Notice to Agencies: Mandatory QSR Training

Starting in February 2025, your agency relations team here at the food bank will be holding mandatory trainings on how to fill out the Quarterly Service Report(QSR). Accurate information on Quarterly Service Reports is important for tracking demographics, applying for grants and helping us fulfill your needs! Therefore, before the 1st Quarter QSR is due at the end of April, we will be requiring that the person who fills this form out for each agency attend one of the trainings. This training will be approximately 30-45 minutes via Zoom and will have ample time for questions. Please sign up by emailing your coordinator.

Upcoming training dates:

Thursday, March 6th at 2pm

Tuesday, March 11th at 12 pm

Friday, March 14th at 9am

Tuesday, March 18th 12pm

A Message from your Agency Relations Team

Nutrition and Ingredients

During our monitoring visits, you often see us checking items for proper nutrition labels and ingredients, and you might be wondering, “Why is this so important?”

Proper labeling practices allow clients to make informed decisions about their health. These practices allow those you serve to make the informed choices they need to maintain their healthy lifestyle. This is also important in keeping our clients safe from potential allergen contaminations.

It’s crucial that the nutrition information and ingredients travel with the item being distributed! A simple solution? Just make a copy of the item's label and place it right alongside the item or place it in the box/bag you are distributing.

Please ensure that proper labeling practices are followed. Together, we can create a healthier happier community, one label at a time!

Simple Strategies to Prevent Burn Out

Research shows that regularly exercising gives you more energy and cuts down your stress levels. This doesn't mean you need to run on a treadmill for hours or be a muscle bound body builder!

Yoga, palates and other low intensity workouts have the same effect on our minds and body. In fact current research suggests mindfulness exercise programs reduce blood pressure, ease anxiety and help with those sleepless nights!

Try thirty minutes a day with any exercise of your choice to see if it helps you feel less stressed and more eager to accomplish all your daily tasks!

For more Mental Health resources follow the link below:

https://extension.unh.edu/health-well-being/programs/mental-health-first-aidr

Mobile Food Pantry Highlight!

We’re grateful to Run Your Buns Off and New Hampshire Electric Co-op Foundation for each sponsoring a mobile food pantry distribution in February.

The Newfound Area Charitable Foundation (NACF) sponsored a mobile food pantry in Bristol with the funds raised through their annual Run Your Buns Off 4.2 Miler, benefiting the NH Food Bank. In addition to their sponsorship, their volunteers helped distributed 9,120 lbs. to 240 households! We’re grateful to the NACF and Run Your Buns Off for their continued support of the NH Food Bank. To learn more, click the button below!

Run Your Buns Off

New Hampshire Electric Co-op Foundation (NHEC) sponsored a mobile food pantry in Colebrook. In addition to their sponsorship their volunteers helped distribute 11,760 lbs. to 320 households! We’re grateful to NHEC for their continued support of the NH Food Bank. To learn more about New Hampshire Electric Co-Op click the button below!

New Hampshire Electric Co- Op

Indoor Shopping Training Video

Indoor shopping is accessible to agencies after completing the required training video. After completion, you must fill out and sign the NHFB Indoor Shopping Agreement. Once that is returned to your Agency Relations Coordinator, you will have access to the shopping floor. Below you will find the required video and Indoor Shopping Agreement. If you have any questions, please contact your Agency Relations Coordinator.

Click For Indoor Shopping Agreement

Upcoming Classes

New Shopper Orientation

Please contact your NHFB Coordinator directly for options.

Food Safety Training

SAFE Food Handling For Food Pantries:

Thursday, April 17th from 2pm - 4pm

Tuesday, June 3rd from 4pm - 6pm

SAFE Food Handling For Soup Kitchens & Prepared Meals:

Monday, March 24th from 9am - 11am

Wednesday, May 14th from 4pm - 6pm

All sessions are 2 hr. trainings via Zoom.

If you need to acquire food safety training (non-meal sites) but are unable to attend a live zoom session, a similar training can be done online at workhub.com/features/training/food-safety or Alison.com/course/food-safety-and-hygiene. Both courses are free. Alison.com charges to print a certificate, to avoid this cost send your Agency Coordinator a screenshot of the certificate or a screenshot of your “Learner Record” with the date of completion found in your Account Settings.

All agencies are required to have at least one person at their facility that holds a Food Safety certificate at all times. Agencies that serve meals are required to have at least one person that has SERV Safe Food Handlers certification.

As of June 1st, 2025, this requirement changes to a ServSafe Manager Certificate or equivalent.

All certifications are good for 3-5 years depending on the exam.