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Fall 2026 Depot Dispatch The Food Depot

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DEPOT DISPATCH

THE FOOD DEPOT NEWSLET TER FALL 2026

NORTHERN NEW MEXICO’S FOOD BANK

Take Part in Ending Hunger Give. Volunteer. Speak Up.

The Food Depot is stepping up to strengthen food access and protect the community. Find your part this Hunger Action Month! FY 2026 Impact

Hunger Action Month Calendar

PAG E 4 -5

PA G E 12 -13

Food Mobile

Dedication to Fellow Food Banker - Fernando Garcia

P A G E 8 - 11

PAG E 22 -23

Executive Director's Desk Corporate Partners SNAP Update Food Security Advocates


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FOOD DEPOT E H T

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Want to Get Involved?

From the Executive Director's Desk

Donate You can make a monetary donation: Online: thefooddepot.org Over the phone: 505-510-5890 BOARD Thomas Jensen, President • Barbara Houser, Vice President • Penny Rodriguez, Treasurer Scott Bunton, Secretary Bill Sveum, Ph.D., Member at Large Rubina Cohen • Steven Coleman • Mary Ferguson Sandra Mitiko Higaskino-Greene • Len Rand Rachel Rogers • Deborah Trouw • Andrea Vigil

Advocate You can make a difference by advocating for food security in New Mexico by following us on social media @thefooddepot or by visiting thefooddepot. org/advocacy.

STAFF Julie Aboud Scott Alexander Amber Anastasion Juan Aniceto Andrew Aragon Robyn Archuleta Nathalie Beltran Brian Benavidez Kayla Bostic Amanda Bregel Ole Bye Elier Chacon Jill Cline Jill Dixon Jacob Tharp Eralie Fernando Garcia Zamir Crispin Garcia Atom Green Cecilia Gutierrez Dave Halerz Russell Johnson Manuel Lovato Samuel Madrid-Huerta

NORTHERN NEW MEXICO’S FOOD BANK

Wayne Martin Vilma Martinez Diana Moncada Louie Montano Ashlynn Montoya Pauline Montoya Catherine Nolte Randall Partin Jade Perea Jakobe Platero Jackie Reiss Mark Rivera Jr. Aaron Rodriguez James Sanchez Jerome Sanchez Maria Sanchez Sal Sandoval Fred Santistevan Nic Shepherd Ralanda Shroulote Cathy Sisneros Amanda Smith Sigifredo Caslilas Varela Shairy Vargas Alma Vega Jerry Vigil Jerry Wagner

The Food Depot is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, non-partisan, and equal opportunity employer.

Volunteer The Food Depot is in need of volunteers! Repack food at the Santa Fe warehouse or volunteer at a food distribution. Learn about our many opportunities and join our team at thefooddepot.org/ volunteer.

Give volunteering a try on the weekends! Weekend shifts require no formal application. Kids are welcome! Go to thefooddepot.org/ volunteer to sign up for a weekend shift.

Thank you for showing up for The Food Depot! July 1, 2026: a new fiscal year began. I knew I was meant to look forward, but I could not shake the last 12 months. So much had happened since July 4, 2025, when the federal budget, H.R.1, was signed into law. In October, the longest federal government shutdown in history tested New Mexico’s foodsecurity network. In January, changes to SNAP work requirements began to affect the lives of children and families. Every month, our distribution numbers continued to climb. Not a day passed without another shift in the safety net programs people rely on along their path to food-security. When I stepped into the role of Executive Director in July of 2024, I had no idea of the crisis ahead. But I do know this: people have never stopped showing up for our food bank, our partners, and the people we serve. Over the last 12 months, our food bank grew with the demand thanks in part to unprecedented funding from the state

Legislature. During the federal shutdown, neighbors collected food and funds, some driving hours to drop off donations. Our warehouse shelves never grew empty, and our trucks continued delivering fresh food to distribution sites. You never lost trust in The Food Depot. In turn, we never lost trust in our ability to meet the growing need in our community. Hunger Action Month, a national campaign each September, is a time when food banks encourage collective action to end hunger. The stories in this edition are evidence of the action you took last fiscal year. I hope they inspire you to continue that support during Hunger Action Month through our match campaign, and give you hope in the good we create together.


