 Wakefield St., Tuesday, Nov. 25, noon-3 p.m.
• Seabrook (two locations); 117 Cimarron Drive, Thursday, Nov. 6, 1-3 p.m.; and Seabrook Recreation, 311 Lafayette Road, Thursday, Nov. 13, 1-3 p.m.
• Somersworth: Tucker’s parking lot, 250 Indian Brook Drive, Friday, Nov. 14 from 11 a.m.-noon.

More Seacoast businesses helping government employees, SNAP recipients

Businesses in Seacoast New Hampshire and southern Maine are rallying to aid struggling locals and federal civilian employees hit hard by the government shutdown.

Area restaurants and bars — Moe’s Italian Sandwiches, the Corner Pub, Rudders Public House and more — are offering discount deals for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees who are working without a paycheck.

Christopher’s Third Street Grille, a Dover business, has organized a makeshift food pantry for anyone in need.

The Brunch Club, an eatery with locations in Dover and Rochester, is running a food drive, giving children of federal civilian employees or SNAP recipients free kids’ meals until the end of the government shutdown, and feeding adult civilian workers and SNAP participants until the end of the shutdown.

Vida Cantina in Portsmouth is offering free enchilada dinners through a form posted on its website. People are being asked to include a photo of their SNAP card and can choose chicken, pork, or vegetarian and sides and a pickup date and time.

Is your business helping those in need? Please let us know how at new[email protected].

Seacoast NH and Maine food pantries list

Local pantries and markets are available to help those facing food insecurity. Among them are:

St. Vincent de Paul of Exeter

• Address: 53 Lincoln St., Exeter, NH
• Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-noon; Monday and Wednesday, 7-8 p.m. Seniors-only hours second Tuesday of each month 10 a.m.-noon.
• Contact: 603-772-9922
• Requirements: Call the center or visit to request informaiton on becoming a client.
• Website: svdpexeter.com

St. Vincent de Paul of Hampton

• Address: 289 Lafayette Road, Hampton, NH
• Hours: 10 a.m.-noon on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, except holidays.
• Contact: 603-929-4427
• Requirements: Applicants are interviewed in person or by telephone. If the applicants are eligible for assistance, they are given an appointment.
• Website: svdphampton.com/food-pantry

Community Action Partnership of Strafford County (Dover)

• Address: 577 Central Ave., Dover, NH
• Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.
• Contact: (603) 435-2500 (Ext. 8136)
• Requirements: There are no restrictions and there is additional help for SNAP/WIC/government employees.
• Website: straffordcap.org/food-pantries

Community Action Partnership of Strafford County (Rochester)

• Address: 10 Cold Spring Manor, Rochester
• Hours: Tuesdays, noon to 4 p.m.
• Website: straffordcap.org/food-pantries

Community Congregational Church of Greenland food pantry

• Address: 44 Post Road (Route 151), Greenland NH in former church building, next to Greenland Central School.
• Hours: Wednesday 10 a.m.-noon., Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Requirements: Open to all.
• Contact: [email protected]

Dover Food Pantry

• Address: 1 Silver St., Dover, NH
• Hours: Tuesday 3-5 p.m.; Thursday 9-11 a.m.
• Requirement: Serving anyone in need in Dover, NH area.
• Contact: (603) 749-7827 or [email protected].
• Website: facebook.com/DoverFoodPantry

Footprints (Kittery)

• Address: 22 Shapleigh Road, Kittery, Maine
• Hours: Mondays from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Requirement: All clients must complete a short registration process at the Footprints food pantry.
• Contact: (207) 439-4763
• Website:footprintsfoodpantry.org

Gather (Portsmouth)

• Address: 124 Heritage Ave., Portsmouth, NH
• Hours: Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Requirement: Bring proof of residency or employment in New Hampshire or Maine.
• Contact: (603) 436-0641
• Website: gathernh.org

Operation Blessing (Portsmouth)

• Address: 600A Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, NH
• Hours: Wednesdays 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursdays 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Fridays 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturdays 9 a.m.-noon
• Contact: (603) 430-8561 or [email protected]
• Website: operationblessingnh.org/food

Seeds of Faith Food Pantry (Rollinsford)

• Address: 1 Front Street, Rollinsford, NH
• Hours: Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Third Thursday of every month from 6 to 7 p.m.
• Requirement: No identification or proof of residency required.
• Contact: (207) 703-3185
• Website: lydiashousenh.org/food-pantry

Share Fund Food Pantry, Rochester

• Address: 50 Wakefield St., Rochester, NH
• Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Fridays 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
• Requirement: A picture ID, basic contact information, a list of any food allergies.
• Contact: Call directly 603-330-3468; or email [email protected].
• Website: sharefund.org/qualify-for-food-pantry.

First Church Congregational Food Pantry, Rochester

• Address: 63 South Main St., Rochester, NH
• Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Contact: (603) 332-1121
• Website: first-ucc.net/outreach

Community Food Pantry, Somersworth

• Address: 76 West High St., Somersworth, NH (Serving Somersworth, Rollinsford and South Berwick.)
• Hours: Monday 10 a.m.-noon, Wednesday 6-8 p.m., Thursday 3-5 p.m.
• Contact: 603-692-2907.

Saint Thomas More Food Pantry, Durham

• Address: 6 Madbury Road Durham, NH
• Hours: Thursdays 4-6 p.m.
• Contact: 603-868-2666
• Website: stmdurham.org/about-us/food-pantry

Cornucopia Food Pantry at The Waysmeet Center (Durham)

• Address: 15 Mill Road, Durham, NH
• Hours: Mondays 1-4 p.m., Tuesdays 3-6 p.m., Fridays noon-2 p.m.
• Requirement: No identification or proof of residency required.
• Contact: (603) 868-1216
• Website: waysmeetcenter.org/programs

York Community Service Association Food Pantry

• Address: 855 U.S. Route 1, York, Maine
• Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Contact: Maureen Monsen, 207-363-5504 ext. 3 or [email protected]. Email grocery list to Monsen before coming to pantry. See information on website.
• Website: ycsame.org/food-pantry

Neighbors Food Pantry, Eliot

• Address: Eliot Baptist Church, 912 Harold L. Dow Highway, Eliot, Maine
• Hours: Thursdays 9:30 a.m.-noon and 5:30-6:30 p.m.
• Requirements: No proof of residency, appointments or sign-up required.
• Contact: (207) 748-1248
• Website: eliotbaptistchurch.com/neighbors-food-pantry

South Berwick Community Food Pantry

• Address: 47 Ross St,, South Berwick
• Hours: Thursdays 6-7:30 p.m.; Fridays 10-11:30 a.m.
• Contact: (207) 384-2193
• Website: sobocentral.org/foodpantry.html

In addition, free meals are offered as many locations, including:

• A Common Table: St John’s Episcopal Church at 101 Chapel St. in Portsmouth, noon-1 p.m. Thursdays.
• Seacoast Community Lunch: Middle Street Baptist Church at 18 Court St. in Portsmouth, noon-1 p.m. Wednesdays.

Do you know more local food pantries? Email new[email protected] or new[email protected] so we can add them to this list. 

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Reporting by Ian Lenahan.