Good morning!

Happy National Cheese Lover’s Day! Today is all about celebrating one of life’s tastiest joys—cheese.

We’ve rounded up just some of the best spots to grab cheese in New Hampshire. Got a favorite cheese shop or hidden gem? Hit reply and let us know!

Here’s what else we’re covering today:

🍎 Where to find free food resources in Manchester

📢 Question of the week: What do you think of an ICE detention center potentially coming to Merrimack?

🎮 More from Granite Gaming, where politics and play meet

🔠 Put your football knowledge to the test in our crossword

Katy Savage

Newsletter Editor, Granite Post

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P.S. Start the year informed. Know someone who’d love this newsletter? Send it their way.

New Hampshire food pantries need your help! (Aaron Doucett/Unsplash)

Free food resources in Manchester

By Stacy Rounds

Whether you’re searching for support or helping someone else find it, these Manchester organizations offer free meals and grocery assistance. The list below includes programs open to anyone who needs them.

Free Meal Programs

The Salvation Army — Meals & Kids’ Programs
📍 121 Cedar St., Manchester
Provides meals for youth and families, including evening Kids’ Cafe meals and weekend hot meals.
Blessed Sacrament Parish — Weekly Community Dinner
📍 14 Elm St., Manchester
Offers a free community dinner every Thursday at 6 p.m. for anyone in need.
1269 Cafe — Outreach Meal Ministry
📍 456 Union St., Manchester
Serves daily lunch, operates a food pantry, and hosts a winter overnight warming station.

Food Pantries

Families in Transition — Food Pantry & Donation Center
📍 176 Lake Ave., Manchester
Grocery-style pantry where residents choose their food; fresh produce and bread available weekly.
St. Anthony Food Pantry (St. Anthony of Padua Parish)
📍 61 W. Baker St., Manchester
Distributes bags of groceries by appointment on Thursdays.
Saint Raphael Food Pantry & Hope Chest
📍 103 Walker St., Manchester
Volunteer-run pantry providing grocery support for local families; operates Monday evenings.
Food For Children — God’s Love in Action (Outdoor Weekly Distribution)
📍 Beech Street School playground — 333 Beech St., Manchester
Weekly outdoor distribution of groceries for hundreds of families, Saturdays 10–11:30 a.m.
New Hampshire Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry (host location)
📍 700 E. Industrial Park Drive, Manchester
Drive-through and walk-up mobile distributions with pantry staples and fresh produce; other locations vary by date.

NH Mutual Aid Relief Fund

New Hampshire Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry (host location)
📍 Veteran’s Park, Manchester (pop-up location)
Volunteer-run “Free Store” pop-ups offering food, hygiene items, clothing, and essentials for anyone in need. Other mobile pantry locations vary by date.

🍎 Find more resources here

Protestors recently gathered in Merrimack to speak out against a rumored ICE detention center.

The Washington Post reported that Merrimack is one of 23 sites nationwide under consideration for new ICE detention facilities. ICE, also known as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is reportedly looking to convert industrial warehouses into detention centers.

So this week’s question is…

What do you think of an ICE detention center potentially coming to Merrimack?

Sound off!

Granite Gaming streams on Tuesday

Colin and Angelique are back streaming today.

If you missed last Thursday’s episode, you can always watch
a snippet here.

🗓️ When do they normally stream? Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon.

📍Where can I watch? Twitch.tv/granitegamingnh

Watch a recent episode

Think you’ve got what it takes to crack this crossword? Tell us how long it takes you to finish it by emailing us at info@granitepostnews.com! This week’s topic? Football trivia.