Please join us for a tapestry hanging celebration and art show at the Media Center in MVRHS. Festivities will take place on Thursday, April 5th at 6:00 pm. Hope to see you there!
Snacks for Schools Food Drive presented by Twin State Positivity
We are thankful to Twin State (NH/VT) Positivity Club and Volunteer Flash Mob for organizing the Snack for Schools Food Drive. This group is made up of positive community members from a number of local organizations who band together to do good works of all types and size. Past projects have included assembling baskets for David's House, supporting Silent Warriors, and delivering treats to highway department workers.
There are three great ways to join in the snack drive:
Click here to access full size PDF Poster & Suggested Snack List for printing.
- Donate single serving snack items at any of the following locations: Canaan Hardware, Community Lutheran Church, Enfield House of Pizza, Family Pharmacy. DHMC Employees may contact Bridget Labrie through internal email to arrange drop-off in the Borwell Building location.
- Volunteer your local business or organization to host a collection box (easy printable materials are linked below). Email Kate Plumley Stewart to let her know the name and location of your collection and to arrange pick-up.
- Host a Snack for Schools Drive in your office and be a champion in the fight against food insecurity.
Hannaford West Lebanon Chooses FOM as Hannaford Helps Recipient During the Month of March
Great news! Friends of Mascoma Foundation's Friends Feeding Friends program has been chosen again for the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag Program. For this round, please visit the West Lebanon Hannaford during the month of March, purchase either bag pictured below, and Friends Feeding Friends will receive $1.00 per bag.
We are thankful for Hannaford's ongoing support both through programming and product donations to our pantries.
Friends Feeding Friends Food Insecurity Program Celebrates Year 2
Thank you to everyone who came out to the Friends Feeding Friends 2nd Anniversary Celebration and Open House!
Kat McDermott, our first FOM Intern, introduced Carol Cusick, our Treasurer and Food Pantry Champion, who explained what it takes to run the pantries and recognized our many awesome volunteers and contributors. Visitors got to see firsthand the latest surprise haul from the New Hampshire Food Bank along with standard items we pick up. Willing Hands, the Enfield Mascoma Lions Club, Enfield Fire Department, and MTD's Property Maintenance were all represented and recognized for their valuable contributions. We celebrated after the remarks with a delicious and beautifully lettered cake donated by Carolyn Neville-Freese of Duck Soup Catering.
Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunt participants went home with FOM Euro Car stickers. Kat did the honor of drawing the winner of the T-Shirt from a Hannaford West Lebanon Fight Hunger bag - the winner is Sue Jukosky!
Some of the questions and hints scattered throughout the pantry included:
- How many pounds can "Forkie" the fork life handle? 2200 lb.
- What local company sent us 4 employees to volunteer as part of their community service program? Hypertherm
- How many turkeys did we supply to our community this year? 135
- How many refrigeration/freezer units do we have at the Canaan Food Pantry? 8
- Did you know Friends Feeding Friends received approximately 131,685 pounds of food for distribution in 2017?
- NH Food Bank 117,014 lb.
- Willing Hands 4,671 lb.
- USDA 10,000 lb. approx.
Earn 2 Free Meals for our Partners at the NH Food Bank
Who do we love? YOU Mascoma!! We also love our partners at the New Hampshire Food Bank and we’d like your assistance to do a little something to help them out. It’s as easy as using your mobile phone (text rates apply if they aren’t free on your phone, but otherwise this is completely free too!)
- Text MEALS to 35350.
- When you receive the zip code prompt Text back 03109 (the Food Bank’s zip code in Manchester, NH).
General Mills will give 2 meals to our friends at the NH Food Bank. It’s that easy and simple to say THANK YOU and help us give back!
#bettertogether #community #fightfoodinsecurity
Mark Your Calendar for NH Gives June 6-7, 2018, 6 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Last year, in one 24 hour #NHGives fundraising session, Friends of Mascoma members raised $17,000 toward Scholarships to be awarded to graduating Mascoma students. That's just over $11.40 each minute!
How did we do it? We didn't, YOU DID and we need your help again this year. Without giving away all of our strategy (this is, after all, a competition), we want you to mark your calendars and watch for updates so we can work some #MascomaMagic again together. When we say the word, we want you to break out your devices, share, like, and chip in a few dollars to help us raise funds and win each category like we did last year!
