Participant FAQ
Q: How can a participant use the vouchers?
A: Vouchers can be used at local Market Basket locations for food and grocery items. This program is designed to give participants the flexibility to select the items that best meet the needs of individuals and their families.
Q: When can a participant use the voucher? How long are the vouchers valid?
A: Participants will pick up their vouchers on Saturday, December 16th. The voucher can be used only once until January 31, 2024.
Q: How many times can a participant use the voucher?
A: Vouchers are for one-time use only. Recipients are not able to use the voucher for multiple transactions until the dollar amount is reached. For example, an individual with a $75 voucher cannot use $50 during one Market Basket transaction and the remaining $25 for a second transaction.
The voucher will be collected and voided by Market Basket during the first transaction. Recipients are highly encouraged to plan their shopping lists to receive the full value of their vouchers.
Q: How much is each voucher worth?
A: The amount of the voucher is based on the number of people in the household.
- 1-2 person(s) $50.00
- 3-4 persons $75.00
- 5-7 persons $100.00
- 8 or more persons $150.00
Q: What Market Basket locations are participating in the 2023 Holiday Project?
A: There are five Market Baskets in the Capital Region area. Three in Concord, one in Hooksett, and one in Warner.
| Market Basket #34 80 Storrs Street Concord, NH 03301 | Market Basket #35 108 Fort Eddy Road Concord, NH 03301 |
| Market Basket #92 15 Merchants Way Concord, NH 03301 | Market Basket #66 30 Market Drive Hooksett, NH 03106 |
| Market Basket #55 30 Nichols Mill Lane Warner, NH 03278 |
Q: How do those unable to shop benefit from the voucher program? Can a family member, friend or personal aid shop on their behalf?
A: At pickup, a CRFP volunteer can explain how the recipient can authorize a designated shopper. The shopper’s name needs to be provided on the voucher as Market Basket will be checking identification and collecting the voucher at checkout.
Q: When does a participant receive their voucher?
A: Vouchers will be distributed Saturday, December 16, 2023.
Q: Where does a participant pick up their voucher?
A: Recipients will pickup vouchers at an assigned location and schedule to be provided. There will be 14 distribution locations throughout the service area.
| Town | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Allenstown | 9:00 – 11:00 am (by appointment) | Allenstown Fire House 1 Ferry Street, Allenstown |
| Boscawen, Webster | 10:00 -12 noon | Police Station 116 North Main Street, Boscawen |
| Bow | 7:30 -8:00 am | Old Town Hall Bow Center Road, Bow |
| Canterbury | 12:30 – 2:00 pm | Canterbury United Community Church 5 Center Road, Canterbury |
| Chichester | 8:00 – 10:00 am | Town Hall 54 Main Street, Chichester |
| Concord | **see schedule below** | Bishop Brady High School Columbus Ave, Concord |
| Contoocook, Hopkinton | 10:00 – 12 noon | Food Pantry 41 Slusser Drive, Hopkinton |
| Dunbarton | 9:00 – 10:30 am | Dunbarton Fire Station 18 Robert Rogers Rd, Dunbarton |
| Epsom | 10:00 – 12 noon | C-21 Thompson Real Estate 1033 Suncook Valley Hwy, Epsom |
| Loudon | 10:00 – 12 noon | Loudon Food Pantry 30 Chichester Rd, Unit D, Loudon |
| Pembroke | 10:00 – 12 noon | Pembroke Town Hall 311 Pembroke St, Rte 3, Pembroke |
| Penacook | **see schedule below** | Bishop Brady High School Columbus Ave, Concord |
| Pittsfield | 10:00 – 12 noon | Pittsfield Food Pantry 55 Barnstead Road #6, Pittsfield |
| Salisbury | 10:00 – 12 noon | Selectmen’s Office (Academy Hall) 9 Old Coach Road Salisbury |
| Warner | 10:00 – 12 noon | Warner Connects NH Food Pantry 49 West Main Street, Warner |
**Concord/Penacook residents picking up at Bishop Brady High School must have a photo ID and adhere to the following schedule on Saturday, Dec 16th.**
| IF YOUR LAST NAME BEGINS WITH | PICK UP TIME |
|---|---|
| A, B, C | 10:00 – 10:30 am |
| D, E, F, G, H | 10:30 – 11:00 am |
| I, J,K, L | 11:00 – 11:30 am |
| M, N, O, P | 12:00 – 12:30 pm |
| Q, R, S, T | 12:30 – 1:00 pm |
| U, V, W, X, Y, Z | 1:00 – 1:30 pm |
| Can’t come during designated time | 1:30 – 2:00 pm |
Q: How do participants apply for a voucher?
