PANTHER

NH PANTHER is thrilled to announce this year’s Black Excellence Fund & Storytelling Project’s Community Grant Recipients and Featured Nominee! Through the Black Excellence Fund, each grantee will each receive an unrestricted $5,000 Community Grant, and through the Storytelling Project, each grantee or nominee will share their stories with you. Please join us in congratulating Angie Rodriguez, 30, of Concord, NH; Kayla Taylor, 20, of Concord, NH; and Joyce Nishimwe, 20, of Concord, NH, for receiving a 2025 BEF Community Grant!; and in congratulating Lauren Grace Williamson, 30, of Brentwood, NH, on her nomination!!! In the months to come, we will shine a light on each of these incredible individuals, and share their stories with you. Today, we ask you to join us in congratulating all of them for this achievement! After being either self-nominated, nominated by community members, or both, this year’s grant awardees were then selected by a blind jury of past winners. They are all truly remarkable, and deserve celebration. Congratulations, Angie, Kayla, Joyce, and Lauren, and thank you for all that you do!!! @quin_cecily @kayla.taylor33 @j.nishimwe @eatsleepgrowplants #BlackExcellenceFundAndStorytellingProject #BlackExcellenceFund2025 #BEF2025 #BlackExcellence

Did you know? The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage and is in critical need of donations. The shortage is especially serious for platelets and type O, A negative and B negative blood. Without immediate action, patients face serious risk. Your help is needed right now. sickle cell patients are always facing the risk of an emergency blood shortage. Many sickle cell patients need blood transfusions every few weeks to help treat the effects of the disease. Certain blood types are unique to specific racial or ethnic groups. Because sickle cell patients often depend on regular transfusions, their best match may be donors of the same race or a similar ethnicity. This February 4, 2026 from 12-5 The Red Cross is hosting a Sickle Cell Blood Drive in Plymouth at the Common Man Inn, and providing free sickle cell trait screening to donors. NH PANTHER will be on site screenprinting free art for donors. Please consider donating. If you can, register here: /give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=COMMONMAN

This Black History Month NH PANTHER is partnering with the NH Red Cross to help raise awareness about Sickle Cell disease in our NH community and to help draw Black folks to donate blood this February. On February 4th from 12:00-5:00 pm at the Common Man Inn in Plymouth, the Red Cross is hosting a Sickle Cell Blood Drive and NH PANTHER will be on site screen-printing free art to give away to donors. At this blood drive, Sickle Cell Trait Screening will be available. When donors self-identify as African American, their donation is tested for sickle cell trait and donors receive results within 1-2 weeks. Having the sickle cell trait will not disqualify someone from giving blood, and this information is not shared with anyone other than the donor.  Some facts you may not know about sickle cell disease: -Sickle cell disease affects about 100k people of various races & ethnicities in the U.S., most of whom are of African or Latino descent. Transfusions play an important role in their treatment. -Many sickle cell patients need blood transfusions every few weeks to help treat the effects of the disease. -Certain blood types are unique to specific racial or ethnic groups. Because sickle cell patients often depend on regular transfusions, their best match may be donors of the same race or a similar ethnicity. We hope you can help us spread the word about sickle cell and about this event. Please consider attending and donating blood if your health allows, no matter your race. All blood donations are critical!

NH PANTHER is proud to present Lauren Grace Williamson’s story to you! Lauren (@eatsleepgrowplants ) is our featured Black Excellence Fund Community Grant Nominee for 2025; please swipe through and get to know her! Lauren, thank you for everything you do for your community!! We are cheering you on in solidarity!! #BEF #BlackExcellenceFundAndStorytellingProject #BEF2025

Have you heard? Mt Washington Valley IceFest has affinity spaces!!! BIPOC folks, women and genderqueer folks, adaptive climbers, kids, LGBTQ+ folks, and veterans are all represented in affinity groups at IceFest. Our founder, Ben, had the opportunity to attend IceFest last year and climb with the BIPOC affinity group, and had an incredible experience. Now, we want to help make that experience possible for others; NH PANTHER is working with IceFest this year to offer one full scholarship to a BIPOC affinity group member, including 3 days of clinics and a stipend for lodging. To be considered, simply fill out the Google form on the second slide/linked in our profile.

NH PANTHER is proud to present Joyce Nishimwe’s story to you! Joyce (@j.nishimwe ) is one of three Black Excellence Fund Community Grant recipients in 2025; please swipe through and get to know her! Joyce, thank you for everything you do for your community!! We are cheering you on in solidarity!! #BEF #BlackExcellenceFundAndStorytellingProject #BEF2025

NH PANTHER is proud to present Angie Rodriguez’s story to you! Angie (@quin_cecily ) is one of three Black Excellence Fund Community Grant recipients in 2025, swipe through and get to know her. Angie, thank you for everything you do for your community!! We are cheering you on in solidarity!! #BEF #BlackExcellenceFundAndStorytellingProject #BEF2025

Another one, actually two. #nhsummits

Osceola

P-way.