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FUELING THE MOVEMENT Sources of Food, in pounds

NOURISHING OUR COMMUNITY

The Food Depot’s Impact in Fiscal Year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026)

FOOD RESCUE

TOTAL DISTRIBUTION

2 MILLION

11.7 MILLION 4.1MILLION

TOP GROCERY DONORS

Overall Pounds

NUMBER OF MEALS DISTRIBUTED PER COUNTY

Pounds, Produce

Market Street Sam’s Club Trader Joe’s Albertsons Market Whole Foods Sage Bakery

2.7M

1.5M

TEFAP COMMODITIES

1.6 MILLION Provided free to food banks through the US Dept of Agriculture

PURCHASED BY THE FOOD DEPOT

6.8 MILLION Increased investment in local food purchase by 518%, or $420,000

FOOD DRIVES & PERSONAL DROP-OFF DONATIONS

259,000 6,814,660

FY26

2,260,677 1,599,644

Purchased Donated USDA Food

4,125,111

FY25

2,154,232 2,542,646

5,161,510

FY24

1,619,297 3,339,801

233K

723,129

107K

Total instances of service through programs & partners, a 28% increase

3.1M

PARTNERSHIPS

200

87

Distribution Sites

Agency Partnerships

37

7

School Pantries

Pueblo Partners

WRAPAROUND SERVICES

Fluctuations in Food Sources

405K

Resouce Navigators supported familes

2,550 times

(Dec-June)

1,300

Babies Benefitted DIAPER DEPOT at 27 locations

FLEET

400,000 Miles Driven

32 Trucks & Vehicles

428K 75K

1M

3,830 VISITS Casita de Comida no-cost market

serving Rio Arriba County

VOLUNTEERS

548

Active Volunteers

47

Full-time food bankers

22,600 Hours Donated

In partnership with

THEFOODDEPOT.ORG


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PAG E 7

Corporate Partners Depot. Throughout the month of April, diners could give to the food bank when paying their bill. Roadies worked diligently to remind guests to donate, especially top server Aryanna! In total, the fundraiser provided 3,200 more meals. Andy the Armadillo presenting funds to food bank staff after a donation campaign.

TEXAS ROADHOUSE When Steve Peck moved to Santa Fe in 2005 to help open the local Texas Roadhouse, he knew the restaurant was going to do a lot more than serve delicious food: it was going to support the community. Steve and his crew of “Roadies” have stayed true to this promise. During the restaurant’s soft opening The Food Depot’s staff was invited to eat free, becoming some of the first people to enjoy the Texas Roadhouse. The same weekend, all alcohol sales benefitted the food bank. Donated funds provided over 17,500 meals! More recently, the Santa Fe Texas Roadhouse stepped up to do another fundraiser for The Food

“Texas Roadhouse puts people first,” says Steve Peck. “The company prioritizes our employees and the community we serve. Our growing partnership with The Food Depot gives us the privilege of not only feeding our guests, but supporting food security for people throughout Santa Fe.” Thank you to the passionate Roadies in Santa Fe who are supporting hunger-free futures in their community.

Roadies welcomed staff to Texas Roadhouse during the opening weekend.

Take Action SANDIA AREA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Sandia Area Federal Credit Union announced a new corporate sponsorship with The Food Depot in May of 2026 around our brand new Food Mobile trailers. The yearlong partnership supports access to nutritious, no-cost food for families across counties served both by The Food Depot and Sandia Area Federal Credit Union. With their financial commitment of 80,000 meals, the funds will help continue to provide choice and dignity at dozens of Food Mobile locations. “Our mission is to strengthen the financial well-being of our members while also supporting the overall vitality of the communities we serve,” said Kevin Todd, President and CEO of Sandia Area Federal Credit Union.

Employees of Sandia Area Federal Credit Union and The Food Depot celebrate the Food Mobile partnership at the branch in Santa Fe.

“Our partnership with The Food Depot reflects our commitment to investing in the long-term health and stability of Northern New Mexico communities by helping improve access to food and other essential resources.” Along with the financial sponsorship, Sandia Area Federal Credit Union is also providing educational resources for clients and reusable bags for distributions across our service area. Additionally, staff members from Sandia Area Federal Credit Union spent a morning at The Food Depot touring the warehouse, exploring the Food Mobile, and packing pantry bags. “Access to fresh, culturally-relevant food at the scale of the Food Mobile program is only possible through strong partnerships with communitycentered businesses like Sandia Area,” says Jill Dixon. “We thank the credit union for their dedication to The Food Depot’s mission.”


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Hop Aboard the Food Mobile after a Successful Year!

Your gifts make the Food Mobile possible!

