Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, Inc.

BREAD AND BOARD

The NSK & S Newsletter www.NSKS.org

The Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization providing food, emergency shelter, housing, and advocacy to poor and homeless men, women and families with children in our community. The soup kitchen, at 42 Chestnut Street, serves breakfast Monday - Friday 7:00-8:00, dinner Monday - Saturday 4:30—6:00 and Sundays 12:00—1:30. Our philosophy:

No one should be hungry or homeless in our community.

FALL 2009

In case you were wondering what happens with your donations, and how your volunteer time helps, here are some of our agency statistics for our fiscal year which ended in June. We have seen some significant increases from the year before and continue to see them this year also.

* 85 families, including 89 children, received financial assistance to prevent them from becoming homeless

SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR

9th ANNUAL DINNER AUCTION

unique auction items

delicious food and beverages

FUN and more FUN while supporting our programs.

don’t miss the most fun event of the season

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Sky Meadow Country Club, Nashua

For more information call Carol at 889-7770

or email her at carol@nsks.org

Sometimes people ask who are the homeless you serve in the shelters? Picking one day to see who is at the shelters, our Kinsley Street Shelter had one room with a single mom in her 30’s with a 6 year old, another room with a single mom in her late 40’s with a 16 year old and four single women all sharing a room ranging in age from 33 to 53. Our Ash Street shelter had a two parent family with a 2 year old and a 9 year old, and another two parent family with a 2 month old baby. We also had twelve single men ranging in age from 27 to 58. Families share a room....can you imagine your whole family living in one room for months at a time?

If your company or organization is interested in providing sponsorship support for the 9th Annual Dinner Auction, there are many ways you can help while gaining visibility in the community:

We know times are tough for businesses and this is an excellent opportunity to reach an upscale market in southern NH. 250+ people attend the Dinner Auction each year. Our supporters patronize the businesses they know support our agency. They also encourage their friends to do the same. Please call or email Lisa at 889-7770 or lisa@nsk.org to find out more about the benefits and recognition given to our sponsors and donors.

It is always heartening to see families we have helped doing well. For those of us who have been here many years, we are often fortunate enough to see kids when they are small in the family that is seeking support and then again when they are older.

Two young women (late teens, early 20’s) stopped in over the summer. They both were children in families who came to us regularly for food, toiletries, holiday gifts and other assistance. One of them came from a two parent family with five children and the other was a single child in a single parent family. Now both of these young women are working and in college. They are bilingual and have jobs that utilize their skills. Neither family still needs to come to the soup kitchen.

One of our former transitional housing participants was in the office last week to return to us to cover relief shifts at the shelter. She has a very good state job that she has held for about 5 years. Her oldest two children (in their 20’s) are doing well. The oldest is in a wonderful relationship and just had her first child. They both have some college and plan to finish. Her youngest just graduated from high school and is starting college this year.

The NSK&S is the safety net that helped these families and especially the children in them. We are proud to be part of the “village that it takes to raise a child” and grateful for your support that makes it possible.

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The other day I overheard two children in our waiting room right outside my office playing. They were about 8 or 9, a boy and a girl. They were playing with little wee wobbles folks and this is the dialogue I overheard.

“Do you have a place to stay tonight?” says the girl in a very serious voice.. The boy replies sadly, “No, I don’t think so.” She says, “You can stay with us, we have a big apartment.” Speaking for his toy he asks, “Can boys come?” “Sure, she tells him.”

We ask folks all the time if they have a place to stay tonight. Grown-ups, adults. Where the family is sleeping or if they even have a place to sleep is not something kids should have to worry about. It was horrifying and heartbreaking to hear kids’ play discussing these issues and in such matter of fact tones. It was a stark reminder of the reality of the lives of many of the children we see in the soup kitchen and in our shelters. It is a reminder that we have to make some serious changes in our society so that all of our children can grow up playing “kids games” as they deserve to.

– Lisa Christie

Thank you to Hannaford in Nashua and Hollis Market in Hollis for this year’s Bag Hunger.

Hollis Market kept Bag Hunger going year round and Hannaford ran the program through the end of July this year instead of stopping on the July 4^th weekend. Both stores together collected $9,362 this year. We are very grateful for such a high level of support, from corporate and from individual shoppers. This will go a long way in helping us provide food for all of the new families we are seeing each week.

June Volunteer of the Month –Wayne Hayes has been a tremendous help in the Kitchen, coming in when needed and putting in some very long days to help get things done. We appreciate your dedication!

July Volunteer of the Month –Christmas in July! Dedicated Board Member Silvia Harper has accepted the challenge to be our 2009 Christmas Program Coordinator! Santa and the Soup Kitchen will be grateful for your support. For information about our Christmas program, to volunteer or adopt a child, please contact us at carol@nsks.org or call 889-7770.

August Volunteer of the Month – we salute the team of Becky, Connor & Sara Shaughnessy who put in many long, hot hours on some of the hottest days of the summer, helping us with our “back to school” backpack program. They cheerfully unloaded donations, organized supplies, supervised other volunteers, and helped us make the program work! Thank you Shaughnessy family!

I go to the Nashua Soup Kitchen for help with school supplies for my son and I was also given help with food on Christmas and Thanksgiving. So to everyone who can afford it please help out these children who need some school supplies. Going back to school is always hard for the poorer families. With the school clothes, supplies, shoes, socks and all the other stuff it gets tough and a lot of children have to just go without. I only have one child and couldn't imagine having 3 or 4 kids to supply with all new backpacks and clothes. Thanks to the soup kitchen and to all the kind hearts for helping out who they can.

We know the economy is hitting almost everyone these days. We greatly appreciate all of you who are still stretching to help out your neighbors in need. With your help we continue to include a dozen eggs in every food basket and at least one gallon of milk for every family with children. As we go to press, we are preparing to distribute 2,000+ new backpacks loaded with school supplies to kids whose families could not afford to buy them. We appreciate all of your help and ask that you continue as we see the needs growing. You can: write a check or charge a donation, pledge monthly donations, organize a food or diaper drive, become and advocate on behalf of those living in poverty, remember the NSK&S in your will, check our website at www.nsks.org.

Each and every person who come to the NSK&S for help are grateful for your generosity. On their behalf, thank you!