Fill The Hall food and funds drive comes as Gather sees record need, rising costs

PORTSMOUTH — At this fragile moment for the economy, with inflation at a 40-year high as gas, food and rent prices surge, more people than ever have to decide whether to buy food or fill up their tanks. This finds Gather, the largest local nonprofit battling food insecurity on the Seacoast, battening down the hatches as they serve a record number of families and deal with those same soaring expenses.

“The price we pay for eggs has gone from $20.50 a case to $40, sometimes more,” said Seneca Bernard, associate executive director of Gather. “We used to receive some free milk via the CARES Act, about 300 half gallons or so each week. We now have to pay for that — and for potatoes, onions and carrots, which we also previously received for free. We can't even afford to purchase some things like avocados because they are just astronomically high.”

Gas prices are affecting Gather as well.

“Our trucks take diesel and don't get many miles to the gallon, especially running the refrigeration units, so it is costing more to pick up food and distribute food as we serve more people than ever,” Bernard said.

Even after experiencing record numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for Gather’s services is reaching unprecedented heights and there is no light at the end of the tunnel yet as staff and board members there worry that the Federal Reserve's efforts to combat inflation by raising interest rates could tip the economy into recession.

Summer meals program for kids extended

In response, Gather is doing two things right away: expanding its summer Meals 4 Kids program to 12 weeks for the first time in the nonprofit’s history to meet the need, and asking people to support the eighth annual Fill The Hall Food and Funds Drive at The Music Hall on Sunday, June 26 to help cover costs.

When school is not in session, Gather sponsors Meals 4 Kids, a mobile market that delivers healthy, fresh groceries to neighborhoods throughout the greater Seacoast for children who are food insecure. Each week during summer break, this program serves about 700 children who normally would get free or reduced-cost lunch at school. Fill The Hall, a collaboration between Gather and The Music Hall, helps fund and provide food for that program.

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“Not only do we want to fill The Music Hall with nutritious food for kids and their families,” said Bernard, “Our goal is to raise as much as we did last year, $54,000 in donations, so that we can receive a grant from Connexus Credit Union.”

Filling each of the 900 seats in The Music Hall with bags of food donations provides enough food for about one week of Meals 4 Kids, so financial donations are a critical part of the annual event, said Patti Gormley, development director at Gather.

Donations can be made at gather.networkforgood.com/projects/83383-gather-2019-2020

Connexus Credit Union is matching 25 percent of all Fill the Hall donations up to $54,000. If that amount is raised, Gather will earn an extra $13,500 from the credit union.

At Gather’s mobile markets, which are outdoor farmers’ market style shopping experiences where everything is 100 percent free, Bernard said people are expressing anxiety.

“The two things that come up the most is the rise in the cost of food, and the cost to fill gas tanks,” said Bernard. “We've seen many people come back who haven't visited us in a while because they just can't afford to feed their families. Many have changed jobs for higher wages or better hours, but it hasn't changed their circumstances for the better necessarily, because of the huge changes to their budgets for gas, food, and everyday items. All stores have increased their prices, including places that used to sell items for only $1.”

How Fill the Hall works

The Fill the Hall Food and Funds Drive will be Sunday, June 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. People can drop off donations drive-through style in front of The Music Hall at 28 Chestnut St., or by parking, bringing in donations, and placing them on a seat. People can also take selfies on The Music Hall stage.

The event challenges community organizations, businesses and residents to fundraise online and do food drives within their groups, workplaces and neighborhoods.

Each month, Gather serves individuals from more than 40 towns in the greater Seacoast area.

Meals 4 Kids items needed

Items needed for Meals 4 Kids include: Canned meat (tuna, chicken), canned beans, squeeze jelly (low sugar), peanut butter (16-18 oz.), snacks (granola bars, peanut butter crackers, fruit snacks), condiments (mayo, mustard, ketchup), pancake mix, oatmeal and cereal, personal care products (shampoo, oral care, bar soap, dish soap), toilet paper, juice boxes (100% juice), canned corn, carrots, or potatoes, pasta and sauce, gluten-free items, shelf stable milk and milk alternatives.

How to make a donation

Or make a donation so Gather can purchase fresh veggies, fruit, milk, eggs, and other perishable items.

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This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Fill The Hall food, funds drive June 26 at Music Hall, Portsmouth NH