Casa de Peregrinos, the largest food pantry in Doña Ana County, is set to expand its reach to the county’s rural areas.
According to a presentation to the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 10, the pantry will hold a groundbreaking for a new location in Chaparral on Oct. 11 and renovate a building in Hatch this fall. The food pantry is also searching for more funding to complete a facility in Sunland Park.
The expansion comes after Casa de Peregrinos opened a new location in Hatch last April. The Hatch Pantry, combined with other Casa de Peregrinos efforts, has served over 8,100 people since the start of 2024, about 2,100 more than last year, according to the presentation.
Now, Casa de Peregrinos is looking to expand those efforts to the southern parts of the county.
“We know it will impact residents the same way it has in Hatch,” said director Lorenzo Alba, Jr., referring to a location in Chaparral. “This is an area that we really need to focus on and that we really need to bring services to.”
The building, expected to open in fall 2025, is mainly funded by state legislators’ capital outlay, with an additional $500,000 cash-injection from Doña Ana County’s facilities department. Alba said legislators forked up $1.3 million for the project.
Alba also said that the capital outlay provided $175,000 for renovations to a Casa de Peregrinos building in Hatch. Congressman Gabe Vasquez appropriated another $300,000, Alba said.
A third project in Sunland Park has secured $1.7 million in capital outlay and $1.5 million from a Community Block Development Grant, but remains approximately $1 million short of complete funding.
“So, you guys talk to your legislators for us, ok?” Alba said during the presentation. “Help us out with that.”
State legislators can allocate a limited amount of money to brick-and-mortar projects, typically in their districts, as part of every budget. The system represents a key source of funding for infrastructure across New Mexico.
While the money must be used to build buildings, the services those buildings house could impact thousands.
National nonprofit food bank coordinator Feeding America estimated that about 33,000 residents (15 percent) are considered food insecure. Food insecurity is an official USDA term for people who lack access to food to the point that they eat less frequently than those with secure access.
Lack of stable income, illness, disability and the distance between homes and grocery stores are some of the top causes of food instability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alba reported that Sunland Park and Chaparral have some of the highest levels of food insecurity in the county.
“Hopefully, by this time next year, we’ll be having a ribbon cutting and opening up (the Chaparral) pantry for that community,” Alba said.
