Who We Are
A brief introduction
Our Mission Statement
The mission of the KLS Community Food Pantry is to help our neighbors by offering nutritious food and household supplies in a welcoming environment.
The KLS Community Food Pantry is an independent, all-volunteer nonprofit and tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. We receive no funding from the towns we serve, the state of New Hampshire, or the federal government. We can only do this because of the support we receive from our partners and the generous people of the Kearsarge Lake Sunapee region.
Hours of Operation
Wednesdays: 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Saturdays: 10:00am to 11:30am
Food and other donations may be dropped off at the First Baptist Church office:
Friday: 8:00am to 12:00pm
Our Origin Story
Where we’ve been and where we’re heading!
Opening for the first time in January of 2009, the KLS Community Food Pantry was originally a collaborative effort of a small group of local churches. In the beginning our mission was to provide a 2-3 day emergency supply of food for families in need. What we provided was entirely a function of what was donated by the local congregations and was by extension quite limited despite their generosity.
Over the last decade and a half, the operation has undergone a significant transformation. From that humble beginning the KLS Community Food Pantry has transformed into a significant part of the network of social services in the region, and in that time, our mission has evolved as well. Rather than maintaining an outdated emphasis on ’emergency food supplies,’ we seek to help client families thrive by providing them with high quality, healthy food. We have expanded our collaboration and partnerships to better serve our communities.
Who knows what the future holds for us? Certainly we hope that food pantries become unnecessary someday. In the meantime we will continue to look for new and innovative ways to address our mission. New partnerships, new revenue sources, new programs, and new ways to care for our neighbors in their time of need.
