KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) As uncertainty over federal funding continues, local food pantries are bracing for a surge in need. On Thursday morning’s Good Morning with Dan Mitchell on WKBK Radio, Community Kitchen Executive Director Barb Weisman said her team is preparing to fill the gap for hundreds of local families who may lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits starting this Saturday, Nov. 1.

“We’re gearing up to serve many more people in the coming weeks,” Weisman told Mitchell. “When SNAP stops, we can’t let people go hungry — we’ll be there with emergency food and meals.”

The Community Kitchen will begin weekly mobile food distributions starting Friday, Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Keene Department of Public Works lot, serving those whose benefits have been paused. The initiative is part of a statewide contingency plan coordinated by the New Hampshire Food Bank, which is delivering 1,000 emergency food boxes filled with fresh produce and shelf-stable items for the Monadnock region.

The move comes as Gov. Kelly Ayotte warned that SNAP and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programs could be disrupted if the federal government shutdown continues past the end of October. Ayotte said about 75,000 Granite Staters rely on SNAP, and without federal funding, the state has stepped in with $2 million to help food pantries and mobile distributions meet the growing demand.

Weisman said the Community Kitchen is also expanding evening meals and may extend hours as more people seek assistance. She encouraged both SNAP recipients and those not enrolled to visit their local food pantry or sign up for benefits once the program resumes.

“These emergency boxes are a bridge — they’re not a week’s worth of groceries,” she said. “We need the community’s help to make sure no one falls through the cracks.”

Residents who wish to support the effort can donate food or funds directly to the Community Kitchen or other local food pantries.

Also, this evening (Oct. 30), Feeding Tiny Tummies, a local foodshelf located at 305 Park Ave. in Keene, will be open to distribute food for seniors from 4:30 to 5 p.m. and from 5 to 6:30 p.m. for all. Please bring a box or reusable bags with you to this location.

Listen to the full interview: