Food bank partners throughout New Mexico are making sure community members have access to food over the winter holidays.
New Mexicans, including more than 1 in 5 children, experience food insecurity at higher rates than many Americans, according to national statistics from Feeding America.
As the winter holidays near and New Mexicans settle into the last couple of months of the year, food price increases have made holiday feasts out of reach for many. Food banks throughout the state offer free food on a regular basis, including around national holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Feeding America is a network of food banks, food pantries and other local meal programs operating throughout the U.S.
According to their Map the Meal Gap research, the national rate for food insecurity was 13.5% in 2022, the most recent year. New Mexico reported a slightly higher rate of 15.2%.
Sonya Warwick, director of communications and events for Roadrunner Food Bank, said about 22 pre-Thanksgiving meals were distributed by the food bank throughout the state ahead of the Nov. 28 holiday.
El Caldito Soup Kitchen, a partner of Roadrunner Food Bank, is one local organization in Las Cruces that will be open on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day this year, offering a “traditional feast” to those in need.
Other Thanksgiving meal events include:
Joy Junction at the Albuquerque Convention Center
- 401 2nd St. NW, Albuquerque
- Wednesday, Nov. 27 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Albuquerque Indian Center
- 105 Texas St. SE, Albuquerque
- Wednesday, Nov. 27 from noon to 2 p.m.
HopeWorks
- 1201 3rd St. NW, Albuquerque
- Thursday, Nov. 28 from 10 a.m to noon
La Mesa Presbyterian Church
- 7401 Copper Ave. NE, Albuquerque
- Thursday, Nov. 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
People looking for food assistance can find locations online at one of the five food banks operating in the state. Warwick recommended calling to verify details before visiting locations.
ECHO Food Bank
- San Juan County
- https://echoinc.org/echo-food-bank/
The Community Pantry
- Cibola and McKinley counties
- https://thecommunitypantry.org/
The Food Depot
- Colfax, Harding, Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos and Union counties
- https://thefooddepot.org/
The Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico
- Curry, De Baca, Guadalupe, Quay and Roosevelt counties
- https://www.fbenm.org/
Roadrunner Food Bank
- Bernalillo, Catron, Chaves, Doña Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Luna, Otero, Sandoval, Sierra, Socorro, Torrance and Valencia counties
- https://www.rrfb.org/
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