PORTSMOUTH – The Seacoast Community stepped up to help Gather, the Seacoast’s anti-hunger nonprofit organization, break a record for its largest annual food drive known as “Fill the Hall.”
The 10th annual event held at The Music Hall was the largest effort by far for cash donations. Organizers say more than $117,000 was raised – that’s quadruple the amount of money raised in last year’s Fill The Hall. Countless bags of nonperishables were donated, totaling more than 10,000 pounds of food. According to Gather Executive Director Anne Hayes, “We put out the call to the Seacoast community to help us make this the most successful food drive in our history - and our community came through!”
Community activist, Denise Wheeler, is one of the original organizers of the event. Says Wheeler, “The volunteers who show up year after year bring a fun spirit, warm hearts and muscle to the event. It was an honor and joy to watch the incredible teams at Gather and The Music Hall work their magic.”
Many local neighborhoods, restaurants, and businesses held their own food drives with the goal of delivering truckloads of food to Fill The Hall. This year’s lead sponsor was Green & Co. Real Estate.
The effort will fund Gather’s Meals For Kids program, which provides nutritious meals for children when school is not in session. Gather’s team delivers a variety of food and snacks directly to participating locations. The goal is to ensure that children have consistent access to food. Families who are interested in participating can go to a designated mobile market location where Gather’s team can help. There’s no complicated registration or paperwork. Visit www.gatherNH.org for more information on mobile market locations and hours.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Gather’s Tenth Annual 'Fill the Hall' Food Drive shatters records
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