Joanna lives in Stage Coach Apartments, a subsidized apartment complex in Santa Fe. Most months, the senior takes a short walk from her building to the Food Mobile parked outside. “It’s easy, and [the staff] are really nice to me,” she says. “I definitely use the food.”

When the Food Mobile launched in 2021, it became The Food Depot’s first choice-based program.

Donations are matched in September. The blue bus, a renovated bookmobile, traveled to schools, libraries, and apartment complexes throughout Santa Fe offering approximately 12 pantry items, bread, and protein. Clients like Joanna would use a menu to tell a volunteer which groceries they wanted, and staff inside the bus would pack each order. Client choice has remained an essential part of The Food Depot’s programming, but the Food Mobile has evolved since 2021 to improve client experience. Today, when the Food Mobile pulls into Stage Coach Apartments, Joanna and her neighbors step inside a

customized, walkthough trailer stocked with more than twice as many choices. Instead of ordering from a list, clients can see the food, walk through the space, and choose the groceries that work for their diets and households.


PAG E 10 – T H E F O O D D E P O T. O R G

Children help their mother hold fresh produce at the Food Mobile in Santa Fe.

Jerry Wagner, Director of Distribution, worked with Embassy Mobile Kitchens to fully customize the new trailer around that experience. “This is more than just a trailer,” he explains. “We consider every aspect of the design to maximize client experience, safety, distribution, and durability on the road.” The 36-foot triple-axle trailer functions like a small grocery store on wheels, with shelving on both sides. One wall holds produce and the other pantry goods. A two-door refrigerator and four-door freezer holds frozen protein, eggs, and dairy for clients. Overall, the trailer can hold 11,000 pounds of food and serve 160 clients per distribution. Soon after the first trailer replaced the original Food Mobile, a second joined The Food Depot’s fleet to serve Tribal Nations. The Food Depot partners with all eight Northern Pueblos within its service

area, and the majority are now served by the second Food Mobile. The trailer is specifically stocked with culturally-appropriate food, including Blue Bird Flour and masa. The impact from The Food Mobile trailers’ first year on the road was significant. The trailer distributions served people 18,000 times and provided more than 600,000 pounds of food across Northern New Mexico. The expanded client-choice model also allowed The Food Depot to offer more groceries while reducing the likelihood that people took home food they could not use.

P A G E 11

it easier for older adults and mobility challenges to come inside. “Right now, a lot of our elders struggle with the stairs,” explains Jerry. “They do not get the full experience. Now, everyone will be able to come inside the trailer and choose their own food.”

where access to grocery stores and fresh food options are limited. With the ability to set up quickly and carry enough food for 150+ families, the program will bring the full clientchoice experience to even more New Mexicans.

The third trailer will focus on “food deserts”, remote communities

As Joanna says, that’s something “pretty nifty.”

1

How does the Food Mobile Work?

Now, the Food Mobile is evolving again. A third trailer is in production and is expected to arrive before the end of the year. This design incorporates lessons staff learned during the first year of operating the new trailers. “The new trailer looks a little different, but in a good way,” says Jerry. “We learned a few lessons this first year around space and client accessibility.” Instead of stairs, the third trailer will use hydraulics to lower the entire trailer closer to ground level, making

Staff members welcome a client onto the trailer platform. Clients can pick up food for their own household and others.

2

3

On the Food Mobile, each client chooses their own pantry goods and produce. Staff volunteers are available to help.

4 Distributions include eggs, dairy, frozen meat, and other perishable items.

Each dollar donated during

Instead of stairs, the 3rd Food Mobile will use hydraulics to lower to the ground.

Volunteers are ready to help clients take food to their home or vehicle.

Hunger Action Month is matched to support innovative programs like the Food Mobile!


PA G E 12 – T H E F O O D D E P O T. O R G

PA G E 13

HUNGER ACTION MONTH We all have a part in ending hunger. How will you take action? Download and print this calendar at thefooddepot.org.

FOOD WASTE

CHALLENGE

Nearly 40% of all food in America is wasted. Can you have ZERO ZERO food waste for this entire week?

GRANDPARENTS

DAY!

FOOD DRIVE

at your work, church, or with friends this month!

CELEBRATE PEANUT DAY

Sign up to SUNDAY volunteer STOCK UP VOLUNTEER at the

Heading to the store?

LETS COOK!

Use the locally farmed food you got at the farmers market FARMERS’ MARKET to cook a meal. Post a pic of what you make and tag us on socials!

