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.

November Pantry Updates: Thanksgiving Boxes & Meals, Cold Weather Hours & Quick & Easy Meal Ideas

Turkey Express Box Pick-up

Did you miss your chance to sign up for a Thanksgiving box?

Wondering how to make Thanksgiving a bit more affordable?

Know someone who could use a bit of a boost with food this week?

Our partners at the NH Food Bank graciously provided extra turkeys for us to share with our community.

We will have prepacked express boxes on a first come, first serve basis during regular pantry hours Tuesday and Wednesday while supplies last. Pick one up when you shop, or skip the wait and head for the Turkey Express line to simply pick up a box.

Thanksgiving Meals

Thanksgiving take-home meals provided by Sacred Heart Parish will be available for pick-up on the porch at Canaan Hardware

Many thanks to Mascoma Alum and Chef Jerry of Cardigan Mountain School and Jacklyn for volunteering to make this pick-up option available to our community!

We are grateful to Sacred Heart for their ongoing leadership in the fight against food insecurity in the Mascoma Valley and to Mascoma Alum Robin and Canaan Hardware for graciously allowing us to use their front porch.

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Mascoma Valley Ecumenical Council Thanksgiving Ingathering Update

How to Donate

The Mascoma Valley Ecumenical Council continues the tradition started in 1974 to provide Thanksgiving meals for those in our community in need. Any person or household within the towns of Canaan, Dorchester, Enfield, Grafton, or Orange is eligible to be referred.

Your donations to purchase items like food and supplies for these boxes are greatly appreciated and may be mailed to:

Community Lutheran Church
PO Box 450
Enfield, NH 03748

memo: "Ingathering"

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Thanksgiving Ingathering Box Sign-up

Do you know someone who would benefit from a food box for the Thanksgiving Holiday?

Please share this information to help Mascoma Valley neighbors in Canaan, Dorchester, Enfield, Grafton, and Orange to help sign-up to receive a Thanksgiving Box.

Completed forms must be received no later than Saturday, November 12, 2022

Box pick-up is at St. Mary's Church Hall on Sunday, November 20th.

School Pantry Annex Update

We are excited to be able to help out more in the Mascoma Valley Regional School District Pantry Annex this year. 😍

Putting our eyes 👀 on the shelves and working with staff on stocking and determining what resources are needed is super helpful! We are especially thankful to Dawn for jumping in to help kick off increased operations this year and to all of the wonderful students and staff who have carried in items, helped to stock shelves, and of course break down cardboard for recycling.

Many thanks to the New Hampshire Food Bank and Willing Hands for the food resources and to Chaos And Kindness for the backpacks stuff with school supplies!

Feed the Northeast Challenge Results

The results are in for the Thrivent Member Network - Northeast Region #FeedtheNortheast challenge and we picked up the final round of your generous donations from Community Lutheran Church - Enfield, NH yesterday. Many thanks to CLC for securing seed funding from Thrivent along with a $500 matching opportunity for this challenge.

📣RESULTS: 851+ items

We forgot to count the items from Enfield Parks and Recreation, so we likely have nearly 1000 items to share with your friends and neighbors at our Friends Feeding Friends food pantries. Many thanks to our partners the Royals Athletic Boosters for co-hosting our food trailer at the soccer playoffs this past week to collect additional food.

THANK YOU!

NH Food Bank Mobile Pantry December 8, 2022

Save the date!
upcoming mobile food pantry

Thurs, December 8th from 12:00-2:00 (while supplies last)

Runnings
403 Washington St. Claremont

The New Hampshire Food Bank will bring truckloads of food to distribute to families and individuals. This event is open to all. No proof of residency or income needed. This is a drive thru event. All items will be distributed to you in your vehicles.

Calling all Volunteers

🖐Attention volunteers!

We are looking for feedback on which programs interest you the most.

💜 Looking to volunteer?

Complete the form by clicking the button ⤵️

• All volunteers must be eligible to work with and around minor children.

• Student volunteers under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

• Pantry shopping volunteer hours are only open to volunteers 18 years or older due to privacy needs.

Food Pantry Update: Warm Weather Operations & Hours

Click to open printable PDF

We are excited to have our Foodie van back on the road to Enfield to offer a Friends Feeding Friends Mobile Pantry in Huse Park each Tuesday from 3-5:30 pm. Our team continues to welcome shoppers at our Canaan office behind Canaan Hardware in the MTD Building each Wednesday from 3-5:30 pm. Please arrive no more than 15 minutes (2:45 pm at the earliest) before the pantry opens to allow traffic to move safely through these shared parking spaces.

