Gather gets new truck after accident, thanks to community donations

PORTSMOUTH — When Gather’s truck was totaled in a highway accident last spring, the community leapt to the aid of the anti-hunger nonprofit with donations. Now the truck has been replaced.

No one was hurt in the accident but the loss of the refrigerated box truck put a spotlight on a critical aspect of Gather’s food access program.

“Each morning, we pack the truck with pallets of food to distribute to our mobile markets in several Seacoast communities, including Rochester, Somersworth, Portsmouth and Seabrook," said Kate Constantine, Gather’s community engagement manager. "We also use the truck to pick up food from the New Hampshire Food Bank and other partners who donate food. The truck is absolutely essential to our operations.”

According to Constantine, after the organization released a statement about how the loss of the truck impacted Gather’s ability to provide access to fresh food across the Seacoast, there was a tremendous response: “Many people reached out on social media asking what they could do to help. The CEO of The Brook (casino in Seabrook), Andre Carrier, saw our post and offered a very generous matching donation of $25,000. With that, we launched a community fundraiser for a new truck — and the community stepped up!”

Earlier this month, the Gather logo was added to the new truck by ATA Outdoor and the truck is now on the road, distributing food to neighbors in need.

Increasing need for food in Seacoast

Gather Executive Director Anne Hayes says the most recent data shows that the number of people needing Gather’s support continues to grow. In July, Gather served 11,750 people, the highest number in the nonprofit’s history. Gather’s pantry market in Portsmouth serves an average of 2,450 people per month with over 1,000 new households registering to receive free food and prepared meals in the past year.

“We’ve seen a big jump in those served at our mobile markets as well, with over 7,000 recipients each month," Hayes said. "This jump in demand is happening as food donations have decreased. So the need for donations is significant. We welcome both non-perishable food donations and monetary donations which allow us to purchase fresh food at a reduced price.”

Information: gathernh.org

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Gather gets new truck after accident, thanks to community donations