The New Hampshire Food Bank announced this week that demand for its services has reached an all-time high during the 2025 holiday season, with requests for food assistance from partner agencies across the state increasing by a staggering 35 percent compared to the same period last year. Executive Director Eileen Liponis described the unprecedented surge as both deeply alarming and historically unprecedented, reflecting the ongoing and intensifying economic pressures facing working families and vulnerable populations throughout the Granite State.
The organization, which serves as the state’s only comprehensive food bank and distributes millions of pounds of food annually to more than 400 partner agencies including local food pantries, community soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and senior meal programs, has been operating at maximum warehouse and distribution capacity since early November. Warehouse teams and volunteer crews have been working extended hours seven days a week to process, sort, and distribute the dramatically increased volume of food needed to meet surging community demand across all ten New Hampshire counties.
According to detailed data compiled by the food bank’s research team, the greatest increases in demand have been observed in communities that have traditionally reported only moderate need levels, strongly suggesting that food insecurity is expanding significantly beyond the populations that have historically relied on emergency food assistance programs. Suburban communities in Hillsborough and Rockingham counties in the southern part of the state have seen particularly sharp and concerning increases, with several pantries reporting that first-time visitors now account for nearly 40 percent of their total client base.
Rising housing costs across the state and persistent inflation in grocery prices are identified by economists and social service providers as the primary drivers behind the increased demand for food assistance. Despite relatively low unemployment rates across New Hampshire, many working families find that their wages are insufficient to adequately cover both escalating housing expenses and nutritious food for their households, forcing increasingly difficult choices between competing essential needs that no family should have to make.
The food bank’s annual holiday giving campaign, which typically generates significant and generous donations from individuals, businesses, schools, and community organizations throughout the season, has seen encouraging giving this year, though Liponis cautioned with concern that donations have simply not kept pace with the accelerating rate of demand growth. She made a heartfelt appeal to the public for continued and sustained support, noting that every dollar donated to the food bank allows the organization to purchase and provide approximately four complete meals to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.
Corporate partners have stepped up their support in meaningful ways, with several major employers across the state organizing substantial workplace food drives and offering generous matching programs for employee donations. Hannaford Supermarkets, one of the food bank’s largest and most longstanding retail partners, announced an additional $100,000 emergency contribution to specifically support holiday distribution efforts, while BAE Systems organized a company-wide food collection campaign at its New Hampshire facilities that yielded more than 15 tons of nonperishable food items.
Local communities have also rallied to address the growing crisis through creative grassroots organizing efforts. In Keene, a coalition of churches and community organizations organized a weekend food packing event that engaged more than 200 enthusiastic volunteers of all ages and assembled thousands of nutritious meal kits specifically designed for distribution to families with young children. Similar volunteer-driven efforts in Dover, Laconia, Claremont, and numerous other communities have powerfully demonstrated the Granite State’s enduring tradition of neighbor helping neighbor during times of genuine need.
Looking ahead to the coming months, the food bank is preparing for what it anticipates will be continued high demand through the winter, traditionally the most financially challenging period for food-insecure households due to significantly increased heating costs that further strain already tight budgets. The organization has expanded its partnerships with local farms and food producers to secure additional sources of fresh produce, dairy, and protein, and is working actively with state legislators to explore comprehensive policy solutions that address the root causes of food insecurity in the Granite State. Residents who need food assistance can visit nhfoodbank.org to find their nearest partner agency and learn about all available programs and resources.
