For Immediate Release: For More Information Contact:

August 2, 2007 Erica Murphy, Dir. of Communications & Community Relations

The Common Man (603) 641-0057

or Melanie Gosselin, Executive Director NH Food Bank

(603) 669-9725

THE COMMON MAN RESTAURANTS CALL ON GUESTS TO HELP ALLEVIATE CRITICAL SHORTAGE AT THE NEW HAMPSHIRE FOOD BANK

Four Common Man locations will serve as drop-off sites for non-perishable items and cash donations

ASHLAND, N.H. – The Common Man family of restaurants is enlisting its valued guests in helping The New Hampshire Food Bank in Manchester re-stock its shelves as the organization faces a critical shortage of food and funds.

Responding to a public call for assistance from the New Hampshire Food Bank, The Common Man will set up drop-off bins for food and collection containers for monetary donations at The Common Man restaurants in Concord, Windham and Merrimack, and the family’s Airport Diner in Manchester.

Donations will be accepted in these locations from Monday, August 6 through Sunday, August 20, and all guests who make a donation of food or cash will receive a coupon good for one free appetizer at the same Common Man locations.

“Seeing the news coverage of empty shelves at the New Hampshire Food Bank during such a crucial time of year struck a chord with us,” said Jason Lyon, CEO of The Common Man. “Our guests have always supported our charitable endeavors and we hope they can help us make a difference for not only the food bank, but the thousands of fellow New Hampshire adults and children it serves.”

Lyon said a portion of proceeds from the upcoming Common Man Invitational golf tournament, to be held in September, will also be donated to the New Hampshire Food Bank via the restaurant’s Common Effort charitable fund.

Melanie Gosselin, executive director of The New Hampshire Food Bank, has called the organization’s situation desperate, and said funds and food donations are down while need is at an all-time high.

“Our inventory is down about a half million pounds versus this time last year,” said Gosselin. “We started to notice this trend in lack of food donations last year, but it continues to challenge us through these difficult summer months.”

The New Hampshire Food Bank assists more than 350 soup kitchens and other organizations across New Hampshire in feeding more than 62,000 people. Gosselin said the need is particularly high in the summer while children are out of school and need more meals at home, and donations are down both locally and nationally.

“This is just another example of the Common Man’s commitment to help out in the community, and we are extremely grateful that the staff and patrons are planning to do their part in assisting us through this difficult time,” said Gosselin. “We know their efforts will certainly take some of the heat off this summer’s food shortage, and it is efforts such as this that should inspire us all to help make a difference.”

To make a donation to the New Hampshire Food Bank, call (603) 669-9725 or visit www.nhfoodbank.org to make a secure online donation. A program of New Hampshire Catholic Charities, the New Hampshire Food Bank serves as the only food bank in the state. Its approach to ending hunger includes developing programs to help educate member agencies, rolling out a Mobile Food Pantry, and expanding its Operation Frontline program.

The Common Man family of restaurants is celebrating 35 years of business in New Hampshire. The first restaurant was opened by Alex Ray in Ashland in 1971. Over the past 35 years, the family has grown to 13 restaurants, The Common Man Inn and Spa in Plymouth and the Common Man Company Store in Ashland. Restaurants include Foster’s Boiler Room at The Common Man Inn and Spa in Plymouth; The Common Man restaurants in Ashland, Lincoln, Concord, Windham and Merrimack; The Italian Farmhouse in Plymouth; Tilt’n Diner in Tilton and Airport Diner in Manchester; and Lago, Camp, Town Docks and Lakehouse in Church Landing at Mill Falls in Meredith. For more information, visit www.thecman.com.

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