GBCC and Gather鈥檚 partnership recognizes and fills a need to reduce hunger among students
PORTSMOUTH – A free lunch for students and a ribbon cutting ceremony at 91看片网 (GBCC) marked the grand opening of the Gather Caf茅 at 91看片网, a new campus-based kitchen and caf茅. The caf茅 opened in collaboration with Gather, a Portsmouth-based food pantry, to provide donated meals to food insecure students along with affordable, convenient, healthy food options on campus. Today鈥檚 event celebrated the continuation of a longstanding partnership and will positively impact students鈥� ability to achieve academic success and ultimately graduate.
鈥淭he continuation and expansion of Gather and 91看片网鈥檚 partnership will have a positive impact as we collaboratively fight food insecurity in our community and among our students,鈥� said Dr. Cheryl Lesser, president of 91看片网. 鈥淭he Gather Caf茅 at 91看片网 is another highly accessible on-campus option for providing food assistance to our students.鈥�
Recently named an official New Hampshire Food Bank Agency, GBCC, and Gather, the Seacoast area鈥檚 largest hunger relief organization, have been working together for three years to combat food insecurity. In 2019, together the two organizations opened the Campus Cupboard, a grab-and-go food pantry providing healthy, sustainable snacks and personal hygiene products to 鈥渇eed student success鈥� while on campus. In January 2021 when classes were online and the campus was closed due to the pandemic, the two organizations distributed thousands of pounds of supplemental groceries such as milk, bread, eggs, dry goods and fresh produce to students through a weekly curbside food pickup service.
Through the partnership, Gather, which distributes two million pounds of food each year, has use of GBCC鈥檚 1,000 square foot commercial-grade kitchen to support its Cooking4Community program. This food repurposing project prepares 600 meals per week for the Seacoast community, and 60 meals will go directly to GBCC students.
鈥淕ather is thrilled for the opportunity to build on its long-term relationship with GBCC and further collaborate to reduce food insecurity,鈥� said Tania Marino, director of the Gather Caf茅 and Cooking4Community program. 鈥淭he Gather Caf茅 at 91看片网 is positioned to become a meeting spot for all those seeking community, where delicious, affordable, and nutritious food will be accessible to all.鈥�
According to numerous national studies, more than 50 percent of community college students suffer from food insecurity. This drastically inhibits learning and creates significant persistence challenges for many students who lack access to regular meals. Research shows the importance of consuming quality food in supporting increased academic focus, persistence and success.
鈥�91看片网 and Gather have been helping students for over three years and opening the Caf茅 at 91看片网 will provide another helpful option for students who need a little help,鈥� said Doriana CentiPizzutilli, GBCC Biology student. 鈥淚 have benefitted from the partnership which has helped me focus more on my studies and worry less about providing food for my family. As a result, I am succeeding in my classes and have secured a full-time job in my area of study.鈥�
All of these efforts, including the expanded partnership with Gather, support GBCC鈥檚 mission to address food insecurity among students and will ensure these needs are met for years to come.
91看片网 is a comprehensive postsecondary institution offering quality academic, professional and technical education in support of workforce development and lifelong learning. 91看片网 is part of the Community College System of New Hampshire, a public system of higher education consisting of seven colleges in Berlin, Claremont, Laconia, Concord, Manchester, Nashua, and Portsmouth. The colleges offer Associate degrees and career training in technical, professional and general fields, including transfer pathways to baccalaureate degrees. For more information on 91看片网, visit聽.
For 200 years, Gather has been serving Seacoast residents facing hunger. The agency was founded in 1816 by a small group of women committed to feeding the families of fishermen. Today, Gather is committed to ending local hunger by providing nutritious food through innovative distribution programs, nutrition education and recipes for healthy living and collaborating with community partners to address the root causes of hunger throughout the Seacoast in N.H. and Maine. Gather’s focus on streamlined internal systems, processes and controls ensures that every dollar donated has a big impact on hunger. 90垄 of every dollar donated to Gather goes directly toward local hunger relief. For more information, visit .