$924,895 awarded for New Mexico food assistance programs - KRQE News 13

$924,895 awarded for food assistance throughout New Mexico

NEW MEXICO(KRQE) – The New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) has just been awarded $924,895 to expand The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) throughout the state. The funds have been supplied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and will be used to support remote, rural, tribal, and low-income areas in New Mexico.

The Human Services Department plans to expand the food assistance program by broadening mobile distribution options, making food cooling upgrades for improved freshness, and building new partnerships. Current TEFAP partners in New Mexico are Roadrunner Food Bank, The Food Depot, The Community Pantry, and ECHO Inc. The funding will help create mobile and/or onsite pantries for harder-to-reach and underserved areas.

“Establishing mobile food pantries will help us end hunger in rural, isolated communities throughout Northern New Mexico by getting healthy food directly to the communities who need it,” says Kari Armijo, acting secretary for the New Mexico Human Services Department.