LEARN

Start a

Donate in Donate some honor of your grandparents peanut butter to help hungry or trail mix to seniors. THE FOOD DEPOT!

Consider picking up a few extra items to donate.

Hang up your calendar at home or at work for an easy reminder to act!

Food Depot as an individual or with a group!

ABOUT HUNGER

Invite a staff member from The Food Depot to speak to your church or community group.

REGISTER TO VOTE

or encourage others to register.

THE FOOD DEPOT

you can tour our warehouse?

Come see the food bank in action!

Collect empty egg cartons this month and gift them to

Hunger Action Day Advocate is tomorrow! Volunteer

HUNGER

ACTION DAY

DID YOU KNOW?

THE FOOD DEPOT

The Food Depot serves NINE counties in NM.

TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION Help us celebrate WEEK our team of drivers on our socials!

$1 = 8 MEALS! Donations matched in September!

COMMIT TO

YEARLONG

Share your ACTION HAM experience with your community and stay active all year long!

Donate, advocate, and volunteer at thefooddepot.org.

DID YOU KNOW? The Food Depot distributes

the color of 12 MILLION Hunger Action Month. pounds of food.

FARM BILL FRIDAY

BABY FOOD

Eat all meals today using $6 or less.

THE FOOD DEPOT

to easily create a food security impact all year long.

LEARN

Slow down this Saturday, grab a cozy spot, and checkout

OUR YOUTUBE

$6 per person/meal is the average NM daily SNAP allowance.

PERK UP YOUR COMMUNITY On Fridays

Donate instant or ground coffee to

Become a

MONTHLY DONOR

Advocate for a better Farm Bill with Feeding America!

SNAP DONATE CHALLENGE

Support our Diaper Depot program!

give.thefooddepot.org/donations

SPREAD THE WORD! Donate

Set up an empty jar to collect change for On Fridays The Food we wear Depot. ORANGE

$1 = 4 MEALS!

DID YOU KNOW?

thefooddepot.org/volunteer

Today, help spread the word by telling at least 3 people about Hunger Action Day and why ending hunger matters.

Follow us on social media to stay involved with

SEPT 2026

https://www.youtube.com/ @NMTheFoodDepot

Support local growers at the

we wear

FARMERS’ MARKET

ORANGE

the color of Hunger Action Month. this weekend!

The Food Depot

Northern New Mexico's Food Bank thefooddepot

nmthefooddepot

Download and print this calendar at thefooddepot.org.


PA G E 14 – T H E F O O D D E P O T. O R G

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campaign, donors can contribute to a pool of funds or may request to designate to specific nonprofits.

Volunteers distribute apples and milk at a Santa Fe distribution.

Las Campanas Community Funds Reaches a Milestone Las Campanas Community Funds (LCCF) is a tangible way for members of The Club as Las Campanas to make a positive impact on their community. “Our members believe in giving collectively,” explains Denise Rutherford, Chair of the Communications Committee. “We have a deep love for our community and local nonprofits.” Every year, the all-volunteer LCCF board conducts an annual fundraising appeal to club members. Members contribute funds throughout the year that will support Santa Fe nonprofits the following year. In 2025, LCCF raised $1.6 million as a community; in 2026, their goal is $2 million. LCCF board members research and conduct site visits to nonprofits working in three focus areas: education, health, and human services. During the

The Food Depot was among LCCF’s earliest grantees. Now, 20 years later, club members continue to support the food bank. Many know The Food Depot firsthand through volunteering. LCCF community grants also reach partner agencies in The Food Depot’s hungerrelief network. In 2025, grantees included Bag n’ Hand, Adelante, Santa Fe Indigenous Center, St. Elizabeth Shelters, Casa Milagro, and Gerard’s House. “Most of our members volunteer throughout Santa Fe,” Denise shares. “They give with their time but also want to give financially. LCCF facilitates giving through the community grants process.” Since 2001, LCCF has distributed 325 community grants totaling $5.2 million. Each of those dollars was contributed by members of the club, or Santa Feans who want to see local families thrive. The Food Depot’s leadership and staff are immensely grateful for the longstanding support of Las Campanas Community funds and the community’s commitment to food security.

