How Roadrunner Food Bank is helping to feed New Mexico

The USDA defines a meal as 1.2 pounds of food. By that metric, the Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico distributed roughly 27 million meals to individuals in need during their last fiscal year.

Established in 1979 by the Rev. Titus Scholl and his wife Charlotte, Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico’s vision is simple — to ensure everyone has enough to eat.

As the state’s largest food bank, Roadrunner provides food directly to member partners in Bernalillo County and 15 counties to the south; and to regional food banks in Clovis, Farmington, Gallup and Santa Fe, which serve the state’s remaining 17 counties.

Roadrunner Food Bank is also a member of Feeding America, a national membership that allows it to bring resources like funding and food donations to New Mexico that help feed those in need.

In total, Roadrunner Food Bank operates within a statewide network of 500 member organizations that include food pantries, soup kitchens, group homes, schools and senior centers.

Each day at their distribution center at 5840 Office Blvd. NE in Albuquerque, 100 employees and some of the organization’s 4,500 active volunteers are hard at work unloading, sorting and preparing donated food items to be sent out to various locations across the state.

“One in five children are at risk of hunger, and one in seven New Mexicans are at risk as well,” Sonya Warwick, director of communications and events at Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico said.

The food being sent out to people in need is a mix of what Warwick called “rescued” — captured from food distributors, manufacturers, farms, and grocery stores. If the food is still viable for consumption, Roadrunner Food Bank will use it.

Once this food is brought to the Roadrunner distribution center, volunteers inspect it and inventory it into the food bank’s system. Once in the system, its partner members around the state can access the food inventory and select items to order and have delivered.

“(Roadrunner Food Bank) operates a fleet of vehicles, primarily made up of semis,” Warwick said. “Those semis are traveling about 600,000 miles a year and they are carrying everything from dairy items, to meats, to items that you would find in a food pantry.”

Roadrunner Food Bank also holds a monthly mobile food pantry program in communities around New Mexico. This allows individuals access to fresh, healthy produce and food, Warwick said.

Three such events are planned in coming weeks: Nov. 18 at Rio Grande High School, Nov. 19 in Roadrunner Food Bank’s parking lot, and Nov. 20 at EXPO New Mexico. Each one is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Volunteers at the food bank have a choice of working either a morning or afternoon shift Monday through Friday. The jobs available to volunteers vary, says Volunteer Engagement Manager Brian Brown.

“Depending on the inventory, it could be anywhere from sorting apples from the good and the bad, taking 100-pound pinto beans bags and making them into one-pound packages,” he said.

Roadrunner Food Bank also tailors the volunteer experience to the abilities of the individuals, according to Brown. Anyone is welcome. “As long as we know in advance, we’ll accommodate them as best we can,” Brown said.

To sign up to become a volunteer, visit Roadrunner Food Bank’s website and register under the “get involved” tab.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Roadrunner Food Bank distributed roughly 27 million meals to individuals last fiscal year.