NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The New Mexico Higher Education Department is investing $586,000 into food resources for students at 28 public and tribal colleges and universities across the state.
The money will help by expanding food pantries, meal assistance, access to fresh foods, and other basic needs support.
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“Tuition-free college is the foundational first step to making higher education more accessible, but we know that affordability does not end with tuition,” said Higher Education Deputy Secretary Patricia Trujillo in a news release. “Students should not have to choose between their education and their next meal. This funding will help campuses strengthen food security for students who need support most, while building a campus culture in which accessing nutritious food and basic needs resources is a normal and accepted part of the college experience.”
Projects include expanding food pantry inventories, purchasing refrigeration and other equipment, increasing access to fresh and locally sourced food, providing hot and grab-and-go meals, offering nutrition education and expanding access to hygiene and household supplies.
Funded projects include:
Clovis Community College will dedicate funding to direct food purchases for its Campus Cabinet, increasing the availability of staple and protein-rich foods and preparing for periods of increased need at the beginning of semesters and before academic breaks.
Central New Mexico Community College will expand access to fresh, nutritious produce through its partnership with MoGro, allowing the campus food pantries to provide more locally sourced produce bags to students.
Diné College will expand its Warrior Chiyaan Bee Nihizdzil, or “We are Stronger with Food,” Student Food Pantry, providing monthly food baskets, pantry items and nutrition and health workshops across its New Mexico locations.
Eastern New Mexico University will strengthen its Campus Life Resource Closet by purchasing food and essential equipment, including refrigeration and storage, while sourcing much of its food from local farmers and ranchers.
Institute of American Indian Arts will expand access to healthy foods while strengthening food storage and preparation infrastructure and incorporating Indigenous food systems, recipes and food preparation into student programming.
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology will expand its food pantry’s dry and cold storage capacity, increasing access to protein-rich foods and improving inventory management as the pantry joins the Roadrunner Food Bank network.
New Mexico State University will expand food security services through projects that increase access to fresh food, improve pantry infrastructure, expand emergency food support, develop a campus garden, and provide nutrition education.
San Juan College will improve pantry inventory management while increasing access to high-demand staples, fresh proteins and healthy grab-and-go foods through its Trail Blaze Cupboard.
University of New Mexico will expand pantry storage and refrigeration, create a warm-meal preparation station, and increase access to culturally responsive and nutritionally balanced foods.
Santa Fe Community College will strengthen its Campus Cupboard and Exchange by expanding access to produce, healthier snacks, ready-to-eat meals and other basic needs resources while building partnerships with local food organizations.
Southeastern New Mexico Community College will expand nutritious food access, pantry hours, refrigeration and storage while connecting students with farmers’ market vouchers, SNAP information and healthy cooking resources.
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