Foodie, our Van, at the Huse Park mobile pantry

Residents of all five Mascoma Valley towns are invited to come shop for items you need one each week. The pantry is a 3 day emergency supply of food. If you know someone who could use a bit of help with food, please send them to see us.

We offer a variety of fresh, and often local, seasonable produce thanks to our partnerships with the New Hampshire Food Bank, Willing Hands, Open Woods Mutual Aid, the USDA, and wonderful local farms and growers.

2022 Scholarship Recipients

CONGRATULATIONS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

On Sunday, June 5th, Bridget, Sadie, and Kate were excited to be included in this year’s Senior Awards Night in celebration of the Class of 2022. Friends of Mascoma is pleased to announce we awarded 15 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 on June 7th and 8th to replenish our scholarship fund. Previous recipients 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.

Thank all of our donors and sponsors that made it possible to award all of the applicants scholarships this year.

Congratulations Scholarship Recipients

Owen Hearn

Friends of Mascoma Scholarship

This student is known for his likeable personality and also for his strong academic work and career focus. He found a way to turn his passion for the outdoors into his academic focus and future career path in Environmental Studies. We look forward to hearing where his college and career path take him and all of the good work he will do. We are pleased to award a Friends of Mascoma scholarship to Owen Hearne .

Emilie Conrad

Carolyn A. Cusick Trust Scholarship

This student has maintained a high GPA while also participating in sports and volunteer activities. In light of the many challenges educators are facing, from the pandemic to school shootings, it is important to support our next generation of educators. We love our district educators and are thrilled to award Emilie Conrad a scholarship and cannot wait to hear about her experiences as an elementary educator in the future. We are pleased to award Emilie Conrad the Carolyn A. Cusick Trust scholarship.

Jenna Bean

Malformity Labs Women in STEM Scholarship

Bridget has had the privilege of knowing this recipient since she was in middle school as her coach. She has always had a quiet determination and has been a great teammate, both in volleyball and some time on track and field, while also keeping up her academic studies and being on National Honor Society, in Math Club and Interact Club. We have no doubt she will succeed in her studies in computer science and look forward to hearing where it takes her. We are pleased to award Jenna Bean the Malformity Labs Women in STEM scholarship.

Ella Barrett

Roberta Hines and Jerry Liebrand Scholarship in Memory of Velma Hines

This recipient has spent her high school years advocating for her peers, through student council as well as the New Hampshire Association of Student Councils. She is a member of National Honor Society and has participated in athletics as well. She plans to study Political Science at Mount Holyoke. We are pleased to award the Roberta Hines and Jerry Liebrand Scholarship in Memory of Velma Hines to Ella Barrett.

Chloe Crate

Friends of Mascoma Scholarship

After actively working to help provide childcare throughout the pandemic and learning about the national nursing shortage, this student changed her career path to attend nursing school. She loves children and always strives to help people and we know she will make a wonderful NICU nurse to some lucky children. We are thrilled to award this Friends of Mascoma scholarship to Chloe Crate.

Margaret Morse

Friends of Mascoma Scholarship

Juggling extracurricular activities and a job during a pandemic did not inhibit this applicant’s ability to excel academically and thrive as a person. The world benefits from art and those who are willing to pursue it and make the world a more beautiful and engaging place, especially considering the challenges our world has endured the past several years. We are pleased to award Margaret Morse a Friends of Mascoma scholarship and are excited to see what beauty and inspiration she brings to the world.

Owen McKinney

Friends of Mascoma Scholarship

This recipient holds a special place in Sadie’s heart after all, Owen is her son. He has shown consistent dedication as a student athlete as well as service to his community. He is an active member of the local 4H club, which is where he first discovered his passion for mechanics. He has fostered that passion through two years at the HACTC and will attend WyoTech to study diesel technology. We are excited to award this FOM scholarship to Owen McKinney.

Peyton Morley

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

Juggling academics, sports, and sports is a challenge in normal times; over the past few years it has been even more difficult. Challenges with COVID have really highlighted how much we need people pursuing careers in healthcare. We look forward to seeing everything that Peyton achieves as a doctor. We are pleased to award the Roberta Hines and Jerry Liebrand Healthcare Scholarship in Memory of Sadie Seamans to Peyton Morley.

Meghan Clough

Malformity Lab Women in STEM Scholarship

This recipient has set themselves apart with their academic achievements and being a well-rounded student. She is part of the national honor society and takes part in many co-curricular activities all while maintaining a highly difficult academic load. We look forward to seeing where her career takes her. We are pleased to award Meghan Clough with the Malformity Lab Women in STEM Scholarship.

