Greetings,

Here are some quick updates from the Friends of Mascoma Foundation!

Friends of Mascoma Welcomes New Executive Director

The Board of Directors is pleased to welcome our New Executive Director, Tamara Carlson.  Tamara joined Friends of Mascoma in March 2024.  She has a B.S. in Paralegal Studies from the University of Hartford and a MBA from the University of Phoenix.  Tamara brings an extensive executive background including the CEO of the Bristol (CT) Boys and Girls Club, COO of Taylor Energy, and Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions for Stanley Black & Decker.  Tamara lives in Danbury with her husband, children and four dogs. 

The board would like to express our sincere thanks to Kate Plumley Stewart, a founding member of Friends of Mascoma, for her assistance as our Interim Executive Director. Kate stepped out of her role as Vice-President to help our organization continue to serve our community during our transition.  We are so grateful for all of her time spent and look forward to her continued help. Her marketing skills have set the bar! 

Reminder Pantry Hours:  The pantry is open Tuesdays and Wednesday’s from 3pm to 5:30pm at  the FOM headquarters behind Canaan Hardware Store, 9 On The Common Way.

Our pantries are open to anyone in need of a 3-day supply of groceries that lives in one of the 5 Mascoma Valley Towns: Canaan, Dorchester, Grafton, Enfield, and Orange. Our public pantries are open to all residents in need. If your budget (or someone you know) is tight because of rising fuel costs or other expenses shopping with us can make a big difference. We have a great mixed selection of fresh produce, meat, pantry staples, dairy, personal care items, and bread items each week. 

Volunteers:  April 21st-27th is Volunteer Appreciation week.  We have two employees so we count on our volunteers to help us with our mission. 

WE CANNOT THANK OUR VOLUNTEERS ENOUGH FOR ALL THEY DO!!

Would you or someone you know be interested in volunteering for a day or a couple hours per week at the pantry.  Our organization depends on volunteers in order to operate and provide the services we do to the community.  If you are interested in volunteering please email: info@friendsofmascoma.org

Teacher Appreciation Week:  Join us in celebrating our Mascoma Teaching Staff the week of May 6-10 during National Teacher Appreciation Week.

Donations:  If you would like to donate food or snacks for the community pantry or the school pantry’s please email info@friendsofmascoma.org.  Please note that we are not able to accept out of date food.  If you would like to donate monetarily to Friends of Mascoma for food to be purchased, please send donations to: Tamara Carlson, Executive Director, Friends of Mascoma, 9 on the Common Way, Canaan, NH 03741.  We appreciate any and all donations no matter the size.

Scholarships:  Scholarship applications were due by Mascoma High School students on April 15th.  Our Scholarship Committee is excited to review the applications.  Keep an eye out for future newsletters for the scholarship recipient’s announcement.

Mini-Grants:  The Friends of Mascoma offers mini-grants to the Mascoma Valley educators.  Mini-grants are offered throughout the entire year.  Educators should reach out to their administration for approval and submission to FOM.  Please visit www.friendsofmascoma.org/mini-grants for more information.

NH Gives! June 11th-12th

We are pleased to report that we have once again signed up to participate in NH Gives!  This year’s event will kick off at 5pm on June 11th. NH Gives is our largest fundraiser of the year.  NH Gives assists in our funding of mini-grants and scholarships. 

NH Gives – an initiative of the NH Center for Nonprofits - is a powerful, statewide 24-hour online fundraising event that is designed to build community, connect donors to local nonprofits and generate excitement about the nonprofit sector.

Thank you,

Bridge Labrie,                        Tamara Carlson,

President                                Executive Director

New Website Calendar Feature

Exciting News! We're thrilled to announce a fantastic new addition to the Friends of Mascoma website – the Calendar Feature!

Now, staying connected with all the wonderful events and activities in our community has never been easier. Whether it's community projects, fundraisers, pantry hours, or social gatherings, you can find it all in one place!

👀 What's in store?

✅ Easily browse upcoming events

✅ Get event details and RSVP

✅ Never miss a beat in our vibrant community

Explore the new calendar feature today and start planning your next Mascoma adventure!

