Senator Hassan Recognizes Matthew Gregg of Nashua as October’s Granite Stater of the Month

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Matthew “Matty” Gregg of Nashua as October’s Granite Stater of the Month. Earlier this month, Matty ran the length of New Hampshire to raise awareness about hunger in our state.

Matty was motivated by his desire to draw attention to the thousands of Granite Staters who experience food insecurity. He wanted to inspire others to help those in need, and to encourage state government leaders to evaluate what more they could do to address hunger. Throughout the run, he highlighted organizations that are working to combat hunger in New Hampshire, including NH Hunger Solutions, White Mountains Community College, and the Manchester Food Collaborative. Matty is also focused on ending the stigma that can sometimes be associated with seeking help, whether it’s receiving free lunch at school or visiting a food bank.

The run through New Hampshire was 230 miles long and took 11 days. Matty was cheered on by students from local schools at his stops up and down the state – in his hometown of Nashua, 100 students from Mt. Pleasant Elementary came to his stop and even ran with him for a few minutes. He says that the support of his family – including from his wife Alicia and his children Noah, Ethan, and Emma – makes it easier to endure the grueling distances. Matty’s dedication to ending hunger in our state is a true example of the New Hampshire spirit of taking action to address issues affecting our communities.

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.

To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below.

I am honored to recognize Matthew “Matty” Gregg of Nashua as October’s Granite Stater of the Month. Matty ran the entire length of New Hampshire earlier this month – 230 miles – to raise awareness about hunger in our state.

Matty’s run was motivated by his desire to draw attention to the thousands of Granite Staters who experience food insecurity, to inspire others to help those in need, and to encourage state government leaders to evaluate what more they could do to address hunger. He raised funds for NH Hunger Solutions, which connects Granite State families with resources, and also highlighted additional organizations that address food insecurity. For instance, Matty spotlighted White Mountains Community College, which allows all students to eat for free, and the Manchester Food Collaborative, which focuses on expanding access to healthy food for everyone in Manchester while reducing food waste. Matty is also focused on ending the stigma that can sometimes be associated with seeking help, whether it’s receiving free lunch at school or visiting a food bank.

Matty’s 230-mile New Hampshire run took eight days, and he made 11 stops. He was cheered on by students from local schools at his stops up and down the state – in his hometown of Nashua, 100 students from Mt. Pleasant Elementary came to his stop and even ran with him for a few minutes. Matty’s run for hunger was not the first time that he has combined his love of running with his passion for making a difference. In 2018, he ran across America for the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, running more than 5,245 miles and raising thousands of dollars. According to Matty, these extreme runs act like “lightning rods” to draw attention to a cause, and over the past decade, he has raised over $600,000 for different charities. He says that the support of his family – including from his wife Alicia and his children Noah, Ethan, and Emma – makes it easier to endure the grueling distances.

Matty’s dedication to ending hunger in our state is a true example of the New Hampshire spirit of taking action to address issues affecting our communities. His creativity and willingness to – literally – go the extra mile to help more people get the food that they need is why I am proud to name him Granite Stater of the Month.

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