Update, Oct. 31 at 3:30 p.m.: On Friday, two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to distribute food assistance that is set to expire Nov 1. How and when those benefits will be distributed remains uncertain.
For millions of people around the country, federal food assistance was paused on Nov. 1.
The cuts are connected to the ongoing federal government shutdown, which is affecting a range of critical safety net programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP.
According to NPR, the Trump administration has said the program will run out of funding at the end of October. More than two dozen states have sued to challenge the decision to suspend that funding, though New Hampshire is not part of that lawsuit. Roughly 75,000 Granite Staters are currently enrolled in SNAP, according to state officials.
Additional uncertainty is looming for families enrolled in the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program, or WIC. New Hampshire says it has enough funding to sustain that program until Nov. 7.
At this time, state officials say they aren’t expecting any cuts to school meal programs supported by federal dollars.
Here’s what else you need to know about the SNAP cuts that are set to take effect in the days ahead. We’ve also rounded up suggestions on where to find — or offer — help to your neighbors in need. If we missed an important resource in your community, let us know by emailing voices@nhpr.org.
Click here for the latest updates on SNAP and WIC access in New Hampshire.
What kind of help is New Hampshire offering to SNAP participants?
The state is spending $2 million to support a network of mobile food pantries specifically for SNAP recipients, and to aid traditional food pantries that provide assistance to both SNAP recipients and anyone in need.
The list below reflects the latest information on mobile food pantries and pick-up locations for SNAP participants as of Nov. 3. Be sure to check the state website for the latest details.
Mobile food pantries for SNAP participants
Nov. 4
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Whittier Falls — 50 Whittier Street, Dover
Nov. 5
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Runnings — 403 Washington St, Claremont
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Gosling Meadows — 36 Wedgewood Rd, Portsmouth
Nov. 6
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Municipal Lot — 30 High Street, Hampton
1 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Lakes Region Community College — 379 Belmont Rd, Laconia
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Seabrook RVA — 117 Cimarron Drive, Seabrook
Nov. 8
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Keene DPW — 330 Marlborough Street, Keene
Nov. 12
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Gosling Meadows — 36 Wedgewood Rd, Portsmouth
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Walmart — 4901 Dartmouth College Hwy, Woodsville
Nov. 13
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Municipal Lot — 30 High Street, Hampton
1 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Comcast — 676 Island Pond Road, Manchester
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Seabrook Rec — 311 Lafayette Road, Seabrook
Nov. 14
11 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Tucker's Parking Lot — 250 Indian Brook Drive, Somersworth
Nov. 15
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Keene DPW — 330 Marlborough Sreet, Keene
Nov. 18
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Whittier Falls — 50 Whittier Street, Dover
Nov. 19
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Ham Ice Arena — 87 W Main St, Conway
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Gosling Meadows — 36 Wedgewood Rd, Portsmouth
Nov. 20
1 p.m. to 6 p.m. — NH Technical Institute — 31 College Dr, Concord
Nov. 22
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Keene DPW — 330 Marlborough Sreet, Keene
Nov. 25
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Lamprey Health Center — 128 NH-27, Raymond
12 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Grace Church — 57 Wakefield Street, Rochester
Nov. 26
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Tenney Mountain — 151 Tenney Mountain Rd, Plymouth
12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Gosling Meadows — 36 Wedgewood Rd, Portsmouth
Nov. 29
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Keene DPW — 330 Marlborough Sreet, Keene
Recurring food pick-up locations
Mondays
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Claremont Food Pantry — 51 Central Street, Claremont
12 p.m. to 4 p.m. — LISTEN Food Pantry — 60 Hanover Street, Lebanon
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. — FIT Food Pantry — 176 Lake Ave, Manchester
Tuesdays
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Claremont Food Pantry — 51 Central Street, Claremont
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — North Country Missions — 16 Hill Avenue, Colebrook
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — LISTEN Food Pantry — 60 Hanover Street, Lebanon
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — FIT Food Pantry — 176 Lake Ave, Manchester
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Nashua Soup Kitchen — 2 Quincy Street, Nashua
11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. — Vaughan Food Pantry — 2503 White Mtn. Hwy., North Conway
Wednesdays
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Claremont Food Pantry — 51 Central Street, Claremont
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — LISTEN Food Pantry — 60 Hanover Street, Lebanon
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — FIT Food Pantry — 176 Lake Ave, Manchester
Thursdays
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Claremont Food Pantry — 51 Central Street, Claremont
12 p.m. to 4 p.m. — North Country Missions — 16 Hill Avenue, Colebrook
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — LISTEN Food Pantry — 60 Hanover Street, Lebanon
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — FIT Food Pantry — 176 Lake Ave, Manchester
Fridays
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. — New Hampshire Food Bank Warehouse — 92 Jericho Road, Berlin
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Claremont Food Pantry — 51 Central Street, Claremont
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — LISTEN Food Pantry — 60 Hanover Street, Lebanon
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — FIT Food Pantry — 176 Lake Ave, Manchester
Saturdays
9 a.m. to 11 a.m. — Christ the King — 67 1/2 South State Street, Concord
Will EBT cards still work in November?
