Food insecurity is rising across New Hampshire. An estimated 149,800 people in the state were food insecure in 2023, the highest number since 2015. Food insecurity rates are higher in rural regions, and Cheshire County consistently ranks above the state average.
Cheshire County currently has an overall food insecurity rate of 11.7%, with approximately 17% of children facing hunger.
Source: Feeding America
The causes are well documented. Poverty is the single strongest predictor of food insecurity in the region. Lack of transportation is the second-largest risk factor, a significant challenge in rural areas where many communities are more than 10 miles from the nearest grocery store.
Source: Monadnock Region Food Access Analysis
Prior to the pandemic, 40% of food-insecure children living in poverty in Cheshire County did not qualify for federal food assistance because they did not meet the eligibility requirements.
In spring 2021, the Monadnock Food Access Alliance commissioned the Southwest Region Planning Commission to conduct a comprehensive gaps and asset analysis of food security programs across the region.
The resulting report established a baseline of hunger in the region and documented the full landscape of food access points, programs, and services available to residents.
The analysis included household food insecurity and demographic data, a region-wide inventory of food access resources, and direct feedback from families with lived experience of hunger through community forums and listening sessions.
Its key findings shaped the Monadnock Region Food Access Plan, a set of ten projects co-designed with community members to address the gaps the analysis identified.