Food Depot

ENDING HUNGER IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO

THE FOOD DEPOT FOSTERS HEALTHY COMMUNITIES BY ENGAGING A NETWORK OF PARTNERS AND DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS FOR A HUNGER-FREE NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. AS THE FOOD BANK FOR NINE COUNTIES, THE FOOD DEPOT PROVIDES HUNGER RELIEF TO AN AVERAGE OF 35,000 INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY EACH MONTH. THE FOOD DEPOT OFFERS FOOD TO PERSONS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY THROUGH STRATEGIC PROGRAMS AND A NETWORK OF 67 NONPROFIT HUNGER RELIEF PARTNERS. BETWEEN ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, THE FOOD DEPOT COORDINATES OR PARTNERS WITH 137 DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS ACROSS NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. EACH MONTH, THE FOOD DEPOT PROVIDES OVER 641,000 MEALS PER MONTH TO PEOPLE IN NEED-THE MOST VULNERABLE OF OUR COMMUNITY-CHILDREN, SENIORS, WORKING FAMILIES, AND THOSE IN ILL HEALTH. THE FOOD DEPOT'S HUNGER RELIEF NETWORK INCLUDES PARTNERS SUCH AS FOOD PANTRIES, PREPARED MEAL PROGRAMS, SHELTERS FOR PERSONS WHO ARE UNHOUSED AND THOSE EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE, YOUTH PROGRAMS, AND SENIOR CENTERS. AS THE FOOD DEPOT SUPPORTS THE HUNGER RELIEF COMPONENTS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THE NONPROFITS ARE ABLE TO FOCUS RESOURCES ON THE PRIMARY MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION. WITH THE HELP OF OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THE FOOD DEPOT OPERATES SEVERAL COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS INCLUDING FOOD 4 KIDS, SENIORS Y MS, AND THE MOBILE FOOD PANTRY. THE FOOD DEPOT'S STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ALSO INDEPENDENTLY OPERATE PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS OF HUNGER AMONG VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE FOOD DEPOT PANTRY, THE FOOD MOBILE, FOOD 4 KIDS, DIAPER DEPOT, AND FOOD 4 PETS. TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF ITS PARTNERS AND DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS, THE FOOD DEPOT ACTS AS A FOOD RESCUE ORGANIZATION, ACCESSING SURPLUS FOOD THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO TO WASTE. THE FOOD BANK COMBINES RESCUED FOOD WITH FOOD ACQUIRED FROM LOCAL AND NATIONAL FOOD MANUFACTURERS, FOOD DRIVES, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, GROWERS, FOOD DISTRIBUTORS, AND FOOD BROKERS. IN FY 21-22, THE FOOD DEPOT PROVIDED 9.2 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD, ENOUGH FOR 7.7 MILLION MEALS TO NEW MEXICANS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY IN NINE COUNTIES.

MOBILE FOOD PANTRIES REACH HUNGRY PEOPLE IN SMALL, REMOTE COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO WHERE THERE ARE A HIGH NUMBER OF "FOOD DESERTS," WHICH ARE AREAS WHERE THERE IS LITTLE OR NO ACCESS TO FULL SERVICE GROCERY STORES THAT OFFER FRESH AND AFFORDABLE FOODS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DIET. PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE AREAS OFTEN HAVE TO DRIVE AN HOUR OR MORE TO PURCHASE FOOD FOR WHICH THEY MAY BE CHARGED A PREMIUM, AND TYPICALLY PRODUCE IS EITHER NOT AVAILABLE OR IS NOT FRESH. MOBILE FOOD PANTRIES DISTRIBUTE FOOD TO THESE PEOPLE DIRECTLY FROM ITS TRUCKS WITH NO NEED FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE. MOBILE FOOD PANTRIES REACH COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SET UP THEIR OWN FOOD PANTRIES AND ENCOURAGES THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION. MOBILE FOOD PANTRIES REACHED 3,839 NEW MEXICANS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY EACH MONTH. THE FOOD DEPOT'S MOBILE FOOD PANTRIES PROVIDED MORE THAN 1.2 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD, EQUIVALENT TO APPROXIMATELY 1 MILLION MEALS. THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS 17 COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. IN RESPONSE TO THE FIRES THREATENING 3 OF OUR SERVICE AREAS, THE FOOD DEPOT BEGAN DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS TOWARDS THE END OF THE FY. OVER THREE MONTHS, THESE POP-UP DISTRIBUTIONS PROVIDED FOOD TO 1,306 HOUSEHOLDS AMOUNTING TO 3,569 HUNGRY NEW MEXICANS.

