For the first time ever on Nov. 1, the federal food assistance program now known as SNAP and commonly known as food stamps came to a halt, affecting 42 million Americans, a victim of the federal shutdown and political maneuvering in Congress. There’s been lots of back-channel scrambling on Capitol Hill aimed at ending the disruption, and on Monday, Nov. 3, the Trump administration announced it would pay 50 percent of SNAP benefits for November, though it wasn’t clear when states would receive the money or begin disbursing benefits. Both Vermont and New Hampshire are also devoting money to making up some of the gap.
Still, communities in both NH and VT may need to do what they’ve always done well: step up to help one another. Food shelves had already been seeing growing demand, and expect that it will only grow.
If you need food or if you want to help those who need food, there’s no one-stop resource to guide you to Upper Valley groups focused on helping. But here are some links that will help you find what works best for you (with thanks to Willing Hands’ Anna Cloutier):
Here’s Willing Hands’ town-by-town list of food shelves around the region, with hours, towns served, contact info, and website links.
The New Hampshire Food Bank maintains a searchable map of partner food pantries, soup kitchens, and more—though they warn that it only lists NHFB partners “and should not be considered an exhaustive list of all resources in a given area.”
The Vermont Foodbank does likewise, with a map that lets you zero in on the 16 Upper Valley food shelves it lists on the VT side of the river.
And anyone seeking food in either state can also call 211 for help.
In addition, the advocacy group UV Rise Up has created a page with a map of Upper Valley food pantries and congregate meals that aims to pull everything together in one place, along with some local restaurants and food-related businesses that are offering free or discounted meals to SNAP recipients. You’ll find that page here.
There are also the Upper Valley’s big three social service organizations, all of which have food programs, and all of which are seeing sharply rising demand for help.
Willing Hands. In addition to financial support, Cloutier says, “Willing Hands will accept food donations to our Grow A Row room at the side of our building in Norwich, 24/7 (both perishables and non-perishables), as long as that food is NOT homemade. It gets added to our deliveries.”
The Upper Valley Haven. The Haven’s food market provides food and other items to anyone in need, regardless of income. You’ll find a list of its current needs here. The Haven is also trying to raise $25K by Nov. 15 “to keep shelves stocked with fresh food, dairy, and essentials during this uncertain time.” Here’s their 2025 Shutdown page.
LISTEN Community Services. LISTEN stocks and maintains a food pantry, and is always on the lookout for donations of things like canned soups, baby formula, and more. You’ll find the list here. On Saturday, LISTEN sent out an email warning, “Our Food Pantry and Community Dining Hall are running low on food, and we need your help. Over the past few months, demand for meals and groceries has surged—and with federal food assistance further decreasing, we’re deeply concerned about what the next few weeks and months will bring for neighbors already struggling to make ends meet.” Here’s their donation page.
If you want to donate to an individual town or church food shelf, Willing Hands’ Cloutier says, “We definitely want people to get to know their local food shelves, and recommend contacting them directly before taking action to know what the location needs and when items can be dropped off. Also, be ready for the possibility that those locations need monetary donations most. Needs will vary by town.” Again, you’ll find that list at the very first link.