In what can only be seen as a win-win situation, the United Way of Central New Mexico has created a fund to help feed needy families while also helping area restaurants.
The Feeding Families Fund: United We Eat will provide money to a number of agencies in central New Mexico that already serve food to insecure families and families in crisis. Those agencies will purchase meals for those families from local eateries in their areas, thereby creating work and generating revenue for restaurants and their employees.
“This fund provides a safety net for many families struggling to provide meals for their families, agencies that are providing care for families receiving their services, and restaurants that are hard-pressed to keep people on the payroll,” Rodney Prunty, President and CEO of United Way of Central New Mexico said in a news release this week.
Seed money for the effort came from a $15,000 gift from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, and was part of a larger contribution of $250,000 the company made to United Way to help various organizations statewide that are responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
The idea for the Feeding Families fund came from major United Way donor families, Billy and Rachel Gupton and Lynn and Craig Trojahn.
“We knew there had to be a way to create a resource in our community that would make sure families aren’t going hungry, especially families who are also addressing other health or emergent needs,” said Billy Gupton. “We also know how hard it is for restaurants to operate at levels that keep staff employed.”
Agencies receiving money in the program include All Faiths, Casa Esperanza, CLN Kids, Endorphin Power Company, Haven House in Sandoval County, Ronald McDonald House and St. Terese of Calcutta Soup Kitchen in Valencia County.
To donate to the Feeding Families Fund: United We Eat, go to uwcnm.org/feeding-families-fund.
