Harrison Thorp 9:18 a.m.
Wednesday, December 9, 2020 9:19 am
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ROCHESTER - Gerry's Food Pantry may be the quintessential nonprofit angel in these worrisome times, doing more with less to help those in need.
And Hannafords may be their quintessential corporate counterpart, donating thousands of pounds of baked goods and meats to help Gerry's fulfill their mission to feed hungry mouths.
"During the pandemic we have seen a 40 percent increase in grocery orders," said Skip Smith, executive director of Gerry's Food Pantry. "And that's due to a 40 percent increase in folks we're serving who we never saw before COVID."
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| Share Fund Executive Director Skip Smith, right, accepts a check from The Rochester Voice editor Harrison Thorp as part of the digital daily's promotion in November that earmarked a portion of new advertiser ad sales to local nonprofits. |
For an indication of the need, Smith pointed out that they normally give out about 200 Thanksgiving Day baskets of food. This Thanksgiving they gave out almost 300.
He said the reasons so many families are in rough shape are as varied as the families they serve.
"Some come in because they were laid off," he said last week. "In other households one parent quits their job to stay home to watch the children who are in remote learning while the other keeps working. Others are out of work during quarantines or have contracted the virus."
Gerry's Food Pantry is open at the Rochester Community Center (back parking lot) Wednesday's and Friday's from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. They can help with food, clothing and emergency financial assistance for things like heating and utility costs.
But their biggest commitment is on the food front, with small families coming in twice a month to pick up about $150 worth of food each time. Larger families may get up to $200 every couple of weeks.
Much of the food they give out is provided by Hannafords, which routinely flash freezes meats and baked good prior to expiration for distribution at Gerry's.
Hannafords gives out thousands of pounds of bread and meat every month worth up to $20,000 retail, Johnson said. They also get food from the New Hampshire Food Bank and Food Rescue.
While Gerry's routinely raises food and money at public events stuff-a-bus and at the Rochester Opera House, the pandemic has put a severe crimp in donations of that sort.
Smith said private and nonprofit donations, including local Boy Scouts have helped to fill the gap, but it's still not enough with the uptick in demand.
"We're serving up food to way more families and doing it by spending less," said Smith, who works with a small staff of three other part-timers.
Before anyone goes to Gerry's the first time, they should make sure they call first at 603.330.3468. Also be prepared to show an ID the first time.
To make a donation to the Share Fund, which runs Gerry's Food Pantry, visit https://www.sharefund.org/donate-form