Today, I am thinking of our brave service members and first responders who are putting themselves in harm’s way to keep our communities safe this holiday season. We owe them a debt of gratitude that we can never repay. 

From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels!

Photo courtesy of New York Times.

I’m relieved to see this truce come together to pause fighting between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, free dozens of hostages taken on October 7, deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, and protect civilian lives.

While this is a critical first step, we must continue pushing to ensure the safe release of all hostages, protect innocent civilians, deliver essential humanitarian aid, and move toward long-term peace in the region.

This week, I joined Senator Maggie Hassan and leading behavioral health experts at the New England Council's Behavioral Health Forum to discuss our work in Congress to address mental health and substance use disorder in New Hampshire and beyond.

While we’ve made progress here in New Hampshire and across the country, more work remains. Every life lost to substance use disorder is a tragedy — too many Granite Staters lose their lives to overdose, and for many, access to quality treatment and recovery services are barriers on their path to recovery.

Despite these challenges, we will not give up. As the chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, I am proud to lead the effort in Congress to bring together lawmakers from across the aisle as we work to address the challenges facing our communities. Together, we laid out a legislative agenda to tackle this crisis head-on, improve access to life-saving treatment, end the stigma around recovery, stop the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities, and ensure Granite State families and others across the country have the support and resources they need to thrive.

You can read my Task Force's agenda here.

Thank you to the dedicated staff and volunteers at Harbor Care, including my friend Alex Ray, owner of the Common Man restaurants who donated all of the food for the day's event!

Also, this week, I was honored to attend the 20th annual Thanksgiving Community Celebration at Harbor Care and help serve holiday meals with the rest of the New Hampshire congressional delegation, Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess, and Alex Ray, owner of the Common Man restaurants who donated the food for the day’s event!

Harbor Care is a lifeline for New Hampshire communities and ensures families have the support and resources they need to thrive, especially during the holidays. From providing access to quality, affordable care, and vital health services to ensuring our veterans have access to stable housing and warm meals when they return home, Harbor Care is lifting families up across New Hampshire.

Thank you to the dedicated staff and volunteers who go out of their way every day to ensure all of our neighbors have the support they need to thrive and a safe place to enjoy a meal over the holidays – your commitment to our communities represents the best of our Granite State values.

Graphic courtesy of USDA.gov.

Thanksgiving Food Safety: To ensure your Thanksgiving meal is wholesome and memorable without illness, follow the four steps to food safety: clean, separate, cook and chill, and avoid risky food handling habits that go against USDA guidelines.

Learn more about proper food handling guidelines here.

Do you have student loans? The Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan is the newest income-driven repayment (IDR) plan to help Granite Staters pay off their debts on a schedule that works for them. Currently, there are 10,200 borrowers in New Hampshire’s Second Congressional District enrolled in the SAVE Plan and 21,700 borrowers across New Hampshire! 

Learn more about the SAVE Plan and whether you qualify for lower monthly loan payments here.

To stay updated on my work in Congress and around the Granite State and for important information and resources, like my page on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

I hope you have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Be bold, be brave, be kind.

Sincerely,

Annie