Future Advancement Scholarship Applications Open - due by 4/15/2024

The Friends of Mascoma Foundation scholarship application period is from January 1st through April 15th, 2024. Applications are ONLY accepted through our website.

The guiding principle of FOM’s scholarship program is to support both traditional four-year+ applicants as well as trade school and certificate program applicants. Friends of Mascoma celebrates the pursuit of all forms of higher education. The number of scholarships and dollar amount awarded is dependent on available funds each year.

A successful applicant will be/display the following:

▫️ A student in the MVRSD

▫️ Demonstrate authenticity and sincerity (Mean what you say, say what you mean. Be honest.)

▫️ Use clear and concise language (Simple, easy to read)

▫️ Craft focused and relevant answers (Straightforward answers)

▫️ Submit a compelling application (Shows passion or excitement for your next chapter)

▫️ Be service minded or show a love of community (Has demonstrated commitment to their community through volunteerism or other relevant activities. Community can mean Mascoma, the school community, a faith-based community, a sports community, etc.…)

▫️ Your application will reflect that you’ve considered, identified, and worked towards your long-term educational and/or career goals and that you’ve begun to incorporate them into your educational and/or extracurricular activities either in or outside of school.

Mark your calendars for NH Gives 2024 ~ June 11th & 12th

Friends of Mascoma joined the NH Gives fun in 2016 and we have participated ever since. In 2024, NH Gives will help FOM raise money for our scholarship fund and our operations. Thanks to the generosity of our donors our scholarship program and operations have grown rapidly over the years.

Please join us on this wild 24 hour ride on
June 11th and 12th, 2024.

Ways to Help:

NHGIVES, beginning June 11th at 5 pm through June 12th at 5 pm, is an online event with real-time updates. See what the FOM team is up to on social media and at nhgives.org/organizations/friendsofmascoma

• Become a donor during NHGIVES. You can donate as many times as you choose.

• Split up donations amongst all your family members or business employees/partners. Be creative. Each email address counts as one unique donor. There is prize money for most unique donors.

• Be a Fundraising Champion on our NHGIVES site. Go to our NH Gives profile, click the "Fundraise" button, and follow the prompts to set up your profile. We are asking our fundraising champions to ask five friends and family members to donate during NH Gives. Last year alumni class clashes, community organizers, and past scholarship recipients chipped in to raise funds. We won a the peer-to-peer prize thanks to the active participation of our fundraising champions.

• Share our posts on to your social media. Online days of giving are successful because of our social networks. Help us grow our social network by inviting your friends and family to like our Facebook and Instagram pages. Share our posts on Facebook, tweet about the NH Gives, and share your love for Friends of Mascoma. Ask others to do the same!

• Show your#unselfie pride. Download the PDF sign, print it, write why you are supporting Friends of Mascoma, and post it to our Facebook page with the hashtags #unselfie #nhgives and #friendsofmascoma.

• Past scholarship recipients can renew their scholarship through NH Gives. Past recipients must be currently enrolled in a higher education program. Past recipients must sign up to be a fundraising champion for FOM during NH Gives. Past recipients who wish to renew their scholarship are required to email scholarships@friendsofmascoma.org before NH Gives to notify FOM of intent to renew and provide current contact information. Scholarship Renewal Fundraising Champions will receive 50% of the amount they have raised as a scholarship.

Mascoma Tackles Hunger - Homecoming Week

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Mascoma Valley Regional School District athletes and students are working hard to tackle hunger during Homecoming Week. Donations may be sent in with elementary schoolers to EVS and CES or dropped off in the Friends of Mascoma trailer in the lower high school parking lot through the end of September. Items will be stocked in the school pantry and overflow will be shared with the Friends Feeding Friends food pantries in Canaan and Enfield.

Most wanted items include:

🍿single serving snacks

🥤single serving drink mixes

🌮 side dishes like hamburger helper, pasta sides, easy mac, flavored rices

🍲 hearty soups

🧴 deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash

🦃 Thanksgiving items including cranberry sauce, pie crust filling, pie crust mix, stuffing mix

Want to have items delivered directly to the High School Pantry Annex? Order from the Amazon list and pick from pantry favorites and most-needed items.

