Age has nothing to do with innovation. Just look to Gather in Portsmouth for a prime example. The nonprofit has been feeding those in need in the Seacoast for 209 years and has grown its programs to build food security in welcoming and dignified ways far beyond its food pantry. It has a fresh food bus, a café that offers discounted and free meals to food insecure community college students, and a program that allows restaurants and cafes to donate excess food that is then turned into nutritious ready-to-eat meals. And it does all of that with 28 employees and an army of 735 volunteers.
It is about to embark on its most ambitious venture yet: opening the first Community Food Center in New England. That will entail moving to an 18,000 square-foot facility that will also open its doors to other social service agencies and allow people who are food insecure to easily access additional services—everything from fuel assistance to housing assistance. “Life is hard enough for people who are food insecure. How can we make their life easier? That is our goal,” says Executive Director Anne Hayes, adding Gather hopes to move into its new space in the fall.
Since 2020, Gather has experienced a 500% increase in individuals served through its mobile markets. In the past two years, Gather has seen a nearly 50% increase in demand across all programs. In 2024, it served nearly 125,000 individuals across all programs, distributed 1.7 million pounds of food and provided nearly 90,000 prepared meals.
“We’ve seen people who never thought they would see a food pantry,” Hayes says. “It’s all about building food security by offering innovative services in a dignified way.”
Gather’s pantry market is set up like any other market to keep clients’ dignity intact. It steps away from the traditional model of people picking up a box of nonperishable food. Those staples are there, but so are fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables as well as ready-to-eat meals.
Gather also hosts Mobile Markets—weekly outdoor farmers’ market-style distributions of fresh food throughout the Greater Seacoast. Its Fresh Food Bus transports perishable food, allowing patrons to select items in a private and convenient setting. Through the Meals 4 Kids program, Gather provides healthy food to children on a weekly basis during school vacations.
As food prices continue to rise and federal funding for programs are cut, Hayes anticipates there will only be more demand for Gather’s services. “We have to be primed to address a bigger need,” she says.
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