Senator Hassan Recognizes Caitlin McGrath-Levesque of Portsmouth as December’s Granite Stater of the Month
NEW HAMPSHIRE – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Caitlin McGrath-Levesque of Portsmouth as December’s Granite Stater of the Month. Following the death of her youngest brother, Caitlin and her two siblings turned their grief into action by creating a nonprofit in his honor to provide free, hot meals to those in need.
Caitlin’s late brother -- who went by “Red” -- was an avid volunteer in the Seacoast area. After he died, Caitlin and her siblings decided that the best way to honor their brother was by giving back to their community.
Following a $100 donation from each of the siblings, Red’s Good Vibes was officially born. Red’s Good Vibes consists of one food truck – with a second one on the way -- that travels around the Seacoast to communities with the most need. Red’s Good Vibes distributes 1,500 hot meals a week to Granite Staters facing food insecurity.
Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.
See below for the statement Senator Hassan will submit to the Congressional Record:
M. President, I am honored to recognize Caitlin McGrath-Levesque of Portsmouth as December’s Granite Stater of the Month. Following the death of her youngest brother, Caitlin and her two siblings turned their grief into action by creating a nonprofit in his honor to provide free, hot meals to those in need.
Caitlin’s late brother -- who went by “Red” -- was an avid volunteer in the Seacoast area. After he died, Caitlin and her siblings decided that the best way to honor their brother was by giving back to their community.
Following a $100 donation from each of the siblings, Red’s Good Vibes was officially born.
Red’s Good Vibes consists of one food truck – with a second one on the way -- that travels around the Seacoast to communities with the most need. The nonprofit collects monetary donations, as well as utilizes relationships with the NH Food Bank, local restaurants, and grocery stores, which allows them to service communities three days a week with the help of dedicated volunteers.
For Caitlin and her siblings, one of the most important goals of Red’s Good Vibes is to make sure that all clients are treated with the utmost respect and dignity.
In that vein, Red’s Good Vibes always works to ensure that clients have multiple meal options, which helps make the experience feel more like a normal food truck than a charity. The nonprofit also never asks for suggested donations when volunteers are actively serving food to avoid making anyone feel compelled to donate in the moment.
Red’s Good Vibes is a labor of love for Caitlin and her siblings, who found a way to honor their brother in the most authentic way that they could. Thanks to their dedication, and the hard work of their volunteers, Red’s Good Vibes distributes 1,500 hot meals a week to Granite Staters facing food insecurity. Soon, the nonprofit hopes to double that number using a second food truck that they are leasing from the City of Dover for one dollar a year.
Caitlin turned a tragedy into an opportunity to give back to her community, which exemplifies the Granite State’s ingenuity and all-hands-on-deck spirit. I am proud to honor Caitlin as December’s Granite Stater of the Month, and I wish Red’s Good Vibes continued success serving their community.
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