2023 Scholarship Recipients

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At the Mascoma Valley Regional School District Scholarship Awards on June 4th, Bridget introduced our presenters Matt, Holly, Sadie, Kate, and Carol and kicked off awarding 15 scholarships totaling $23,500 on behalf of Friends of Mascoma Foundation and our generous donors and sponsors.

Friends of Mascoma Foundation has three main programs. We supply food through three food pantries through our Friends Feeding Friends program, we give mini-grants to teaching staff to enhance their curriculum or add special activities to their classes, and we award scholarships. We are pleased to announce we are awarding 15 scholarships this year. Before handing out these scholarships, we wanted to thank all of our donors and sponsors that made it possible to award all of the applicants scholarships this year.

As in past years, the majority of the funds for these scholarships were raised during NH Gives. We have hundreds of wonderful supporters who give money each year in support of pursuing any form of education after high school. We are participating in NH Gives again, which takes place this week on June 6th and 7th to help replenish our scholarship fund. Previous recipients can join us to help raise funds and earn additional scholarship money during NH Gives. Thank you to everyone who continues to donate to make these scholarships possible.

𝙂𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙩 𝙂𝙞𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙤𝙡𝙞

𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕒 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

This recipient balances school, athletics and extracurricular activities with enthusiasm while exceeding expectations. He spends time volunteering and making the world a better place for those around them. Through his volunteer work and life experiences they see the value of family and giving back to their community. Garrett, we look forward to seeing all of your future achievements and how you will continue to inspire others to achieve their dreams. We are pleased to award Garrett Giovagnoli a Friends of Mascoma Scholarship.

𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙮

𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕒 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

This student has always wanted to own his own business and their eye on entrepreneurship. He dialed in on his future career by taking Introduction to Business, Accounting, Personal Finance, and Entrepreneurship. After being a member of the Future Business Leaders of America club, this year he was elected President. Not only that, Luke is graduating early – overcoming a challenging upbringing earlier in life. We look forward to seeing this student’s future interior design business take flight and are please to award a Friends of Mascoma Foundation scholarship to Luke Conkey.

𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙚𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙤𝙠

𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕒 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

This recipient works hard to achieve her goals. She may have once been a bit quiet and shy, but has pushed themselves outside of her comfort zone to see how rewarding it can be to talk about common goals and dreams with others. She volunteers within the community and sees the importance of kindness and helping others when possible. We look forward to seeing this recipient achieve her goals and open her own business. We are pleased to award this Friends of Mascoma Scholarship to Lindsey Cook.

𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙢 “𝙇𝙞𝙖𝙢” 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧

𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕒 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

This student has worked hard academically from preschool to the present and will continue to do so. He does an exceptional job juggling academics, quality family time, work, and extracurricular activities. In the face of an injury, this student used the injury, surgery, and recovery as an opportunity to demonstrate strength and determination. In a time when the world seemingly has more challenges than ever, we are pleased to see such a bright and promising young student take an active interest in geopolitics and international relations. We know that Liam Finger will do great things and we are pleased to present him a Friends of Mascoma scholarship.

𝙈𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙣 𝘿𝙤𝙬

𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕒 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

This student has done a great job balancing academics, extracurricular activities, and part-time jobs. Over the past several years she has used life experiences, from covid to moves, as an opportunity to grow, gain confidence, and share opinions. While this student’s accomplishments in academic and school-sponsored activities are wonderful, arguably the biggest accomplishment of this student’s high school career is personal development. How many teens do you know who are motivated enough to walk four miles to get to their job on time? And change her intended career path at almost the last minute to pursue a newer interest? And honestly, how many people truly like statistics? We are proud to award Megan Dow a Friends of Mascoma Scholarship.

𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙎𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙚

ℝ𝕠𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕥𝕒 ℍ𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕪 𝕃𝕚𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕙𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡 𝕚𝕟 𝕄𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕖 𝕊𝕖𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤

This recipient has shown excellence in balancing his academic career and extra curriculars. He has taken opportunities to participate in community events and knows the importance of giving back. His future career will present many challenges but even more rewards. The field of nursing can be tough but as he noted, it can also give the opportunity to brighten someone else’s day. We are pleased to award Grant Suttie the Roberta Hines and Jerry Liebrand Healthcare Scholarship in Memory of Sadie Seamans.

𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙚𝙡 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙨

𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕒 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

We think it is notable that this student worked hard to move beyond the need for an IEP to take Honors, college prep and AP courses. Michael taught himself Japanese while also taking 3 years of French and enjoys creating and improving machines. We wish this applicant well in his study of mechanical engineering and hope he will send us a postcard from Japan when he achieves his dreams! We are proud to award Michael Barnes a Friends of Mascoma Scholarship.

𝙇𝙖𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙂𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙

𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕒 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

This student is a good neighbor and a hard worker. She cares for her neighbor’s livestock while she is deployed for short and long periods of time and does not hesitate to help others. She works part-time at a local general store and has overcome obstacles associated with hearing impairment to be productive and serve others without hesitation. We are always excited to see trades applicants and look forward to seeing her digital and video creations in the future. We are proud to award Lauren Gilliland a Friends of Mascoma Scholarship.

𝙍𝙮𝙖𝙣 𝙂𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙

𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕒 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

If you have tried to hire a trades worker or have read the news the past several years, you probably noticed the shortage of trades workers and that not enough people are entering the trades. Each year we wish that more students would apply for scholarships for programs in the trades. Because the MTD Building Contractors business operated by board members Matt and Holly is trades-based, they take the opportunity to encourage high schoolers, like this student, to apply for the Friends of Mascoma scholarships. Our society also often laments the times of past when people were more committed to helping neighbors, particularly the elderly. Ryan does just that; he helps his elderly neighbor with tasks ranging from firewood to haying fields. Not only enjoying the work, but also valuing his time with an older generation. We are pleased to award Ryan Gilliland a Friends of Mascoma scholarship.

𝙋𝙞𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣

𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕒 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

It is not often that we have multiple reports from scholarship reviewers that they cried “actual tears” while reviewing a scholarship. This student’s family has been impacted by both the severe lack of affordable housing in the Upper Valley, which lead to her attending Lebanon and eventually Mascoma schools, and the high cost her family experienced accessing critically needed medical care. Piper wrote “If I can help just one person or put a smile on their face, it makes my day. That is what drives me.” In addition to being a student, Piper works two part-time jobs and chips in financially and physically to help both of her family households. We have no doubt that this first-generation college student will leverage her positive outlook and empathy gained from challenging experiences to brighten the world. Our team is pleased to award Piper Morgan both the Weiss Family Scholarship and a Friends of Mascoma Scholarship.

𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙕𝙖𝙣𝙞

ℝ𝕠𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕥𝕒 ℍ𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕪 𝕃𝕚𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕊𝕔𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡 𝕚𝕟 𝕄𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕍𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕖 ℍ𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤

Like many of our applicants, this student has wonderfully balanced academics, extracurricular activities, and work. Throughout the past few years this student has demonstrated an impressive ability to “do it all” and excel at it. Reading this application provided a brand-new perspective on Carmen’s life and between lofty higher education and career goals to the information provided on a very special person in this student’s life to feelings on the importance of kindness; we knew she fit the bill for a Friends of Mascoma scholarship. Carmen Zani, we are pleased to award you a Roberta Hines and Jerry Liebrand Science Scholarship in Memory of Verne Hines

𝙍𝙮𝙖𝙣 𝙆𝙤𝙘𝙝𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨

𝕄𝕒𝕝𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕃𝕒𝕓𝕤 𝕊𝕋𝔼𝕄 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

This recipient has balanced academics, extracurriculars and employment. He knows how to use data to look at challenges and develop plans to improve efficiency and wellbeing. We look forward to seeing how he follows his passions and the business he creates to help others. We are pleased to award Ryan Kochkiss with a Malformity Labs STEM Scholarship.

