By Hannah Grover
The Food Depot staff sometimes travels for hours to move food to communities in rural areas, including parts of Rio Arriba and Union counties.
“If we could build regional food hubs in areas like Las Vegas or Rio Arriba, it would help us bring fresher food to our partners in those more rural areas,” Amanda Bregel with the Food Depot told NM Political Report.
New Mexico will invest $30 million over three years to address hunger in communities throughout the state. That funding could assist with building capacity such as creating regional food hubs or increasing access to cold storage facilities.
Food banks and hunger-relief organizations are calling this state funding “historic.”
Bregel said the funding will support the five regional foodbanks as well as other partner organizations throughout the state. The Food Depot provides meals and other resources to more than 40,000 people living in nine counties across 26,000 square miles in New Mexico.
The state funding comes even as foodbanks have struggled with cuts in funding at the federal level.
“Every pound of food provided to our food distribution partners reduces the growing meal gap in our state. Right now, there is a lot of uncertainty with cuts to USDA programs at the federal level and waning consumer confidence – which is one of the main drivers of charitable giving,” Katy Anderson, vice president of strategy, partnerships and advocacy at Roadrunner Food Bank, said in a press release. “The funding will help offset a portion of the federal food cuts we have already experienced, but even with this historic and bipartisan commitment, there is still much more work and funding needed to build a hunger-free New Mexico.”
Bregel said low-income residents in rural communities can struggle to access fresh food sometimes because they don’t have access to grocery stores or may be limited to whatever foods a dollar store offers. In those situations, the food banks can serve as the only local place where residents can find fresh, healthy food.
The $30 million was included in the state budget, House Bill 2, which also includes funding to start up a new initiative called Food is Medicine. The state’s Health Care Authority will oversee the program, which will establish a framework for healthcare entities, food banks and community organizations to provide food that is medically-tailored to patients who are managing chronic health conditions. The initial focus also includes patients who are pregnant.
“In these uncertain times, hunger-relief organizations are proud to talk about the important successes from this year’s legislative session,” Jill Dixon, executive director of The Food Depot, said in a press release. “Progress is made possible by partnership, persistent advocacy, and the commitment of our elected officials.”