SNAP Update In July of 2025, over 450,000 New Mexicans benefitted from federal grocery assistance through SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The average New Mexican received about $6 per person per day. For decades, SNAP proved to reduce poverty and strengthen food security. Today, a little over a year after H.R.1 was signed into law, SNAP enrollment in New Mexico has fallen by 22,000 people. More than 12,500 are children, according to data from the NM Health Care Authority. What Changed? New SNAP rules took effect on January 1, 2026. Now, as people apply for or renew their benefits, more adults are subject to work or activity requirements. These people are designated as ABAWDs, or Able-Bodies Adults Without Dependents. Now, more people like older adults, those directly out of foster care, and veterans are required

Volunteers move to load cars at a large drive-through in Santa Fe.

to complete 80 hours of work each month to maintain benefits. H.R. 1 also changed SNAP eligibility for lawfully present immigrants living in New Mexico. For every meal provided by a food bank, SNAP provides nine. When fewer people receive SNAP, food banks and partners are forced to fill that gap. The Food Depot is already seeing growing demand. Last fiscal year, service instances increased by 28%, with people receiving food, diapers, and assistance more than 723,000 times. Additional H.R. 1 changes are still ahead. However, through every policy shift, and increase in demand, your support has given The Food Depot the ability to respond, speak up, and continue to distribute fresh, healthy food. At a time when SNAP access is narrowing, we are working together to create abundance.


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Leaders of New Mexico's food banks present a FoodSecurity Champion award to Representative Rebecca Dow in February 2026.

the organization is responsible for rescuing and distributing food, supporting partner nonprofits, responding to disasters, and much more. Food security-efforts in New Mexico's other 24 counties are equally essential. Those areas are served by four other food banks: The Community Pantry, ECHO, Inc., Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico, and Roadrunner Food Bank.

The Food Depot is 1 of 5 Food Banks in New Mexico The Food Depot is Northern New Mexico’s food bank, responsible for hunger-relief efforts within a specific service area: nine counties across the northeastern corner of the state.

Together, the five create the New Mexico Association of Food Banks (NMAFB). Jill Dixon, Executive Director of The Food Depot, currently serves as the president of the association.

That collaboration has become even more important with the state’s current Government Results and Opportunity, or GRO, funding for food banks. During the 2025 legislative session, 30 million was allocated over three years to support the New Mexico food bank network, with 10 million available each year. During the first year of GRO funding, NMAFB helped food bank leaders stay aligned on spending requirements, state metrics, deadlines, and reporting. In July, all five food banks submitted a consolidated report to the New Mexico Health Care Authority on their first year of GRO-funded work.

In the last year, the five food banks distributed more than 63 million pounds of food, equivalent to 52 million meals. Together their programs and partners supported more than 600 distribution locations, making food accessible to families in every New Mexico county.

Visit their websites for more information: ®

NORTHERN NEW MEXICO’S FOOD BANK

fbenm.org

presentations give legislators a statewide picture of food security while showing how the food bank in their district is responding locally.

The NMAFB provides opportunities for the food banks to combine their experience and resources to speak with one voice on behalf of the statewide hunger-relief network.

This boundary is not arbitrary. The Food Depot is part of the Feeding America Network, a nationwide hungerrelief network of hundreds of food banks across the United States. Each serves a designated geographic area where

echoinc.org

Each food bank approaches its mission through a different lens and must respond to the unique challenges of its service area.

rrfb.org

thecommunitypantry.org

thefooddepot.org

Working together also strengthens advocacy. Collaborative

Each food bank may generally work in isolation; however, NMAFB gives food banks a collective voice while remaining rooted in the communities they know best. The result is a connected hunger-relief network ready to provide healthy food today and advocate for a hunger-free tomorrow.


SAVE THE SAVE THE DATE! DATE!

PAG E 18 – T H E F O O D D E P O T. O R G

Become a FoodSecurity Advocate!

th th

November 7 SANTA FE SANTA FE RAILYARD RAILYARD Learn more about nonprofit partners and programs at The food Depot.

You can take your impact farther. This fall, The Food Depot is launching Food Security Advocates, a new program for volunteers who want to go deeper into the issues, policies, and partnerships behind our work.

participants will be better equipped to talk about food security, share what they have learned, and speak up for policies and programs that strengthen our communities. Applications are open now, and we want you to be part of the first cohort! Applicants must be registered volunteers with The Food Depot and complete at least three volunteer shifts before joining the program. New volunteers are welcome to apply. Visit thefooddepot.org/ volunteer to register and begin completing shifts.

