By JUDITH DIONNE
Staff Writer

HELPING HANDS – Volunteers Jim Byron, foreground, and Vickie Couture help director Wayne Cochrane organize the shelves at the Hooksett Food Pantry. Cochrane said the staff is primarily volunteers and can always use donations. (Judith Dionne Photo)

No bigger than a one-stall garage with office space in the front, the Hooksett Food Pantry undertakes the enormous task of feeding those in need from the greater Hooksett and Manchester areas.

Considering the number of towns the pantry covers, one would expect to see the shelves bursting with food, but they're not.

Entering the food bay, consisting of three rows of steel shelves, two of which are used to warehouse the food, Wayne Cochrane, director of Prayer Hall, Inc., the parent company of the Hooksett Food Pantry, said, while pointing to the well-kept, sparsely-filled shelves, "This is pretty full. I'm going on a food run today, so it will be fuller later, but we're in pretty good shape today."

Cochrane said local merchants are great at helping out, but the need has increased so greatly in the community it's difficult to provide enough for all.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]The current state of affairs in the world today has caused considerable need in the community Cochrane said.

"There is a 70 percent increase this year (in applicants) over last," he said. "Food pantries are a good measuring stick of how healthy a community is."

Cochrane equates the increase in demand to the war.

"This (the war) has caused a ripple effect in the community that ends up in our front door," he said. "Men and women (who are Reservists) with better-paying jobs are now living on military pay, and families are having to make it with one parent at home. I'm seeing people losing their homes. It's very sad."

To qualify for services through the Hooksett Food Pantry, Cochrane said, you must fill out an application to show wage need and residency.

"We wish we could do more," he said, "but the reality is we just can't. We're running low on food and almost had to close in July of this year. Hunger is 24/7, 365 days a year."

"We see so many cases in here, they break your heart," said volunteer Jim Byron. "We can only do so much. You feel helpless."

Cochrane said it's difficult to go to your local welfare office and ask for assistance. It can be humbling. Not many people who could provide for their family want to admit they suddenly can't.

"We've had people wait until they don't have a stick of spaghetti left to feed their family call, needing assistance that very day," he said. "Don't wait. Get help. Get services before it's too late."

To learn more about the Hooksett Food Pantry, to help out or apply for aid, call 625- 4754.

Besides the larger Hooksett Food Pantry, many local towns have smaller food pantries to service immediate need in their community. Suncook, Pembroke, Allenstown and Candia offer help.

St. Paul's Church, in Candia, runs one from its basement offices.

"We don't service a lot of people," said Lorette Nault, pastoral assistant. "We have about half dozen regulars that come anywhere from once a week to once a month."

Once in a while, Nault said, they'll get a call from a local person who found out about the pantry from a friend or a welfare office, but as a whole she said they don't see many people.

"We'd definitely like to help more," said Nault. "Our parishioners support the pantry, so it's not large, but we have a good selection of food to offer."

The St. Paul's food pantry is open during regular church office hours which are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 483-8481.

The town also offers food through its welfare office, in conjunction with the Candia Community Woman's Club. Call 483-8101 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to set up an appointment with the welfare director.

For people living in the Allenstown/Pembroke area there are several options available to them.

Allenstown welfare and Pembroke welfare both have small food pantries.

Marcella Hinkell, who works for the Allenstown welfare office, said they will give someone enough food to last two to three days.

"There is so much need in the local community," said Hinkell. "We're fortunate that the local merchants supply us so we can help the people out."

Hours at the Allenstown welfare office are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For information on Pembroke's food pantry located in its town offices, call 485- 2883.

Suncook's Community Action Program supports the Suncook community. Hinkell said the Suncook program has specific days when people can get certain food items.

"Monday, Wednesday and Friday they offer breads and pastries," said Hinkell. "They are also a USDA house, which means they have meats and cheeses."

Call 485-7824 for details about the Suncook Community Action Program.

A final resource can be found in the Interfaith Food Pantry which is a coalition of local churches in the Pembroke/ Allenstown area.

"We've seen an incredible increase in servicing larger families this year," said Muriel Previe, of the Pembroke welfare office and the Interfaith Food Pantry.

Previe attributes the increase to families who work but simply don't earn enough to pay for everything, given rising costs.

"In order to receive services through the pantry, you need to meet income guidelines," she said. They service 50 to 60 families monthly.

The pantry is located at 147 Main St. in Pembroke. Call 485-2883 or 485-4747 for details.