Building New England’s First Community Food Center

A Capital Campaign for the future of the Seacoast.

Current Pantry

We welcome you to be part of creating a legacy that the Seacoast will remember for generations to come.

  • A Growing Need

    Between the housing crisis, the high cost of living, and lingering effects of the pandemic, the number of Seacoast residents facing food insecurity continues to rise. Currently, it is estimated that 65,000 people face ongoing food insecurity and other challenges across Rockingham, Strafford, and York counties.

    Gather, the region’s premier food security agency, has developed a range of innovative food-access programs to address this need.

    Our Latest Impact Report

  • Our Vision

    Gather is well positioned to expand our model and help meet the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors. To meet the growing demand, Gather is developing New England’s first Community Food Center at 124 Heritage Ave in Portsmouth, NH, just minutes from our current location.

    When you visit Gather’s new space, you’ll find seniors learning to cook on a budget, families enjoying a community meal, teens learning how to grow their own food, community partners providing support, and community organizers hosting advocacy training.

    Download Our Case for Support

Donor Testimonials (Catinos)

“The true character of a community is revealed in how it cares for those in need, and Gather embodies the Seacoast’s spirit of compassion and generosity. We are honored to support this campaign with an impactful gift, helping build a strong foundation to safeguard the health of families, children, and those in need for generations to come.”

John and Kelly Habig, Lead Donors, Rye, NH

Gather’s Community Food Center

BUILDING FOOD SECURITY THROUGH INNOVATION

Gather recently took the first step toward creating this innovative model by leading the launch of the Seacoast Impact Collaborative, a group of 12 local organizations that is working to address the full range of issues that low-income individuals and families face, including food insecurity, employment, transportation, health care, housing instability, and mental health.

SEACOAST IMPACT COLLABORATIVE MEMBERS

Chase Home

COAST Bus

Cross Roads House

Greater Seacoast Community Health

Granite Pathways

Great Bay Community College

HAVEN

Portsmouth Housing Authority

Portsmouth Welfare Department

Community Action Partnership Serving Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties

Seacoast Mental Health

Once completed, the 18,000-square foot Community Food Center will include:

  • Capacity for accommodating 50% more people and includes a welcoming waiting area.

  • Significantly more cold storage, which will make it possible to accept more perishable and non-perishable food donations and serve more people.

  • Our culinary team will be able to prepare at least double the number of prepared meals we make—from 90,000/year to almost 180,000/year.

  • An expansive space for holding community dinners, strengthening social networks, and increasing connection. We will also use this space to host workshops and community organizing events—where people can get more involved in their local food system and advocate for change.

  • We’re excited to launch a culinary workforce training program based on the life-changing Catalyst Kitchens model, the first in northern New England. Here we will also host cooking classes and demonstrations that bring community members together to learn about nutrition, food waste reduction, and how to stretch food dollars.

  • Members can learn how to grow their own food, increasing sustainability and community food access. Gather will also offer a raised bed garden-building program for those who want their own vegetable garden, and community garden beds where members can come together to grow food.

  • Including automated doors, accessible restrooms, motorized grocery carts, and more.

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Capital Campaign

Gather is raising $8 million to meet our most immediate needs and respond to the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Building Gather’s New Home - $4 million

Capital funding will support renovation of an 18,000 sq. ft space at 124 Heritage Avenue in Portsmouth, including the installation of cold storage, two kitchens, demonstration gardens, and more.

Securing Gather’s Home for the Future - $2 million

Gather has executed a 10-year lease. with two 5-year renewals for a total of 20 years. This spend-down reserve will be used to maintain our facility, equipment, and vehicles.

Increasing Food Security through Innovation - $2 million

This fund will allow us to develop and expand innovative programs to serve food-insecure community members. Investments will be used to scale programs towards long-term sustainability.

Capital Campaign Committee

  • Shaun Mathews

    Board Vice President and Campaign Co-Chair

  • Bobbie Sweet

    Gather Supporter and Honorary Campaign Chair

  • John Habig

    Gather Supporter and Campaign Co-Chair

  • Anne Hayes

    Gather Executive Director

  • Robert Hickey, MD

    Board Member

  • Rob Gibbons

    Board President

  • Jill Migliori

    Board Secretary

  • Elisabeth Robinson

    Gather Supporter

  • Patte Ardizzoni

    Gather Development Director

  • Jim Clemens

    Board Member

  • Eileen Eberhart

    Board Member

  • Tania Marino

    Gather Culinary Director

  • Alyssa Wright

    Gather Supporter and Capital Campaign Consultant

  • Cyndi Bear

    Gather Supporter

Ways to Give

    • Give via DAF Direct

    • Address to Gather, EIN EIN # 02-0226943, 210 West Road, Unit #3, Portsmouth, NH 03801

  • If you are eligible (age 70½ and older), you can initiate a QCD from your IRA to Gather by addressing it to 210 West Road, Unit #3, Portsmouth, NH 03801, EIN # 02-0226943.

  • If you would like to take advantage of the tax benefits that come with giving appreciated stock, we welcome it at Gather. We can supply transfer instructions (brokerage name, account number, DTC #) once you reach out to us to do so.

  • Find out if your employer has a match by looking here on Open Secrets https://www.opensecrets.org/donate/employer-donation-matching?utm_source=chatgpt.com.  Use this search tool and then, reach out internally to give your gift and secure your employer’s match to Gather.

  • Once construction is completed, we will likely post a list of in-kind donations we hope to secure for the new space. Stay tuned here for that Wish List to come!

Contact a Gift Officer

Director of Development

Patte Ardizzoni (pardizzoni@gathernh.org)

Capital Campaign Manager

Alyssa Wright (awright@gathernh.org)

Legal & Financial Info

Gather

Tax ID 02-0226943

Gather is a 501 (c)(3) organization

Financial Reports

FY24 - 990

FY24 Financial Audit