Ian Moulton

Roberta Hines and Jerry Liebrand Scholarship

This student has consistently displayed a commitment to academics and extracurricular activities during high school. From work to National Honor Society to student council, this student has made time for it all and excelled. We have no doubt that Ian will thrive in school while pursuing a degree in chemistry or chemical engineering. We are pleased to award the Roberta Hines and Jerry Liebrand Scholarship to Ian Moulton.

Ben Seiler

Friends of Mascoma Scholarship

In his younger years, this student learned by example through his parent’s involvements in Mascoma Youth sports. He is a leader and mentor on and off the field or court as well as an outstanding student athlete, as well as a member of the Student Athlete Leadership Team - SALT (as they are known) helps develop events and learning opportunities to bring positive messages and mental health education to Mascoma students. We are positive he will carry these skills forward to business school. Congratulations to Ben Seiler on receiving a Friends of Mascoma scholarship.

Mackenzie Piano

Friends of Mascoma Scholarship

Mental health has been a hot topic in recent years, particularly with COVID and many recent events. Our world needs more people championing mental health, particularly for our impressionable younger generations. We are pleased to award Mackenzie Piano a Friends of Mascoma scholarship and look forward to hearing about how she supports our youth in her future career.

Cardigan Loupis

Friends of Mascoma Scholarship

Bridget had the pleasure to know this applicant when she was on her middle school volleyball team. She has always been inquisitive and driven to do her best. She sets goals for herself and works to achieve them such as hiking all 48 4,000 foot mountains in the state all while taking part in many academic and co-curricular activities. It is my please to award Cardigan Loupis with an FOM scholarship and cannot wait to see all she accomplishes in the future.

Allison Goulette

Friends of Mascoma Scholarship

This student has developed her leadership abilities through National Honor Society and Student Athlete Leadership Training. She has also been an athlete, and managed sports teams all while pursuing her career in healthcare working as a dental chair assistant. She plans to study healthcare at Regis College. We are pleased to award this FOM scholarship to Allison Goulette.

Allan Hammond

Friends of Mascoma Scholarship

This scholarship recipient is committed to sports as well as his community which he has demonstrated through his continued volunteerism with the Enfield Lions Club. He plans to study Business Administration, and ultimately pursue a career in banking. We are excited to present this FOM scholarship to Allan Hammond.

We thank you for your incredible support on NHGIVES 24 Hours of Giving! DID YOU KNOW WE FINISHED 1ST OVERALL DONATIONS!

Our Class Clash final numbers!

1998- won the most money raised- $1,650 winning the additional $1,000

2000- won the most unique donors- $745 winning the additional $1,000

Top 5:

1998- $1,650

1990- $950

2000- $745

1996- $400

1992- $220

WE ARE STILL TALLYING UP EVERYTHING AND WILL REPORT OUR WRAP UP SOON AS WELL AS OUR 2022 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS! WHEW! JUNE WAS A WHIRLWIND MONTH!

June 14th Pantry Update - Huse Park Location Reminder

Tuesdays at Huse Park in Enfield

Reminder: Tuesday Pantry hours have moved back to Huse Park for the warmer months.

Residents of the 5 Mascoma towns are invited to stop by to shop with our friendly team from 3:00 to 5:30 pm on one of our two weekly pantry days:

Tuesday in Enfield at Huse Park on Route 4

Wednesday in Canaan in the MTD Building behind Canaan Hardware

This week look for:

• fresh pineapples

• oranges

• Brussel sprouts

• eggs

• yogurt

• beautiful greens from Open Woods mutual aid

• sliced American cheese

• low fat milk

First day back in our Enfield Pantry location for 2022. Many thanks to Lana for queuing up the transition an moving the items.

Frozen veggies and fruits await shoppers.

Eggs, cheese, etc.

Mable, one of our faithful volunteers, greets Enfield shoppers with Lana

Thank you to the Potters for volunteering on our first day back in Enfield for the season.

Lana has the freezer stocked.

Lana, our Pantry Manager [center] with Kate Plumley Stewart & Carol Cusick who stopped by to visit ahead of NH Gives last week during Enfield Pantry hours.

NH Gives Kicks Off today at 5 pm

NH Gives Live Kick Off

Join us on Facebook beginning at 5 p.m. as we kick off NH Gives. Support the work Friends of Mascoma is doing in our communities by sharing and donating.

