Merrimack County Saving Bank (The Merrimack) is a proud supporter of The Friendly Kitchen and its goal to serve all food insecure families in Merrimack County. To help cover the costs of The Friendly Kitchen’s expansion project, The Merrimack is pledging $50,000 over two years toward the Family Friendly Meals Program Campaign.
“Unfortunately, the number of people facing food insecurity is steadily on the rise,” said Linda Lorden, President of The Merrimack. “By supporting this initiative, The Friendly Kitchen is able to prepare and deliver healthy meals to families in need.”
In 2023, The Merrimack financed The Friendly Kitchen’s 1,000 sq. ft. expansion project to house a new preparation kitchen, additional storage for food and refrigeration and office space. In two years, the Family Friendly Meals Program distributed over 60,000 meals and over 40,000 pounds of food.
“Our goal is to assist seniors and families struggling with food insecurity,” said Valerie Guy, Executive Director at The Friendly Kitchen. “We’re grateful to The Merrimack and the generosity of the community for helping us extend our reach to ensure no one goes without a meal.”
Since 1980, The Friendly Kitchen provides meals for the hungry in a warm and caring, non-discriminating environment through the coordination of community volunteer efforts. The only soup kitchen in Concord, The Friendly Kitchen has served over 750,000 meals and has seen a steady increase in guests from year to year. For more information, visit thefriendlykitchen.org.