Beginning Wednesday, October 29, Community Action Partnership of Strafford County (CAPSC), will offer extended hours on Wednesday evenings (until 7pm) and Saturday mornings (9am to 12pm) at its Dover Outreach Office, located at 577 Central Avenue. These extended hours are made in anticipation of a lapse in funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition beneficiaries. Approximately 75,000 people could lose access to these benefits beginning November 1, and extended hours aim to provide Strafford County residents with access to basic resources as the federal shutdown continues.

“For so many of our families, our services are essential. Without them, many families could go without food, shelter or utilities, like heat and electricity,” CAPSC CEO Betsey Andrews Parker said, “As the government shutdown continues, our families have become increasingly fearful of what changes may lie ahead. At Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, we are committed to supporting our clients and the Strafford County community to the best of our ability, each day.”

During these extended hours, members of the public will have access to the Food Pantry for food, toiletries, and other non-perishable items. There will also be an opportunity to apply for additional CAPSC services such as Energy Assistance (Fuel and Electric), housing support, etc.

“Millions of families rely on these programs nationwide, and thousands in Strafford County. We are committed to ensuring that our Strafford County families have fair access to these federally protected programs. We look to – and thank – our sponsors, volunteers, donors and community partners for their continued support through these uncertain times,” Andrews Parker concluded.

To support the increased need, CAPSC is looking for donations of $25 Gift Cards for food and gas, fresh protein (beef, chicken, pork), non-perishable canned goods such as soups and vegetables, snack items such as granola bars, crackers, cereal cups; etc. Please visit www.straffordcap.org/donate-items for a full list of requested items.

“Our work is rooted in community,” says Andrews Parker. “And it is in times like these that we look to our community to support each other. By supporting CAPSC, you are supporting your neighbors – and ensuring that no one has to go without.”

Currently, operations at CAPSC remain unaffected by the government shutdown– but that is not the case for several other programs across the country. To counteract the negative impacts that a halt in SNAP or WIC benefits may have on New Hampshire residents, the state’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), announced a contingency plan on Thursday, October 23. “To assist the more than 75,000 Granite Staters who receive SNAP benefits, the State plans to partner with the New Hampshire Food Bank to increase SNAP recipients’ access to food through the Food Bank’s mobile food pantry program and traditional food pantries located across the State,” the Contingency Plan noted, “Upon approval by the Fiscal Committee and Executive Council, the Food Bank will provide mobile food pantries specifically for SNAP participants in locations identified by the State.”

The DHHS’ contingency plan emphasized that “SNAP recipients may not be able to access any unused benefits on their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards and want to consider using benefits currently on their EBT cards before October 31.”

Earlier this month, the USDA The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) announced there would be a shortage of protein in their next delivery cancelling more than 95 million pounds of ground beef across the country.

More information about CAPSC is available on its website at Community Action Partnership: Empowering Strafford County. Donations to support CAPSC and its programs can be made here.