FOM 2017 Scholarship Recipients
This is a photo of the students from the Class of 2017 who were awarded scholarships from us during Mascoma Senior Award's Night. These students are going on to do great things in the next chapter of their lives. We are very proud of everything they have already accomplished and eagerly await news of their future successes!
Please join us for #nhgives as we replenish our scholarship fund for future graduates. There is plenty of fun to be had two as FOM members of all ages share the spirit of micro-philanthropy and love for our school community.
Board Member Liz Murray showing her #NHGives spirit in 2017
Learning to give starts at a young age.
Mini-Grant Applications are Due April 30th
Any member of the Mascoma Valley Regional School District’s instructional or professional staff (i.e., teachers, counselors, librarians, paraprofessionals, or nurses) is eligible to apply for a mini-grant through FOM. Mini-grants support, encourage, and facilitate great teaching ideas that would not be possible within the existing school budget.
If you know someone with an exciting idea for a project that works for the MVRSD please send them the following link and let them know the next deadline is April 30th: http://friendsofmascoma.org/mini-grants/!
Scholarship Applications are Due May 1st
Are you graduating from Mascoma this year or do you know someone who is? Our scholarship application deadline is May 1st. For more information and to apply please visit http://friendsofmascoma.org/scholarship/.
Come and Join us! Thursday, February 15! 6:00-8:00 PM
Ever wondered what the inner workings of the Friends Feeding Friends Food pantries looks like?
Curious about joining our amazing team of volunteers?
Wondering what type of resources we have to offer our community?
Please JOIN US for a casual evening of community conversation and see our food insecurity efforts to help our Mascoma Valley. TOUR our Canaan Food Pantry, ASK your questions., CELEBRATE volunteers, and LEARN MORE about what you can do to help access our resources or contribute.
Treats and punch will be served throughout the evening and tours will be given regularly. Our first MVRHS intern, Kat, will offer a brief welcome and introductions at about 6:15 followed by CAKE CUTTING.
Call for Garden Volunteers
Calling all gardeners! Do you have 1-2 hours a week for volunteering in a garden? Friends of Mascoma is looking for volunteers to help plant and tend small raised garden beds at EVS and MVRHS this spring and summer. Vegetables and herbs grown in the gardens will be enjoyed by students and families in our school district. Promoting gardening is another way we are working to reduce food insecurity in our district. If you are interested in volunteering please email hspwest@friendsofmascoma.org.
Have you been curious about the gardens at Enfield Shaker Museum? If so, this is another opportunity to be a volunteer gardener. For the 2018 season, the Enfield Shaker Museum is looking for volunteers for both its Village and Children’s Garden programs. These programs run from May through October. Village Gardeners help maintain and harvest the Museum’s herb gardens and production beds. The Children’s Garden program gives a chance for local youth groups to learn the basics of organic gardening from experienced volunteers. If you are interested in either of these programs or would like more information, please contact the Museum at (603) 632-4346 or email education@shakermuseum.org.
2018 Food Pantries Hours and Info for YOU!
Friends Feeding Friends
Closures & Cancellations
JANUARY 2018 TO MARCH 2018
During the winter months it is possible the pantries will be closed on short notice due to inclement weather or illness. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook and subscribe to the Mascoma ListServ for updates.
Please email info@friendsofmascoma.org with questions or for more information. In case of emergency please call 802.276.0189. You may also contact the Mascoma Area Food Pantry at 603.523.4333 extension 106.
Locations & Hours
Please note NEW HOURS below.
CANAAN FOOD PANTRY
9 Mechanic Street (behind Canaan Hardware in the MTD building)
Canaan, NH 03741
Open Wednesdays from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm
ENFIELD FOOD PANTRY
23 Main Street (Whitney Hall and the Enfield Town Office)
Enfield, NH 03748
Open Thursdays from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm
Food Emergency Contact Information
In case of a food emergency please call our hotline at 802.276.0189. Upon calling you will hear a detailed message and be asked to leave a message with your name and contact information. Please be sure to repeat your name and phone number twice in your message. Please also make sure your phone is able to accept phone calls from caller ID blocked numbers.
For all other emergencies please call 911.
Volunteers
If you are interested in volunteering for our Friends Feeding Friends program please email food@friendsofmascoma.org or call 802.276.0189. Please note that all volunteers are required to read and sign a liability waiver before volunteering.