𝙀𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙖 𝙏𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙚

ℝ𝕠𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕥𝕒 ℍ𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕪 𝕃𝕚𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕊𝕔𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡 𝕚𝕟 𝕄𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕍𝕖𝕝𝕞𝕒 ℍ𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤

This recipient has spent time working hard on her academic career while balancing personal challenges. She has worked hard to take the course work that will help her achieve her goals in a competitive field. Her knowledge and practice of patience and consistency will help her excel in all areas of her life. Her passion for STEM shines through and hopefully inspires other young women to follow their dreams. We are pleased to award Elena Trempe with a Roberta Hines and Jerry Liebrand Science Scholarship in Memory of Velma Hines.

𝙕𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙮 "𝙕𝙖𝙘𝙝" 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙨𝙤𝙣

𝕄𝕒𝕝𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕃𝕒𝕓𝕤 𝕊𝕋𝔼𝕄 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

This student has balanced academics and sports for many years. Starting at a young age and being inspired by the older athletes, he pushed himself hard to reach his goals and for his team. He helps in clinics and coaches youth camps knowing that it builds memories and shows the importance of being a team playing on and off the field. He chose to challenge himself academically with higher level courses knowing it would be just as rewarding. He has also helped with activities that give back to his community. We are pleased to present Zach Thompson with a Malformity Labs STEM Scholarship.

𝙆𝙖𝙮𝙡𝙚𝙚 𝙁𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙭

ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕪𝕟 ℂ𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕔𝕜 𝕋𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

This student has an outstanding history of community service that is beyond extraordinary. She has exhibited many skills such as communication, leadership and teamwork by assuming or being elected to numerous school organizational roles. She has chosen to grow her third generational family childcare business by working towards an Early Childhood Education associate degree. I am honored to present the Carolyn Cusick Teaching Scholarship to Kaylee Felix.

Enfield Mobile Pantry back for 2023

Food Pantry Summer Hours

Beginning Tuesday, May 2nd, our friendly Friends Feeding Friends Food Pantry team will be back at Huse Park each Tuesday for the warmer weather months.

Wednesdays in Canaan

9 On the Common
behind Canaan Hardware

Tuesdays in Enfield

Huse Park from 3-5:30 pm
look for our Foodie Van

Trade School Scholarships & More ~Deadline April 15th~

Friends of Mascoma supports all forms of future advancement!

We are especially proud to offer trade school scholarships to graduating Mascoma seniors.

Apply online before April 18th, 2023.

Friends of Mascoma Celebrates Selection as a Hannaford Fight Hunger Bag Program Beneficiary

CANAAN, NH -- Friends of Mascoma Foundation (FOM) has been selected as a beneficiary of the Hannaford Fight Hunger Bag Program for the month of [month]. Launched in April 2014, the Hannaford Fight Hunger Bag Program is a reusable bag program that facilitates community support with the goal to make a difference in the communities where shoppers live and work.

FOM was selected as the March beneficiary of the program by store leadership at the Hannaford located at Market Street in West Lebanon. FOM will receive a $1 donation every time the $2.50 reusable Fight Hunger Bag is purchased at this location during March, unless otherwise directed by the customer through the Giving Tag attached to the bag.

“Friends of Mascoma is thrilled to be chosen as the recipient of the Fight Hunger Bag Program,” said Kate Plumley Stewart, Interim Executive Director of Friends of Mascoma. “Funds received will be invested directly back into the Mascoma Valley community to support educational advancements and nutritional well-being.”

FOM is a nonprofit based in Canaan, NH. Founded in 2014, FOM focuses on core areas related to education and nutritional in the Mascoma Valley Regional School District including:

• Supporting students by funding supplemental educational opportunities and scholarships.

• Providing instructional or professional staff with "mini grants" enabling them to offer additional educational programs to their students.

• Enhancing and improving the reputation of the district by helping highlight our communities’ commitment to education.

• Supporting successful existing programs to include more students.

• Supporting our Friends Feeding Friends food pantries.

Learn more about FOM by visiting friendsofmascoma.org

For more information on the Hannaford Fight Hunger Bag Program, visit hannaford.2givelocal.com

Pop-up Dinner ~ Supper at RWB ~ a Delicious Success

Many thanks to Cody Hussey and Amelia Cushing for creating and hosting a Mediterranean-themed pop-up dinner on February 18th and 19th to benefit Friends of Mascoma. We would also like thank Nellie Kondi for graciously opening her charming space at red wagon bakery for the event.

