Food Insecurity is Hitting Home in our Community
FEED Kearsarge is a local coalition working to solve this problem together—and you can help.
This is the first Letter to the Community of many designed to help more people understand the problem of food insecurity in the Kearsarge Region, and discover solutions to end hunger and build a more food secure future for all. Please feel free to distribute widely.
Whether or not neighbors have enough food to eat is not a partisan issue. Access to food is a basic human right and food security is a matter of local and national security; when neighbors are hungry, entire communities suffer. This is not some problem “out there”— people face hunger every day right here in the Kearsarge region.
The truth is, many people are doing everything they can to make ends meet but the math just isn’t adding up as the cost of living rises across the board. In Merrimack county, the food insecurity rate is about 9.8%, which translates to roughly 11,000 people facing a lack of access to sufficient food, according to Feeding America.
Food insecurity is defined by the USDA as limited or uncertain access to adequate, nutritious food for an active, healthy life due to lack of resources. This is not a failing of the individual; it is a systemic issue of affordability and accessibility. Rising costs and policy changes are only making hunger worse in our region. This makes it more urgent than ever to understand the problem and respond.
FEED Kearsarge is a local coalition working to strengthen Food Expansion, Education, and Distribution in our community. We bring together food pantries, volunteers, community health workers, farmers and food producers, educators, organizers, churches, and concerned residents to support one another and address food insecurity beyond partisan lines.
Over the past two months, we’ve been inspired by individuals, businesses, and organizations stepping up to help and we encourage that momentum to continue!
If you’re wondering how to help right now, you can:
Donate to a local food pantry: Check out the nhfoodbank.org/find-food/food-map for pantries in our region
Sign up to volunteer: Kearsarge Neighborhood Partners is a local volunteer organization and they’ll connect you with opportunities to help: knpnh.org
Inform yourself on the very real problem of food insecurity here in our community: Joining the NH Hunger Solutions mailing list is a great place to start: nhhungersolutions.org
Save the date for the Food Security Summit: On April 18th, 2026 we will gather to learn more about this important issue and leave with clear, meaningful ways to strengthen food security in the years ahead.
Now is time to expand these efforts by improving communication, coordinating resources, and finding new ways to reach neighbors in need. That’s why FEED Kearsarge is intentionally building momentum and we welcome you to join us. If you’d like to be involved, email mel@KNPNH.org to join our mailing list.
Hunger is a solvable issue if we work together.
Signed,
Kearsarge Food Hub
Kearsarge Neighborhood Partners
The Andover Food Hub
Warner Connects
St. Andrews Church
Counseling Associates
Food for Thought NH Inc.
KLS Food Pantry
NH Hunger Solutions
New London Hospital
Warner Food Pantry
Our Lady of Fatima
Immaculate Conception
Singing Pond Farm
First Baptist Church
Main Street Warner, Inc.
Randy Fleury’s Honey
NH Abenaki Helping Abenaki
Greater Sullivan County Public Health Network
United Church of Warner
Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire
Lake Sunapee VNA and Hospice
This is one letter of a public education campaign designed to help more people understand the issue of food insecurity as a systemic problem that can be solved. If your organization is involved in fighting hunger or building food security, we would love to have you sign on to subsequent letters! The more organizations working together on this issue together, the better. Get in touch with Mel at KNP if you’d like to sign future letters.