Robin Wittemann describes herself as a “facilitator of things.” That’s an understatement.
Robin is the director of Baby Steps Family Assistance, a human services nonprofit that provides food, clothing, and other necessities to Claremont-area families and seniors. Many of their clients have recently left a shelter and are trying to get their feet under them while looking for more permanent housing. Baby Steps provides the essential goods that most public programs don’t, like toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and food to supplement SNAP, which is often not enough on its own. This is especially critical as pandemic-era funding winds down at the same time as food prices rise.
Willing Hands delivers fresh, healthy food to Baby Steps twice a week. Sometimes, patrons are lined up outside the door waiting for the truck to arrive. “Our clients could not afford to purchase many of the fresh vegetables that come in,” Robin says. “The food from Willing Hands takes a tremendous burden off our families.”
The food shelf, which is set up like a grocery store, is open three days a week. Volunteers, who Robin calls her “angels,” help patrons fill grocery bags. They also share recipes and suggestions for how to use the produce that Willing Hands delivers. Recently, on a week saturated with peppers, the team brainstormed all the pepper recipes they could think of for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Robin is on a mission to make sure everyone who needs food can access it, and that virtually no food goes to waste. In addition to its on-site services, Baby Steps partners with around 40 other entities–including county corrections, case workers, the Visiting Nurses Association and more–to deliver food and other essentials to families and seniors at their homes. “It’s a really positive thing in the community that folks are looking out for each other,” Robin says. “There’s nothing worse than having someone go hungry.”
Location: Claremont, NH
Clients: 2,000
Willing Hands delivery days: Tuesday and Friday
Fresh food delivered in 2021: 73,337 pounds
Get involved: Baby Steps is always accepting children’s clothing. New underwear is also extremely helpful.