THE FOOD DEPOT OPERATES FOOD 4 KIDS, A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SUPPORT CHILDREN EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY. THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES SEVERAL APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING HUNGER: SCHOOL-BASED PANTRIES, AFTER SCHOOL MEALS AND SUMMER MEALS. THE FOOD 4 KIDS PROGRAM DEVELOPS SCHOOL BASED PANTRIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOL PERSONNEL AT ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE FOOD DEPOT'S SERVICE AREA. SCHOOL BASED PANTRIES ARE DESIGNED TO REACH MORE CHILDREN, ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS, MORE FREQUENTLY WITH A GREATER VARIETY OF HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES AND OFFERING THE PROVISION OF FOOD TO THE ENTIRE FAMILY. PARENTS/GUARDIANS CAN ACCESS THE FOOD 4 KIDS SCHOOL BASED PANTRY WHEN PICKING UP OR DROPPING OFF STUDENTS AND STUDENTS CAN ALSO ACCESS THE PANTRY AS NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. MOST SCHOOL LOCATIONS OFFER SPECIFIC DISTRIBUTION HOURS FOR THE SCHOOL BASED PANTRIES. THE FOOD 4 KIDS SCHOOL BASED PANTRIES RESUMED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE 21-22 SCHOOL YEAR AND SERVED 14 SITES WITH AN AVERAGE OF 5, 169 HOUSEHOLDS A MONTH. AFTER SCHOOL MEALS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, THE SQUARE MEALS PROGRAM OFFERS PREPARED MEALS AFTERSCHOOL TO CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY. THIS PROGRAM ENSURES THAT CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPLETE, NUTRITIOUS MEAL IN THE EVENINGS. DURING THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR, OVER 100,434 MEALS WERE SERVED TO 15 PUBLIC SCHOOL SITES AND THREE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS. SUMMER MEALS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS OF JULY 2021 AND JUNE OF 2022, THE FOOD DEPOT PROVIDED PREPARED MEALS TO CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH A LUNCHBOX EXPRESS PROGRAM AND SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY THAT IS CREATED BY THE ABSENCE OF THE BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES THAT ARE TYPICALLY PROVIDED TO CHILDREN FREE OF CHARGE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN JUNE OF 2021, LUNCHBOX EXPRESS WAS PRESENT AT TWO BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS, ONE PUBLIC PARK, ONE CLUB, THREE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND THREE MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES. 3,436 MEALS WERE PROVIDED ACROSS THESE LOCATIONS DURING THIS TIME. IN JULY OF 2022, THE RESTRUCTURED SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM PROVIDED MEALS TO ONE PUBLIC PARK, ONE MEDICAL CENTER, FOUR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS, AND ONE APARTMENT COMPLEX. 4,000 MEALS WERE SERVED. BOTH YEARS THE PROVISION OF PREPARED MEALS WAS ACCENTUATED BY EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOCUSED FOR CHILDREN.

FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4D - FOURTH ACCOMPLISHMENT THE FOOD DEPOT LAUNCHED THE DIAPER DEPOT PROGRAM IN AUGUST 2013 TO PROVIDE A SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPLY OF DIAPERS TO FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO KEEP CHILDREN ENROLLED IN DAYCARE. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES CRITICALLY NEEDED DIAPERS AND SUPPLIES FOR INFANTS IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES SERVED BY PARTNER AGENCIES. THE DIAPER DEPOT PROVIDED 116,480 DIAPERS TO 750 UNIQUE CLIENTS AT 16 AGENCIES ACROSS FOUR COUNTIES. THE DIAPER DEPOT IS ALSO MADE AVAILABLE DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC IN SANTA FE TWO DAYS A WEEK AT THE FOOD DEPOT'S WAREHOUSE AS PART OF THE FOOD BANK'S RESOURCE NAVIGATION PROGRAM. FROM THIS ARM OF THE PROGRAM 353 UNIQUE CLIENTS WERE PROVIDED WITH 146,560 DIAPERS. DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022, THE FOOD DEPOT DISTRIBUTED 263,040 DIAPERS TO 1103 BABIES IN FOUR COUNTIES. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4E - FIFTH ACCOMPLISHMENT THE FOOD 4 PETS PROGRAM SUPPORTS FAMILIES AND THEIR PETS IN THE MOST RURAL AREAS OF THE FOOD DEPOT'S NINE COUNTY SERVICE AREA. FOOD 4 PETS SERVES THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: BERNAL, CERRILLOS, EL RITO, MORA, OJO CALIENTE, PECOS, AND TRUCHAS. DURING THE YEAR, THE PROGRAM PROVIDED OVER 113,000 POUNDS OF DOG FOOD AND CAT FOOD, SERVING 2,148 PETS. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4E - SIXTH ACCOMPLISHMENT IN JULY 2021, THE FOOD DEPOT LAUNCHED THE FOOD MOBILE PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM SERVES THE GREATER SANTA FE AREA, BRINGING A CLIENT-CHOICE PANTRY INTO SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS IDENTIFIED AS HIGH-NEED AREAS. THE FOOD DEPOT'S STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HANDLE THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF THE FOOD OFFERING. THE FOOD MOBILE BUS LOCATIONS SERVE <100 HOUSEHOLDS AND ARE INTENDED TO SERVE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY/NEIGHBORHOOD IMMEDIATELY NEARBY THE DISTRIBUTION LOCATION. IN AREAS WHERE WE SERVE >100 HOUSEHOLDS WE WILL CONVERT THE FOOD MOBILE DISTRIBUTION INTO A PLUS LOCATION UTILIZING SEMI TRUCKS, WHILE STILL PROVIDING CLIENT-CHOICE. BOTH MODELS OF THE FOOD MOBILE SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 412 HOUSEHOLDS AND 1200 INDIVIDUALS EACH MONTH. AT THE END OF THE FY, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE 11 DISTRIBUTION SITES THAT PROVIDED OVER 112,000 POUNDS OF FOOD TO THE COMMUNITY.