UPDATE ON MASCOMA MATTERS PROJECT

Mascoma Matters Project:

At our April meeting we discussed having an event for families with young children this summer.  We heard from the NH Children’s Trust and brainstormed ways we could bring more resources and programming for families to the Mascoma Valley. We are looking for community members and stakeholders who can help our community with issues around isolation.

Our next meeting will be on June 16th from 12-1 PM.  

Mascoma Matters Coalition Meeting (online) – Come and learn about opportunities to help your community thrive. Existing and new partners welcome. This meeting will focus on priority areas including supporting families with young children. If you have questions or would like more information please contact Sue Cagle.

Date: Thursday, June 16th, 2022
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Zoom Link: https://unh.zoom.us/j/95078708536  

If you know of or are associated with an organization or town department that would like to present during our meetings, please let us know.  

More information on our past meetings is available on the Padlet. 

If you have any questions about our project or future and past meetings, please don't hesitate to reach out to Alyssa Lemmermann at Alyssa.Lemmermann@unh.edu.  

NHGIVES, JUNE 7-8, 5 PM-5PM

NH Gives Site-Wide Bonus Pool Announcement

We are excited to share that a $150k site-wide bonus pool, made possible by New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and its donors, will be offered during NH Gives. (There will also be a $15k pool of funds designated for organizations in the Upper Valley and a $20k pool for North Country organizations) A bonus pool is a proportionate match that is determined by the overall amount nonprofits raise online during NH Gives.

Friends of Mascoma has matching money to make your donations even greater!

$5000 Match from an Upper Valley Family Charitable Trust
$500 Match from Pellerin’s Bullring in Enfield

We have past scholarship recipients that are fundraising to earn more college scholarships money and for FOM. This year, past recipients can earn an additional $500 for either raising the most money or $500 for getting the most unique donors. There will also be two $250 raffles during the 24 hours.

Class Clash! Calling all Macoma Valley Regional School District Alumni! Sign up as your class champion and let’s see who becomes the first Class Clash winner! We have a Mascoma Valley business who will donate $1000 to the class that raises the most money and $1000 to the class that has the most unique donors. Be a fundraiser for your Mascoma class now!

Lots of fun and excitement!

Email to join us.

www.nhgives.org

Mini-Grant Celebration- May 13, 2022

One of our main programs is the Mini-grant program in which we allocate funding to creative ideas or additional resources to any staff member of the Mascoma Valley Regional School District. We have awarded $38,000 since inception.

We awarded personalized mementos to all past recipients created by our board members, Kate Stewart, Bridget Labrie, Matt Dow, and Holly West. The Friends of Mascoma board looks forward to receiving more requests in the future. To read more about this program check out our website. Want to see examples of some of the mini-grants awarded, take a look here.

Pictured are: Amanda Isabelle, Superintendent of the MVRSD, Kate Plumley Stewart- Vice President, Bridget Labrie- President, Carolyn Cusick- Founding Member, Holly West-Officer, Sadie Wells-Officer, and Matt Dow-Officer.

May 2022 Pantry Update

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Learn more about the recall related to JIF Peanut Butter on the FDA website.

CANAAN PANTRY REMAINS THE SAME ON WEDNESDAYS FROM 3-5:30 PM.

Note from Eula

Dear Mascoma Community,

As many of you may know by now, I have made the decision to leave my role as Executive Director of the Friends of Mascoma Foundation. This was not an easy decision, and I will greatly miss the FOM team and this community.

At every job, my goal is to leave an organization in a better place than before my arrival. The last three years have not been without challenges, but I firmly believe I, along with our Board and volunteers, achieved this goal. We weathered the pandemic, unprecedented shutdowns, and other changes to our local and global community. We expanded our donor base, strengthened existing partnerships and forged new relationships.

Not only did we survive these unusual times, but our organization thrived during this time. Friends of Mascoma has grown over the last three years and is poised for continued success in the years ahead. This organization has a lot of heart and I know that FOM, with its team of volunteers, staff, Board members, and loyal donors will, continue to do good work and achieve great things.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as FOM’s Executive Director these last three years. It has been an honor and privilege to play a small part in this wonderful organization’s story.

All my best,

Eula Lee Kozma

FOM Mini-Grant Celebration

We are very excited to announce our first Mini-Grant Celebration will be held on Friday May 13th! We don't know about you, but we could use a little celebration right about now! Join us as we celebrate our past mini-grant recipients and their wonderful projects. This is also a great opportunity to learn more about our mini-grant program.