THE FOOD DEPOT PREPARES FOR SEVERE FIRE SEASON (May 2012)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sherry Hooper
505-471-1633, X10 or 505-577-0444
director@thefooddepot.org
(Northern New Mexico, May 30, 2012) The Food Depot is gearing up for a severe fire season. Staff and volunteers have begun identifying the potential needs of disaster responders and evacuees, and are launching efforts to collect items in advance of the fires.
“To enable The Food Depot to meet the requests of fire responders and those evacuated from their homes, we are beginning to schedule special disaster relief drives now,” said Executive Director Sherry Hooper. “We hope to build up our supply so that we can more immediately support local response efforts.”
Religious organizations, individuals and businesses can get involved in these special disaster relief drives by calling The Food Depot at 471-1633, extension 12. The Food Depot will provide bins for easy donation collection, delivering the bins at the beginning of the drive and picking up the donations once the drive ends. Also, individuals can drop their donations off at the food bank, 1222 Siler Road in Santa Fe. The Food Depot will set aside all donations collected and use only to meet disaster needs. Should any items not be used for this fire season, the food bank will distribute the items through its 127 partner feeding programs to feed hungry New Mexicans.
Suggested donations include:
Bottled water
Handheld snacks such as granola and breakfast bars, trail mix, nuts, dried fruit
Protein items such as peanut butter and beef jerky
Canned meals such as stews, soups, pasta
Personal care items such as deodorant, toothpaste/toothbrushes, bar soap, shampoo/conditioner, hand wipes
Paper products such as toilet tissue, napkins, cups, plates, towels, plastic cutlery
NO clothing, furniture or household items will be accepted
The Food Depot is committed to ending hunger in Northern New Mexico. As the food bank for nine Northern New Mexico counties, the Food Depot provides food to 120 not-for-profit agencies including emergency food pantries, hot meal programs, homeless shelters, youth programs, senior centers, homes for the mentally disabled and shelters for battered persons. This service enables these agencies to stay focused on their primary missions such as sheltering homeless families, providing hot meals to the homebound and offering life skills development to youth. The food bank distributes an average of 300,000 pounds of food and household products each month, providing more than 400,000 meals to people in need – the most vulnerable of our community – children, seniors, working families and those in ill health.
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