A: CRFP is proud to partner with 38 agencies for the 2023 Holiday Project. Please contact one of the participating agencies to confirm eligibility and submit the application on your behalf. Applications will only be accepted from October 27, 2023 to November 30, 2023.
Below is a list of the agencies partnering with CRFP for the 2023 Holiday Project.
| Allenstown | Friends Program |
| Ascentria | Friends of Emergency Housing |
| B/M Concord CAP | Friends of Forgotten Children |
| B/M CAP Mobile Food Pantry | Granite VNA |
| Blueberry Express Day Care | Hopkinton Human Services |
| Boscawen Welfare | Immaculate Conception Church |
| Bow Human Services | Loudon Food Pantry |
| Boys & Girls Club of Central NH | Merrimack County H/S Navigator Program |
| Canterbury United Community Church | Merrimack Valley Day Care |
| CenterPoint CityHope Food Pantry | Merrimack Valley School District |
| Town of Chichester | Overcomers NH |
| Christ the King Food Pantry | Pembroke Welfare |
| Concord Housing Authority | Pittsfield Food Pantry |
| Concord Human Services | Riverbend Community Mental Health |
| Concord School District | Town of Salisbury |
| Crisis Center of Central NH | Second Start |
| Dept Health & Human Services, NH | Suncook CAP |
| Dunbarton Welfare | Warner Connects NH Food Pantry |
| Epsom Food Pantry | West Congregational Church Food Pantry |
Q: Who is eligible to receive a voucher?
A: The Capital Region Food Program is dedicated to helping any individual or family in the Greater Concord Area facing food insecurities. CRFP works with the community through its agency partners that are providing the frontline support, guidance, and services their clients need. A full list of agencies working with the CRFP programs can be found on our website at www.capitalregionfoodprogram.org.
Community FAQs
Q: How does CRFP ensure vouchers are being used for healthy food items?
A: The dollar amount given on each voucher is customized to the number of household members. Each household is allocated funds to accommodate the current prices of fresh produce, proteins, dairy, grains, and other ingredients for the entire family to enjoy a complete, nutritious holiday meal. Funds are representative of the traditional packages provided with the traditional Holiday Food Basket Project and are based on the size of the household.
Vouchers cannot be redeemed for alcohol, tobacco products, lottery items or gift cards.
Q: How can community members volunteer their time to support the Holiday Project?
A: We thank all community volunteers who have donated their time to support the Holiday Food Basket Project over the past 49 years. The 2023 Holiday Project will help the CRFP reduce the dependency on hundreds of volunteers to create a more sustainable program in the future.
Please stay tuned for future volunteering opportunities with our Year Round Distribution Project, various CRFP committees, and other potential CRFP projects.
Q: What agencies are partnering with CRFP for the 2023 Holiday Project?
A: Please see the chart above and the participant flyer for all agencies participating in the 2023 Holiday Project.
Q: Are food donations still accepted?
A: Any food donations are encouraged to go to our partner agencies. Many of these agencies have food pantries that support any emergency requests.
Q: How can I donate to the Capital Region Food Program?
A: We thank you for your continued support in our Holiday Project and Year Round Distribution Project! Please visit www.capitalregionfoodprogram.org to donate online.
Q: What percentage of donated funds go to food donations?
A: From the beginning, every dollar donated has been used for the purchase of food. This practice continues today with monies donated to the Capital Region Food Program. Your support is vital to our success. All gifts are tax-deductible within limits prescribed by law and all dollars donated to the Capital Region Food Program are used to purchase food. Administrative costs and fees are underwritten.
Q: What happened to the Holiday Food Basket Project?
A: The traditional Holiday Food Basket Project valued by the community for 49 years has evolved and has been replaced by the Holiday Project voucher model due to the changing landscape and needs of those we serve in the Greater Concord Area. For more details about the transition, please see www.capitalregionfoodprogram.org/holiday-project-evolution
Q: Are monetary donations and food vouchers as effective as providing food baskets?
A: Our research indicates that a monetary gift to a food pantry can have 5-10 times the impact of a food donation of equal value. The past few years have shown a growing need to customize for various dietary restrictions, such as kosher, vegetarian, gluten-free, low fat, or low sodium, etc. This was not possible with the volume of baskets delivered each year and consequently, food donations were going to waste. This is just one example of how monetary support can help participants receive the food they need and reduce waste to create a more sustainable program with greater impact.