Communities In Schools of New Mexico
In partnership with The Food Depot, Communities In Schools organizes weekly food distribution programs for students and families at the schools we serve. In 2020-21, during the height of the pandemic, Communities In Schools organized a food delivery program and provided 205,000 meals to 570 families that were not able to attend local food distribution programs.
This year, in the eleven schools we serve (and over 6,000 students that have access to our supports), our community school site coordinators distributed an average of 10,800 meals every month in the first half of the school year. Every Thursday at Ortiz Middle School, student helpers meet with community school site coordinator, Luis Burrola, to assemble grocery bags filled with staples like milk, eggs, bread, and fruits & vegetables. This year his program is in more demand, "I see so much more need this year. For several years we would pack an average of 35 bags every Thursday. Now, we've had to increase our order to make 70 bags every week - and some days I still don't have enough."
Luis believes the increase in demand is a result of COVID, where more families have become food insecure. And while this might mean more hardship for students, Luis makes the most of food distribution days. "This is one way I get to know more kids in our school. When a student knows I am there to help them with food, they often come back later to talk with me or ask for help in school, too.
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The Santa Fe Community Foundation invited its nonprofit grantees to submit stories related to its May topic of Education.
Villages of Santa Fe
Ensuring the health of our older generation is of utmost importance. Exercise plays a crucial role in preventing falls, a strategy that can significantly enhance the health and well-being of our older adults. Villages of Santa Fe understands the need for accessibility, offering exercise and lifestyle programs for older adults through convenient online classes and an extensive video library.
Punching Out Parkinson's
Punching Out Parkinson's empowers people living with Parkinson's disease across northern New Mexico to maintain and improve their quality of life through exercise and community support.
The Memory Care Alliance
The Memory Care Alliance provides ongoing education and support to families impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia, replacing social stigmas with compassionate understanding, and a vision for life after diagnosis.