UPPER VALLEY FOOD SHELVES

Stone School on 3456Tyson Road. Monday, 2-4 p.m.,Thursday, 4-6. 802-952-1068 or rwwfoodshelf.org.

Sh Aron

Lighthouse FoodShelf: Across the street from theCongregational Church, 55 Route 132. Tuesday and Thursday, 4:306:30p.m. Callforassistance outsideof normal hours. 802-763-2007.

South Royalton

RoyaltonFood Shelf: 2955 Route14, South Royalton. Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. unitedchurchofsoro.org/ food-shelf or 802-763-7633.

The Tford

Thetford Food Shelf: Town Offices, 3910 Route 113. Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.-noon, andby appointment.thetfordvt.gov/community/thetford-foodshelf, 612-719-8618 or 802-785-4168.

T Unbridge

Tunbridge CommunityFood Shelf: Tunbridge ChurchParish House,3 Potash Hill Road. Friday, 4-6 p.m. 802-6930098.

Vershire

Vershire Food Shelf: Town Center Building, 27Vershire CenterRoad. Fridays,10 a.m.-noon.vershare.org/wordpress/vershire-helping-hands or 802-6859982.

We Athersfield

Weathersfield FoodShelf: 1879 School, 1862 Route 106, Perkinsville. Open secondand fourthThursdayseach month, 2-4 p.m. 802-263-5169.

West Fairlee

WestFairlee CommunityFoodShelf: Community Building, Route 113. Tuesday, noon-1 p.m. Drive-thru only. 802-333-9937.

White River Junction

Upper Valley Haven: 713 Hartford Ave. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.802-295-6500 or upper valleyhaven.org/foodshelffaq.

Sharing and CaringFood Program: WhiteRiver JunctionUnitedMethodist Church,106Gates St.Foodavailable24/7 outsidechurch. Facebook:“White River Jct. United Methodist Church.”

Winds Or

TrinityEvangelical FreeChurch: 44 Main St.Tuesdays andThursdays, 5:306:30 p.m.; Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Closed the first week of each month. trinitywindsor.com/food-shelf or 802-674-6781.

Woods Tock

CommunityFood Shelf: 217 Maxham

Meadow Way. Monday,4-6 p.m., Wednesday,1-3 p.m.,Saturday, 10a.m.-noon. woodstockfoodshelf.org or 802-457-1185.

New Hampshire CANA AN/ENFIELD

Mascoma Area Food Pantry: Senior Center, 1166Route 4.By appointment Monday-Fridayfor residentsofCanaan, Enfield, Dorchester,Grafton andOrange. Home delivery available. 603-523-4333.

Friends ofMascoma FoodPantries

Warm Weather Hours: Wednesdays from 3-5:30p.m. at9Onthe CommonWay, Canaan; vehicleline formsloop through MTD parkinglot. Mobile foodpantry Tuesdays from3-5:30 p.m.at HusePark inEnfield; lookfor theFoodie van.For residents of Canaan,Enfield, Dorchester,Grafton and Orange. friendsofmascoma.org/ friends-feeding-friends or 603-632-4542.

Charle Stown

Charlestown FoodShelf: Old Town Hall, 29 Summer St. Open Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9-11 a.m. charlestownfoodshelf@gmail.com or 603-499-3504.

Cl Aremont

ClaremontSoup Kitchen: 51 Central St. Monday-Friday,9 a.m.-1p.m. claremontsoupkitchen.com/our-programs or 603-543-3290.

Gr Antham

Grantham Food Pantry: Grantham United Methodist Church, 418 Route 10. Sundays, 9-11 a.m. and Mondays, 4:30-6:30 p.m. granthamfoodpantry@gmail.comor facebook.com/granthamumc.

H Anover

United Church ofChrist: 40 College St. Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. No registration needed, but masks required. hanovercommunityfoodpantr y@ gmail.com or 802 356-0629.

Leb Anon

Listen CommunityServices: 60 HanoverSt. Monday,noon-4 p.m.;Tuesday-Friday,10 a.m.-4p.m.listencs.org/ food-pantry or 603-448-4553.

Assembly of God Church: 45 Buckingham Place. LastSaturdays, 9-10 a.m. 603-448-3333.

First Baptist Churchof Lebanon’s Ravenbox Food Pantry: Outside the Upper Valley Senior Center, 10 Campbell St. Second and fourth Saturdays, 10-11 a.m. Drive through orwalk-up outdoor service. office@lebfirstbaptist.com or 603-448-5618.

Lyme

LymeFood Pantry: Reardoor ofthe LymeCongregational Church,1Dorch- ester Road. Anyone may pre-order food packages at 603-795-0603 or help@ cclyme.org. Pick-up and delivery on Tuesdays at 1 p.m., or by appointment.

New London

KLS Community FoodPantry: First Baptist Church,461 MainSt. Servesresidentsof Andover,Bradford,Danbury, New London, Newbury, Salisbury, Springfield, Sunapee,Sutton, Warnerand Wilmot. Wednesday, 5:30-70 p.m. Saturday, 10-11:30 a.m. kcpcnlnh.com/mission-klsfood-pantry or 603-526-6511.

North Haverhill

TrinityChurch ofNazareneFood Pantr y: 41 NazareneDrive. Servesresidentsofthe townsofHaverhill,Benton, Bath, Piermont and Warren, and Wells Riverand Newbury,Vt. ThirdSaturdays, 9-10:30 a.m. trinitynazarenenh.org/ministries or 603-787-6177.

