Volunteers work in the background as U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, left, talks with Nancy Parkinson, right, and Martha Deasley during last week’s Thanksgiving food distribution.

NASHUA — Like a seasoned volunteer who has “been there, done that” many times over, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan went right to work hoisting turkeys from large bins, grabbing bags of frozen fish sticks from boxes and the occasional bag of potatoes and sliding them onto carts volunteers then wheeled to Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter clients waiting at curbside.

Hassan, who has made a practice of stopping by one of the NSKS’s Thanksgiving meal distribution days, returned Tuesday after missing last year’s event because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s so nice to be able to see people in person again,” Hassan commented in between chatting with volunteers and clients while manning her post atop the Quincy Street building’s loading dock.

“We’re still doing masks and social distancing when possible … people still need food on the table,” Hassan said. “And the Nashua soup kitchen does a terrific job of that, not just at Thanksgiving but all year around.”

Last week’s volunteers included a contingent of students from the Regional Services Education Center (RSEC) Academy, a private nonprofit school in Amherst.

Upon her arrival, Hassan chatted with NSKS executive director Michael Reinke, who led her inside for a brief tour of the building.

Hassan paused to speak with two women stocking shelves with donated canned goods and wearing identical black shirts with the words “Live Like Paige.”

Nancy Parkinson and her sister, Martha Deasley, said the shirts were designed in memory of Paige Parkinson, Nancy’s daughter and Martha’s niece who was killed in a motorcycle crash in June.

They said a recent food drive the family conducted in memory of Paige enabled them to make a significant donation of both food and money to the soup kitchen.

Carol Weeks, the agency’s director of communications, events and volunteers, said Hassan has been visiting the soup kitchen and taking part in his Thanksgiving distribution program for years, going back to when the agency was on Chestnut Street.

“She came as governor and continued as senator,” Weeks said.

Hassan began her day Tuesday in Manchester, where she took part in the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots kickoff campaign at the Mall of New Hampshire.

Later in the day, she went to Exeter to visit its downtown businesses ahead of Small Business Saturday, the post-Thanksgiving shopping event that showcases cities’ and towns’ smaller shops and stores as the holiday shopping season hits full stride.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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