THE FOOD DEPOT

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 48,300 INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY EACH MONTH. THE FOOD DEPOT OFFERS FOOD TO PERSONS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY THROUGH STRATEGIC PROGRAMS AND A NETWORK OF 76 NONPROFIT HUNGER RELIEF PARTNERS. BETWEEN ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, THE FOOD DEPOT COORDINATES, OR PARTNERS WITH, 198 DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS ACROSS NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE FOOD DEPOT PROVIDED AN ESTIMATED 707,523 MEALS EACH MONTH TO PEOPLE IN NEED-THE MOST VULNERABLE OF OUR COMMUNITY-CHILDREN, SENIORS, WORKING FAMILIES, AND THOSE IN ILL HEALTH. THE FOOD DEPOT'S STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS OPERATE SEVERAL PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS OF HUNGER AMONG VULNERABLE POPULATIONS INCLUDING: CASITA DE COMIDA, DIAPER DEPOT, FOOD MOBILE 1.0, THE FOOD DEPOT PANTRY, FOOD 4 KIDS, FOOD 4 PETS, AND MOBILE FOOD PANTRIES. 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 23-24, THE FOOD DEPOT PROVIDED 10,188,338 POUNDS OF FOOD, ENOUGH FOR 8,490,281 MEALS TO NEW MEXICANS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY IN NINE COUNTIES. PARTNER AGENCIES ARE ORGANIZATIONS WITH A HUNGER-RELIEF COMPONENT OF THEIR MISSION, REGISTERED AS 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OR CHURCHES, WHICH ARE CONTRACTED WITH THE FOOD DEPOT TO DISTRIBUTE OR SERVE FOOD PURCHASED FROM OR PROVIDED BY THE FOOD DEPOT. PARTNER AGENCIES HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE FOOD DEPOT'S PROGRAMMING SINCE ITS INCEPTION AND, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP, HAVE PROVIDED A LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR HUNGER RELIEF WORK OVER OUR HISTORY. WE HAVE 76 PARTNER AGENCIES IN SEVEN COUNTIES; THESE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDE CHURCHES, SHELTERS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, SOUP KITCHENS, EMERGENCY PANTRIES, COLLEGE CAMPUSES, TRANSITIONAL OR SUPPORTED LIVING PROGRAMS, AND MORE. THEY PROVIDE MANY OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS CASE MANAGEMENT, COUNSELING, HOUSING, FAMILY SERVICES, STREET OUTREACH, REHABILITATION, FAITH-BASED SERVICES, HARM REDUCTION, AND EDUCATION. AGENCIES RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM THE FOOD DEPOT IN PURSUING THEIR HUNGER RELIEF GOALS, INCLUDING SITE VISITS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND RESOURCES FOR CLIENTS. PARTNER AGENCIES DISTRIBUTED 5,664,376 POUNDS OF FOOD, THE EQUIVALENT OF 309,878 MEALS. THIS FOOD REACHED 16,129 HOUSEHOLDS, OR 38,387 INDIVIDUALS, FOR A TOTAL OF 193,547 SERVICE INSTANCES.

MOBILE FOOD PANTRIES REACH COMMUNITIES IN RURAL NORTHERN NEW MEXICO WHERE THERE ARE A HIGH NUMBER OF "FOOD DESERTS." FOOD DESERTS 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 RELY ON COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD DIRECTLY TO THOSE IN NEED ON THE DAY OF DELIVERY, 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 4,913 NEW MEXICANS IN 1,224 HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY EACH MONTH, WITH A TOTAL OF 14,682 SERVICE INSTANCES. THE FOOD DEPOT'S MOBILE FOOD PANTRIES PROVIDED MORE THAN 890,000 POUNDS OF FOOD, EQUIVALENT TO OVER 741,000 MEALS. THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS 16 COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. 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 FOOD MOBILE PLUS LOCATION UTILIZING SEMI TRUCKS, WHILE STILL PROVIDING CLIENT-CHOICE. THE COMBINED MODELS OF THE FOOD MOBILE SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 1,306 HOUSEHOLDS AND 3,744 INDIVIDUALS EACH MONTH. AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE 13 DISTRIBUTION SITES THAT PROVIDED OVER 289,000 POUNDS OF FOOD TO THE COMMUNITY.