We have a certain perspective or feeling when we hear the words “poverty,” “homelessness” or “hunger.” In my mind the first thing that pops up is the image of two young parents sitting around a small, rickety dining room table, late in the evening after a long day's work, with a few crumpled dollars and change in front of them. They look at each other with sad eyes, knowing that there won't be enough money available to pay for their sleeping children's clothing, heat, medications and food for the month.

Though what comes to mind is, I'm sure, a reality for many financially suffering families, it only serves to describe one of many hundreds of different ways that people view suffering, and certainly only scratches the surface of those challenges the many charities in New Hampshire tackle every day.

Hunger is no joke; even in New Hampshire, which has fared better than most states in what seems like never-ending economic uncertainty. Unfortunately, lower unemployment rates do not translate into fewer people coming to places like soup kitchens, food pantries, transitional homes and a host of other social service agencies.

As police commissioner for the City of Manchester, I saw how the pains of the needy affected the lives of their families and friends. When someone is so desperate to help their child that they feel the only solution is to steal, I can only imagine what it's like for a mother or father to reach that breaking point to risk imprisonment for a few pieces of fresh fruit or a loaf of bread.

It was times like those that I came to realize just how important the work of organizations like the New Hampshire Food Bank, New Hampshire Catholic Charities' food distribution program, was for the fabric and wellbeing of our community. Retiring from a long career, I knew immediately that the New Hampshire Food Bank would be a program I would serve.

The food bank started off in humble means in a small warehouse on West Brook Street in Manchester. It began by serving just a few area soup kitchens and food pantries, helping each to supplement its own food donations. Not knowing just how important the service would become, it was clear that the needs of agencies were far greater than could have been imagined. In 2007, when the Food Bank topped more than 300 agencies served statewide and 6 million pounds food annually, and growing, the folks at the food bank knew it was impossible for their little warehouse to meet rising demand.

New Hampshire Catholic Charities was faced with the choice of starting a campaign, waiting to raise the funds for a new facility and turning away new agencies that came for help, or borrowing the funds to meet the rising needs of many hungry families. It was an obvious choice and, with at least a little divine intervention, in 2009 the food bank moved into its new facility on East Industrial Park Drive in Manchester. Since that date, the New Hampshire Food Bank has grown to serve more than 400 agencies and is on track to distribute 9 million pounds of food statewide.

Over the last two years, I have had the pleasure of overseeing the campaign to raise funds towards the cost of the new food bank facility. Many very generous individuals, business and foundations have stepped up to the plate and answered the call the help in this effort. Now at the final phase of this campaign, we are calling out to everyone in our New Hampshire family to join us in meeting our Mission Possible Challenge.

It is our goal over the next six months to raise $700,000 from the Granite State community to help us complete our campaign. If we reach this mark, some very generous sponsors will donate an additional $350,000, which will help us come that much closer to our stretch goal of raising $5 million.

A gift to the Mission Possible Challenge is truly an investment in the families and communities of New Hampshire. We each have our own unique way we give back to our communities, but know that no matter where you are in this great state the New Hampshire Food Bank is helping a family, a neighbor, or a friend near you. When it comes to hunger, it touches us all.

Richard Bunker of Manchester chairs the capital campaign for the New Hampshire Food Bank.