@Hannafords Cause Bag Program at their Manchester Store has picked Friends Feeding Friends Food Insecurity Program for the month of January!
So, if you are in the Manchester area and need to food shop, think of us! For every bag sold $.25 goes to us! We were the recent recipient at their West Lebanon store and received $32.25. (129 bags sold). That can buy 60 meals at the @New Hampshire Food Bank.
@Cardigan Mountain School donates $984.00 to Friends of Mascoma Foundation
On most Sundays you can see the Cardigan Mountain School Van at our "Friends Feeding Friends" Canaan Food Pantry and Distribution Site. Volunteer students from the school help with anything from unpacking food boxes and shelving food to grinding coffee beans for pantry set-up. The boys had a fundraiser called , "Pennies War" and pictured above is a CMS student and CMS staff member, Corey Lawson, awarding their collection amount to Carolyn Cusick, Board Member. We are so honored to have such great community partners!
Friends of Mascoma Participates in Christmas in Canaan, December 15.
Board members, Matt Dow and Theresa Sabol, set up our site in a donated space from @MTD Property. We were happy to join the festive night by serving hot soup and treats.
Pictures are Carolyn Cusick , Kat Mc Dermott, our 10th Grade MVRHS student intern, Kate Stewart and Theresa Sabol. A fun community event!
Friends of Mascoma Foundation Partners with the Mascoma Valley Firefighters and Fast Squads Toy and Food Giveaway In December
Pictured are Phil Neily, Canaan, Alton Hennessey, Canaan, Ed Carroll, Dorchester, Drew Burse, Canaan, Steve Kudlik, Grafton and John Nugent, Enfield----great community representation.
FOM helped fill 150 food boxes available to families with children. Event took place December 9.
Holiday Food Pantry Closures
Please be advised that the Canaan and Enfield food pantries are closed the following dates for the holidays:
- November 23rd and 24th
- December 27th and 28th
- January 3rd and 4th
Please email info@friendsofmascoma.org with questions or for more information. In case of emergency please call 802.276.0189. You may also contact the Mascoma area food pantry at 603.523.4333 extension 106.
Gift tip! Don't forget about our Take A Seat Initiative! Great Holiday Gift.
GO TO: www.friendsofmascoma/takeaseat
Friends of Mascoma Foundation Participates In Giving Tuesday, November 28
We entered the special facebook Giving Tuesday Fundraiser which was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matching grants. We thank all of you who supported us by donating a total of $1068.00. That can add a scholarship, support an exciting teacher mini-grant or buy 2000 meals at the New Hampshire Food Bank.
Margarita's Fundraiser 2017
Doug and Shay Plumley have a date night while also supporting us by having dinner at Margarita's Lebanon which donates 20% of their proceeds to the charity. $700.00 was a welcome donation! Thanks to all who came out!
Pictured is Kat McDermott of Canaan and MVRHS student, our very first official intern. She was a big help to board member , Carolyn Cusick with our fundraising event.
News from Our Friends Feeding Friends Program
We partnered with our schools to help fill Thanksgiving boxes for 85 School families. This is Peg Vincent from Indian River School who spearheads Helping Hands. The MVRHS National Honor Society and Making A Difference also fulfilled boxes. Thanks to the @New Hampshire Food Bank, we were able to add 85 frozen turkeys. We also partnered with the Mascoma Ecumenical Council to provide 50 turkeys for their Thanksgiving boxes. Look at all that squash donated from Blue Ox Farm!
Pictured is Dan Kiley of Enfield, an all-around awesome volunteer and Sonja Blair of the Mascoma Community Health Center who sponsored a great food drive for us. Thank you!
It's official! We now have a SUPER Canaan Pantry Distribution Center thanks to Matt and Becky Dow of MTD Property Maintenance and Construction. Pictured here is Ryan Porter, a volunteer from Enfield who just finished operating our new forklift, thanks to a generous donor. Come and visit us! We would love to show you our new space.
We are excited to add that we received a surprise grant of $1500 from The New Hampshire Electric Cooperative Foundation that placed this amount directly into our NH Food Bank accounts. Thanks so much! That certainly is helping us as we partner with the Mascoma Valley Firefighters and Fast Squads Annual Toy and Food Giveaway on December 9.