Supper at red wagon bakery was a hit!

photo courtesy of Lindsay Smith

Friends enjoyed the meal enough that we did not end up with many photos. FOM’s President, Bridget, who also enjoyed her meal so much there are no photos, reported “It was a wonderful experience to have Mediterranean cuisine of caliber right in our back yard.”

Watch for future pop-ups by this duo to benefit area nonprofits.

Thank you Cody, Amelia, Nellie and all who enjoyed Supper!

Director Emeritus Carol Celebrates 75th Birthday with Fundraiser

Please join the Friends of Mascoma team in wishing Founding Member and Director Emeritus Carolyn Cusick a very Happy 75th Birthday!

Carol’s enthusiasm and work for our community did not take the day off! Carol raised $2520 via Facebook to celebrate.

Did you miss out on the fun? You may donate online any time.

Thank you Carol!

Mark Your Calendars for NH Gives

Friends Feeding Friends Food Pantry Closed Tuesday, February 28th

For the safety of our shoppers, volunteers, and employees, Friends of Mascoma's Friends Feeding Friends Food Pantries will be closed on Tuesday, February 28th due to expected winter weather.

Wednesday, March 1st, the pantry will be open from 3-5:30 pm.

PENNIES FOR CHANGE AT THE CO-OP FOOD STORES! FOM IS February!

The @Co-op Food Stores have a powerful program called Pennies for Change that benefits many local organizations . This program is a charitable giving program that provides a way for customers to donate their change to our community partners by rounding up their order to the next full dollar amount. Friends of Mascoma is excited to announce that we are one of the grateful recipients in FEBRUARY! When shopping at the Co-op Food Stores please consider telling your cashier to roundup your change. Easy as that…. and truly every penny adds up!

Attention Graduating Seniors: APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP NOW!

Learn about Scholarships for graduating seniors in the Mascoma Valley Regional School District.

https://friendsofmascoma.org/scholarship

All applicants can only apply through this site.

We support both traditional four-year applicants as well as trade school and certificate programs. We celebrate all forms of higher education.

Food Pantry Closed January 25, 2023 due to Winter Weather

The Friends Feeding Friends food pantry is open tonight (Tuesday) at our 9 On the Common office in Canaan.

The pantry will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday, January 25th due to the expected mix of wintry precipitation to keep shoppers and volunteers safe.

If you experience a food emergency during this time, please contact first responders and/or Human Services in your Mascoma town.

End of Year Cheer - December Match Opportunity

Seasons greetings

from the Friends of Mascoma team! We hope you have taken time to celebrate with your family, friends, and community in this season of light and reflection.

Exciting End of 2022 News

We have received match offers of $1000 from two donors for a total of $2000 for any new donations received by year end. You may chip in online or send your donation via mail to:

9 On the Common Lane, Unit C
Canaan, NH 03741

Turn $10 into $20 instantly during our December Match Challenge

Feel free to email our Interim Executive Director Kate to let her know you popped a donation in the mail in 2022 and she will make sure you receive credit for the 2022 tax year.

FOM Launches Reverse Advent Campaign

Friends of Mascoma is excited to share we have launched our first holiday season giving initiative Reverse Advent. Please join us in brightening up this last month of the year in the Mascoma Valley by picking a few of these items to do.

Team up with your coworkers, friends, and family to see how many items you are able to complete. Click on the calendar image to link through to our the Reverse Advent page and hover over the calendar to select daily options for more information and resources.

December Holiday Box Sign-up & Pick-up Information

Sign up online using the link provided or pick up a paper form during pantry hours.

All forms must be return by 12/16/2022 before 5:30 pm.

Box pick-up is Wednesday, December 21st 3-5:30 pm. This is the ONLY pick-up date for holiday boxes and only boxes and assorted meats will be available for pick-up.

The Friends Feeding Friends food pantry is closed from 12/19/2022-1/2/2023.