Orford

Orford/Fairlee Food Shelf: Town Hall,Town CommonRoad, Fairlee.Serving residents of Orford, Fairlee and the Rivendell SchoolDistrict onMondayThursday9 a.m.-3:30p.m.and Friday10 a.m.-noon. 802-333-4363.

Free Produceat OrfordUnited Congregational Church: Route10. Available everyTuesday noon-4p.m. Allwelcome. Sponsoredby WillingHands andOrford Cares. 603-353-4150.

Pl Ainfield

Community ResourceRoom and Food Pantry: Christ Community Church, 1259 Route12A. Servingresidents of Plainfield, Meriden andCornish. First Thursdays,third Fridaysand thirdSaturdays, 9-10:30 a.m. 603-469-3201.

West Lebanon

WellspringFood Pantry: Wellspring WorshipCenter,407 N.MainSt.Saturday, 9-10 a.m. 603-643-2700. For urgent needs, call 603-359-7245.

Woods Ville

Good ShepherdEcumenical Food Pantr y: 65S. CourtSt. Monday,Tuesday, Thursday, 10.a.m.-1 p.m.Wednesday 6-7 p.m.Servingresidents ofHaverhill,Benton, Orford, Piermont, Warren, Woodstock,Wentworth, Bath,Landaff,Lisbon, Lyman and Monroe. 603-243-0327.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Please help us keep this list up to date. To have information about your organizat ion’s food shelf, soup kitchen or other similar program included in this list, or to update an existing entry, send details by email to calendar@vnews.com.

JOIN THE MUSICAL FUN!

High school creates pantry to address food insecurity

By PATRICK O’GR ADY Valley News Correspondent

Ellen Mullen began cooking with her mother at a young age so it was only natural for the White River Valley High School freshman to offer her culinary talents to the new food pantry at the school.

Mullen began cooking with others and then tried it on her own. Standing before the stove in the school’s personalized learning classroom recently, Mullen had just pulled a fresh pan of macaroni and cheese out of the oven that she had made using her own recipe. Once it cooled,

Mullen filled about 50 small containers for students after school.

“I enjoy it because I know how to cook and this helps people be able to eat,”Mullen said as she cleaned up while her pan of brownies baked.

The Wildcat Food Pantry, run by student volunteers, began in late winter and has proved popular for many students who can use a little help.

“Kids at the end of the day will come in and grab a small container of Ellen’s mac and cheese to go, all af ter noon,”said Errol Hinton, coordinator of the personalized learning classroom, who also heads up the pantry effort. “They love it.”

Hinton said the idea for a pantry grew out of conversations with Dana Decker, equity coordinator for the White River Valley Supervisory Union.

“For equity we asked, ‘How can we make things equal for all kids?’” Hinton said. “What we decided is we need to feed kids.”

While the cafeteria serves breakfast and lunch and sometimes provides food after school, Hinton said they wanted to add something else.

Hinton offered his office for the pantry. Several shelves now stock a variety of dry goods, including ce- real, pasta, apple sauce, snacks, condiments and canned goods.

The idea was embraced by the school community and several students got involved immediately, Hinton said. Some collect food donations while others deliver food or work in the pantry.

In one example of the pantry’s impact, Hinton said there was a family he was made aware of who did not have a way to cook. Mullen prepared a big meal each week and Hinton delivered it. Now, they are sponsoring a second family after the first one was able to get a stove at home.

Mullen cooks every day, usually using food out of the pantry. Her dishes go quickly at the end of the day.

“She makes a great lasagna,” Hinton said. “The kids are more likely to grab food made by Ellen and she is getting high value out of it and does such a nice job.”

“The kids will start delivering food in the afternoons,”Hinton added.

The pantry is available not just to students but all community community members, Hinton said, adding that staff members at White River help identify people who might need extra assistance.

“We have a very good group of teachers here,”he said.

Students Harley Blondin and Abigail Rainville also volunteer with the pantr y.

“Mr. Hinton invited me to join and I love it,”said Blondin, a freshman who stocks shelves and helps keeps the pantry organized.

Rainville, a junior who readily accepted Decker’s offer to help at the pantry, spends a few hours each week taking inventory and advising staff on what items are most needed. She also has become a student liaison of sorts.

“I try to speak with students so we have a student connection,” Rainville said. “Sometimes they have a hard time talking to adults, so I’ll be there for any student who wants to come down here.”

Rainville also volunteers at the food shelf at her church in Bethel.

“I think it is good to have access here because it removes a step (getting food to students or local families),”Rainville said. “And if someone didn’t bring food to school, they can come down here and make soup or something else for lunch. Because it is available to everyone, it removes the stigma some students may feel.”

A companion piece to the pantry is a clothing service at the school run by Decker.

Students have stepped up and provided a lot of clothing, she said.

“They noticed some classmates were wearing the same clothing and shoes regardless of the season,” Decker said. “They felt a clothing space with a pantry would be helpful too.

“We started collecting prom outfits, accessories and shoes so everyone has something to wear to prom,” she added. “It is surprising to see how many people come in for prom outfits, especially dresses.”

Patrick O’Gradycan bereached at pogclmt@gmail.com.