As part of the inaugural cohort, advocates will learn about food policy, build confidence as community advocates, visit nonprofit partner agencies, and get a closer look at how The Food Depot works behind the scenes. Along the way, participants will hear directly from staff and community Applications are due by the end of the partners and better understand day on Monday, October 12. how decisions made at the local, state, and federal levels Apply online today! Go to can affect food security across tinyurl.com/2026FSAapplication. Northern New Mexico. Food Security Advocates will meet approximately seven times over the course of a year. By graduation,

Questions about Food Security Advocates? Email advocacy@ thefooddepot.org.

PA G E 19

2026 2026

Grab your cycle and your friends of all ages for the best scavenger hunt in Santa Fe! We can all help The Food Depot collect groceries for families this Thanksgiving.

CRANKSGIVINGSANTAFE.COM


PAG E 20 – T H E F O O D D E P O T. O R G

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During the 2025-2026 school year, food and resources were distributed through the program more than 63,000 times, a new record.

A+ School-Based Pantries

The Food Depot’s school-based pantry program continues to grow, reaching more students and families each year. Before 2019, the program operated in Santa Fe as a limited “backpack program,” where selected students received bags of easy-to-eat shelfstable items each weekend.

Robertson High School student council members complete food safety training.

Today, the program looks vastly different. Each partner school has a permanent pantry equipped with a refrigerator, freezer, and shelving from The Food Depot, making it possible to offer fresh, healthy food alongside pantry staples. Rather than receiving a prepacked bag, students and families can bring home groceries that fit their household and can be used to prepare meals together. The program has also grown well beyond Santa Fe County. Schoolbased pantries now operate at 37 schools across six counties: Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Taos, Mora, San Miguel, and Union.

At each location, the coordinator chooses the distribution model that works best for the school community. Some pantries invite parents and guardians to “shop” during school hours. Others distribute groceries during school pickup or send food home with students on the school bus. This last school year, one new pantry took an especially creative approach. At Robertson High School in Las Vegas, New Mexico, the student council chose to make food security their focus and partnered with The Food Depot to create a "Pantry with a Purpose.” Students were motivated by their desire to create a safe, welcoming space where their classmates and teachers could access food without stigma and learn about healthy eating. The project was largely driven by student council members

Robertson High School staff help students install a refrigerator and freezer from The Food Depot.

Student council members organize groceries from The Food Depot.

themselves. Students connected with Robertson’s social worker and school counselor, the county’s nutrition services, and The Food Depot. Once the project was approved, they secured and cleared a space for the pantry, completed the required food safety training, set up equipment, and began placing biweekly orders with The Food Depot. Students also managed day-today operations. They organized inventory, used data to inform orders, and developed a system to track pantry use. When a student or staff member visited the pantry, they scanned a QR code and used a Google Form to anonymously check off items they took home. Grab-andgo snacks were also available during the day. By the end of the school year, Robertson students had distributed more than 3,000 pounds of food, with the pantry recording more than 1,300 visits. “The pantry really showed that Cardinals can change the world,” shared one student.


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This Edition of the Depot Dispatch is Dedicated to our Dear Friend and Fellow Food Banker,

Fernando Garcia a pallet jack. One noted he was never too busy with deliveries to help. Fernando will be remembered for his smile, his warmth, and his commitment to his friends. His fellow food banker Louie loved being partnered with Fernando on long drives into Colorado to pick up eggs for distributions.

Louie and Fernando enjoy a staff picnic during the summer of 2025. This edition of the Depot Dispatch is dedicated to our dear friend and fellow food banker, Fernando Garcia. Fernando passed away on July 25, 2026. He served as an Agency & MFP Delivery Coordinator at The Food Depot from April of 2024 until the week of his passing.

Each morning, Fernando loaded thousands of pounds of food into his semi-truck before delivering to some of our farthest pantries in areas like Raton and Chama. He made sure partner nonprofits were stocked with nutritious food and ready to serve hundreds of families. During site visits, partners frequently praised Fernando’s patience and his skill with

“Fernando had a beautiful singing voice. To pass the time we would sing and sing,” shares Louie. “He was a good man. A good friend.” The Food Depot staff is so grateful for the time we shared with Fernando. His dedication to his work and his quiet joy will be deeply missed by our team. Please keep Fernando’s children and family in your thoughts as they grieve this tremendous loss. Thank you, Fernando. You will always be a part of The Food Depot.


NORTHERN NEW MEXICO’S FOOD BANK

Give.thefooddepot.org/ hunger-action

Help us reach our $250,000 goal for Hunger Action Month.

The Food Depot 1222 A Siler Road Santa Fe, NM 87507

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SANTA FE, NM PERMIT NO. 366


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