When Christ the King Parish inaugurated its new food pantry on South State Street last year, the word “dignity” vaulted from the lips of one speaker to another, spreading among volunteers, city leaders and parishioners hopeful that the expanded footprint and increased accessibility of the facility would further their mission.
Ignatius MacLellan, a volunteer of 38 years and member of the pantry’s three-person leadership team, told a small crowd gathered for a ribbon-cutting that the pantry was not a “charity outfit” but a “dignity outfit.”
“We put dignity at the front. When you come in the door now, instead of waiting outside, we have the porch. It may just look like a porch, but that’s for dignity,” he said.
The food pantry has existed, in some permutation, for over 50 years. Its previous building was torn down in October 2024, forcing a temporary relocation to behind Sanel NAPA Auto Parts a few blocks away.
The year before, in July 2023, the food pantry averaged 571 individuals served each month, a tally accounting for every family member represented by a person who visited the pantry. Clients, or “shoppers,” may come to the facility once a week. Last month, that number had more than doubled — an average of 1,371 individuals served. The food pantry’s upgrade converged with dire economic pressures that have inflamed need amongst residents of the area.
Twenty-four percent of those served were children under the age of 18. Fifty-eight percent were adults under the age of 60, and 18% were seniors 60 and older.
“The demand has just gone sky-high. As rent and fuel increases, food is the one area where you can cut costs,” said volunteer Steve Mosher.
Mosher said the food pantry’s new configuration has improved clients’ sense of safety around the facility, as well as their sense of agency inside. Whereas previously volunteers would hand clients pre-packed boxes of food, now clients enter a grocery store-style room where they choose food items in accordance with their cultural preferences, needs and the allotment they’re allowed based on their family size.
The New Hampshire Food Bank, which supplies food to partner agencies throughout the state, has increased its help to Christ the King to keep pace with increased demand, Mosher said. Hood has also recently begun donating dairy products.
Added space has allowed the pantry to host the Merrimack County Navigators and the Gospel Justice Center for community members in need of non-food resources and legal assistance, respectively. The monthly clinics have introduced new clients to the food pantry, as well.
“We’ve exceeded anything most of us thought would happen. We knew we needed a new facility, and we knew we wanted to go to a client-choice model, but I don’t think any of us realized what potential we would have,” Mosher said. “We were in our silos. We were a small pantry in the back of the church. Other than the clients, there weren’t many people that even knew we were there.”
One change, which can’t be measured quantitatively, is increased collaboration across the city’s resource providers and nonprofits. Mosher said this stands out as unique to the past year of the pantry’s existence.
The Concord Police Department has visited the pantry to provide de-escalation training. Recently, Knights of Columbus and the Lions Club held a fill-a-truck food drive to benefit the food pantry.
“We have a number of not-for-profits in the city trying to do the right thing. And it’s nice to see all of us trying to coordinate our services,” he said. “It’s really heartwarming to see.”
On Thursday, the Christ the King Food Pantry will be commemorating the one year anniversary of its new facility by opening its doors for the public to tour. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a press conference followed by volunteer-led tours, which will continue on Saturday, September 19 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday, September 20 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