While November benefits will not be loaded to EBT cards, you can still use your card with an existing balance from previous months to pay for food, according to DHHS.
You can check your EBT balance online at EBTedge.com or by calling 888-997-9777.
If I’m enrolled in SNAP, will I still stay enrolled even while the program is paused?
It depends. Aside from the funding cliff, the federal government has also ordered states to start enforcing new limits on food assistance programs.
These include restricting aid to legal immigrants with humanitarian protections, tightening work requirements and freezing how benefits are calculated, putting SNAP benefits out of step with rising grocery bills.
The best way to confirm your eligibility is to apply online, through the New Hampshire health and human services website.
Where else can I get help if I’m struggling to afford food?
You do not need to be enrolled in SNAP to receive food assistance at your local food pantry.
To find one near you, try this map from the New Hampshire Food Bank or this map from the UNH Cooperative Extension.
You can also try 211nh.org, or call 211 to get suggestions on local resources.
The New Hampshire Mutual Aid Relief Fund runs a network of “free stores” offering shelf-stable food and other items at no cost. There are also more local organizations that offer help with food and other basic needs: Littleton Area Mutual Aid, Keene Mutual Aid and Black Lives Matter New Hampshire.
There are community fridges in Exeter, Newmarket and Kittery.
Some local farms, businesses and community groups are also offering free or discounted food to people affected by the ongoing government shutdown:
- Ayottes Market in Hudson
- Black Trumpet in Portsmouth
- The Brunch Club in Dover
- Lavalley Farms in Hooksett
- Luk’s Bar and Grill in Nashua
- Sherman Farm in Conway
- Sweet Beet Market + Cafe in Bradford
- Vernon Family Farm in Newfields
- Vida Cantina in Portsmouth
How can I help people who are struggling to afford food?
Many food pantries are inviting people to donate money or grocery items, to help cover the anticipated surge in demand. Check your local Community Action Partnership agency for resources in your area.
In Keene, there is a food drive Nov. 6 to support The Community Kitchen.
The United Way of Greater Nashua has launched an emergency food fund to help people affected by the shutdown.
Some of the businesses and community organizations listed above are also running informal donation networks, where people can buy meals for their neighbors in need or provide other items.
Kearsarge Food Hub put together a guide on how to start a free community food fridge in your neighborhood.
At Luk’s Bar and Grill in Nashua, people can purchase pizza or pasta from the restaurant to donate to another family in need. Ayottes Market in Hudson is running a similar donation program specifically targeted to SNAP participants, as well as government employees who are currently out of work.
Table, a bakery in Concord, is offering a “community card” as a way to help its customers. People can donate to that fund to help cover the costs of food for others in need. Vernon Family Farm in Newfields is running a similar program.
If we missed a food distribution effort happening in your community, please email us at voices@nhpr.org.
