For 35 years the East Mountain Food Pantry has served its community in locations that were never designed to serve as a food pantry. Starting in a two-bedroom home and then moving to its current location, which was previously a feed store, the organization has faced operational challenges, but those will soon fade as the pantry moves into a new 5,500-square-foot purpose-built center adjacent to its current location at 1342 NM-333, Tijeras, New Mexico.
The organization is run by two paid employees and around 90 monthly volunteers of community members, high school students and clients. Sammie Hutchison, who has been volunteering at the pantry since 2007 and is now an employee and property manager, hopes this new development will bring exposure that allows the pantry to succeed in its mission.
“We never want people in our community to have to choose between paying a bill or buying food,” Hutchison said. “When we moved into our current property, which is 1,500 square feet, and we thought we had died and gone to heaven we had so much space. With the new building, we are designing it so that it meets our needs, not just us trying to fit into an existing building.”
According to Hutchison, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury’s office contacted the pantry about a potential grant opportunity, and the pantry requested funding that would allow them to relocate. The pantry originally requested $850,000 and was approved for a budget of $712,500. They have an ongoing monetary drive in an attempt to raise the remaining funds from the amount requested.
The new metal building will have a designated donation and unloading station. While employees are still waiting for information on the construction process, they anticipate construction will begin in Fall 2024.
“This extension is a big deal for the entire community,” said Bernalillo Commissioner Eric Olivas, who recently toured the pantry and met with employees and volunteers. “It will make the facility more efficient. This means more families being served and less food being wasted, as well as storing it in proper ideal conditions, and a better use of volunteers’ time.”
In 2023, the pantry fed 459 new households and had 679 services that fed 2,022 people monthly. They currently try to have a one to two-month supply of food on hand, but with more storage in the new facility, they hope to have a three-month supply of all food or more.
“We are looking forward to our new building and having it arranged just for us, so we don’t have to trip over each other,” said Amy Clements, secretary of the organization. “We feed a lot of people and I think we’re going to see more families who need our help.”
While this new development eliminates challenges for employees and volunteers and will help the pantry better serve its community, Hutchison said they continue to seek additional grant opportunities and help from local businesses.
“While our facility is in Bernalillo County, 60% of our clients live in Torrance, Santa Fe or Sandoval Counties,” Hutchison said. “We wish hunger was not a part of our lives, but we recognize it is and we need help from those county commissioners and businesses to support our efforts of providing food to all residents who are food insecure.”