WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 38705 [post_author] => 9192204 [post_date] => 2024-08-16 17:58:27 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-08-16 21:58:27 [post_content] => [post_title] => Community Spotlight: End 68 Hours of Hunger [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => end-68-hours-hunger-2024 [to_ping] => [pinged] => https://vimeo.com/898176140 [post_modified] => 2024-08-27 16:52:20 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-08-27 20:52:20 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://monadnockcommunityhospital.com/monadnock-family-services-2024-copy/ [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

In the Monadnock region of New Hampshire, there's a hidden problem facing many children: the weekend hunger gap. The 68 hours between Friday's school lunch and Monday's breakfast can be a time of uncertainty for families struggling with food insecurity. But End 68 Hours of Hunger, a dynamic volunteer-driven initiative, is working to change that. ) [_page_sections_1_wysiwyg] => Array ( [0] => field_5a79c5dfc5cca ) [page_sections_1_width] => Array ( [0] => normal ) [_page_sections_1_width] => Array ( [0] => field_5af99fbbc9de1 ) [_thumbnail_id] => Array ( [0] => 38706 ) [page_sections_2_section_title] => Array ( [0] => A Critical Mission in Our Community ) [_page_sections_2_section_title] => Array ( [0] => field_5ada5134d3021 ) [page_sections_2_wysiwyg] => Array ( [0] => According to a 2023 report by Feeding America, a staggering 13.4% of children in New Hampshire experience food insecurity, a significant increase from 8.5% just a year prior. This means that more than 1 in 8 children in our state aren't sure where their next meal will come from. This lack of consistent, nutritious food can have a lasting impact on a child's health, development, and ability to learn. Founded in New Hampshire in 2011, End 68 Hours of Hunger has become a lifeline for families facing weekend hunger. The program provides children with nutritionally balanced food bags containing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, ensuring they return to school on Monday nourished and ready to learn. The local ConVal SAU chapter, approaching its 9th anniversary this January, is a testament to the program's enduring impact and the community's commitment. ) [_page_sections_2_wysiwyg] => Array ( [0] => field_5a79c5dfc5cca ) [page_sections_2_width] => Array ( [0] => normal ) [_page_sections_2_width] => Array ( [0] => field_5af99fbbc9de1 ) [page_sections_3_section_title] => Array ( [0] => Making a Real Difference in ConVal Schools ) [_page_sections_3_section_title] => Array ( [0] => field_5ada5134d3021 ) [page_sections_3_wysiwyg] => Array ( [0] => Here in the ConVal School District (encompassing Antrim, Bennington, Dublin, Francestown, Greenfield, Hancock, Peterborough, Sharon, and Temple), the local chapter serves between 165 and 200 children every week. During the peak of the pandemic, this number surged to 350 bags per week. Since its inception, the ConVal chapter has distributed an impressive 52,000 bags of food, demonstrating the program's sustained impact on the community.

"During the pandemic, we were so isolated," shared one grateful parent. "Receiving that bag of food every week made us feel like we were more connected, that someone in our community still cared that my kids were fed."

End 68 Hours of Hunger thrives on community support. Here's how you can make a difference:

Donate non-perishable food items
Make a financial contribution
Spread awareness through social media and word-of-mouth
Organize food drives in your workplace, school, or community group

To learn more and get involved, visit the End 68 Hours of Hunger website or contact the ConVal chapter directly. Together, we can create a future where no child in the Monadnock region has to worry about where their next meal will come from.

Let's end the weekend hunger gap – one bag of food, one child, one community at a time.

) [_page_sections_6_wysiwyg] => Array ( [0] => field_5a79c5dfc5cca ) [page_sections_6_width] => Array ( [0] => normal ) [_page_sections_6_width] => Array ( [0] => field_5af99fbbc9de1 ) [page_sections_7_section_title] => Array ( [0] => Learn More: ) [_page_sections_7_section_title] => Array ( [0] => field_5ada5134d3021 ) [page_sections_7_wysiwyg] => Array ( [0] => End 68 Hours of Hunger ConVal End 68 Hours of Hunger ConVal Facebook NH Food Bank Taking Action to Combat 43.9% Increase in Food Insecurity Statewide Hunger in America - New Hampshire from Feeding America NH Hunger Solutions Map the Meal Gap Report from Feeding America ) [_page_sections_7_wysiwyg] => Array ( [0] => field_5a79c5dfc5cca ) [page_sections_7_width] => Array ( [0] => normal ) [_page_sections_7_width] => Array ( [0] => field_5af99fbbc9de1 ) [page_sections_8_section_title] => Array ( [0] => ) [_page_sections_8_section_title] => Array ( [0] => field_5a79c51c87bb0 ) [page_sections_8_section_text] => Array ( [0] => ) [_page_sections_8_section_text] => Array ( [0] => field_5ad4c99e98b3b ) [page_sections_8_posts_selection] => Array ( [0] => auto_taxonomy_terms ) [_page_sections_8_posts_selection] => Array ( [0] => field_5e99c1d934e7f ) [page_sections_8_post_type] => Array ( [0] => post ) [_page_sections_8_post_type] => Array ( [0] => field_5e99c7a534e80 ) [page_sections_8_taxonomy] => Array ( [0] => tag ) [_page_sections_8_taxonomy] => Array ( [0] => field_5e99c7e134e82 ) [page_sections_8_terms] => Array ( [0] => community benefit, community, volunteer ) [_page_sections_8_terms] => Array ( [0] => field_5e99c82334e83 ) [page_sections_8_posts_limit] => Array ( [0] => -1 ) [_page_sections_8_posts_limit] => Array ( [0] => field_5e99c85934e84 ) )