From Our Editor, Nancy Allenby 

“THERE SHALL BE ETERNAL SUMMER IN THE GRATEFUL HEART." ~ C. THAXTER

KNP is full of gratitude as New Hampshire's flip flops come out of the closet and we start to plant gardens and fill flowerpots! We look forward to seeing you at the June 12 Summer Gathering for our valued volunteers, community partners and donors. We're eager for you to read about the work our Seedlings Grant team does throughout the year as well as the 7th Annual Tray it Forward project. It's truly all of YOU who allow us to accomplish what we seek to do in the Kearsarge region, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

The 7th Annual Tray it Forward

WAS A GRAND EFFORT sponsored by KNP, Spring Ledge Farm and the Kearsarge Food Hub. TIF's mission is to grow gardeners and help conquer food insecurity by getting trays of free veggie seedlings into the hands of folks who need a little boost to experience the many benefits of gardening.

Spring Ledge Farm grew thousands of seedlings which KNP volunteers helped seed and transplant into three trays sizes. Volunteers transformed a huge mound of compost into 250+ bags to help enrich the planting soil for each tray of seedlings. On May 29, over 100 recipients picked up their trays at Sweet Beet Market or Colby-Sawyer College, and 31 KNP volunteers handled the loading and delivering of seedlings to 87 individual homes in area towns. 178 trays went to food pantries, schools, senior centers and town welfare offices for distribution to their clients.

A fun feature this year was a raffle for 4 new raised garden beds. Recipients of veggie trays could enter themselves into the raffle. Students from KRHS's industrial arts program built the raised beds, which were installed in the yards of 4 lucky winners.

Many thanks to EVERYONE who participated in different ways! If you know someone who could use help raising a garden and missed the opportunity to participate this year, please email us to get on the list for 2027.

ALSO: IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SUPPORT TRAY IT FORWARD on our website . Your $20 donation sponsors a tray of free vegetables for someone experiencing food insecurity, and Spring Ledge farm matches each donation from a community member, doubling your impact!

Read KNP's Annual Report

HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE to look through KNP's 2025 annual report? You will get a good idea of our impact in the region over the past year, and you might see something new to get involved in this year! Please peruse the report's data, stories and quotes for a snapshot of our programs and events.

We Love KNP Meet-and-Greets

MEET US AT "THE LODGE" IN WARNER from 4:30-6:00 on Friday, July 10 for some light snacks and refreshments! You'll have a chance to see Main Street Warner's new venue, The Lodge, while you meet new faces and catch up with friends from KNP. Would you just like to check us out and see what KNP is all about? Please stop by! And feel free to make an evening of it by staying after the meet-and-greet for a nearby Main Street Warner Stage concert featuring Will Hatch and Co.

KNP Summer Gathering June 12

WE WANT TO THANK YOU! Our volunteers, community partners and donors are the heart and soul of KNP. We literally could not operate without you! We want to THANK YOU by treating you to an evening of delicious food, drinks and music from 5:30-7:30 at the New London Historical Society Philips Barn. We kindly ask that you RSVP to let us know you can join us and how many will be in your party. "Plus Ones" and family members are most welcome. We look forward to a lovely evening celebrating YOU and all you've helped us accomplish in the Kearsarge Region.

Check Out KNP Community Resources

THE KNP WEBSITE has a robust list of community resources for people seeking help. We have consolidated a wealth of useful links for the general public. You can check it out here, then pass the KNP Community Services page on to someone who could use this helpful information. Here are just a few of the listings:

• Budgeting
• Emergency Bill Payment
• Burial expenses
• Clothing Resources
• Dental Services
• Disability Resources
• Domestic Violence and Abuse

VOLUNTEER FEATURE:

KNP' SEEDLING GRANT COMMITTEE

A three-year mini-grant program called the “Seedlings Fund Program” allows KNP to fund projects proposed by individuals and organizations in the Kearsarge region. We love fostering a "seedling" of an idea that can grow over time or in other places! The Seedlings Grant Committee works year-round to review applications and follow up on projects that have been started.

The Seedlings Fund has supported several amazing community-based projects proposed by individuals and organizations in its first year and we’re very excited to build on that success and momentum. 

Here are a few highlights of our most recent awards:

Refresh - Create, fill, and distribute bags to individuals in need, which contain items that support their personal care, self-esteem, and mental wellness - as well as sponsor haircuts for families with local salons and barbershops.

From founder Donna Bates: “We are so beyond excited and grateful for this opportunity. The seedling grant will not only help individuals in need, but we are hopeful it will inspire others to help and from that-we hope more seedlings will sprout!!!!!”

KFH Education Programs at SHEI - Relaunch Kearsarge Food Hub’s Farm + Forest Club, hosted at Sunset Hill Education Institute, where children ages 6-11 connect to nature and learn how to grow food that is donated to local food pantries and KFH’s Community FREEdge. 

From France Hahn “Thank you SO much for your support of KFH's educational programs. We are so grateful for your partnership and your support of our new (official) partnership with SHEI” 

MainStreet Warner Lodge / Community Kitchen - Support an all-inclusive community center and kitchen where groups focused on food insecurity can store, prepare, package and distribute food, as well as hold cooking and nutritional education classes for Simonds Elementary children and their families.

If the Seedlings Fund sounds exciting and inspiring - please consider volunteering with us! We’re looking to train a few ‘Seedling Partners’ to walk beside potential applicants from inception to implementation, in order to increase the impact of their ideas.

To inquire about application or to learn more, please email the Seedlings Fund team.

Spring Cleaning?

PLEASE REMEMBER YOU CAN TAKE SPRING AND SUMMER CLOTHING to Repeat Boutique in Andover, located upstairs of the mini mart at the Circle K by Belletetes. Drop items off for the KNP account. We accumulate a balance that allows us to offer free shopping to our neighbors in need of apparel.

Have You Been Volunteering?

PLEASE REMEMBER TO LOG YOUR HOURS on Better Impact after participating in ANY KNP activity, either by computer or phone app. Your reporting allows us to track KNP's impact across the region. Simply click the "HOURS" tab and enter hours and/or minutes. Thanks!

**If you are not yet a KNP volunteer but would like to see opportunities to help, please call volunteer coordinator Beth at 603-317-5900 or email and she will cheerfully and patiently guide you through the process of joining us.

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