14 October 2024
Five Greater Downtown neighborhood associations are teaming up this week to launch an online fundraiser for Roadrunner Food Bank, further expanding a longstanding local push against food insecurity across the state.
The Huning Castle Neighborhood Association, Raynolds Addition Neighborhood Association, Downtown Neighborhoods Association, Near North Valley Neighborhood Association, and Historic Old Town Association will jointly promote the project, which seeks to raise $5,300 by October 28 – about $1,500 more than last year’s goal. The fundraiser officially began Monday on a special donation portal created by Roadrunner Food Bank, the largest nonprofit of its kind in the state.
“We were encouraged by the success we had in previous years,” organizer and Huning Castle resident Barbara Garcia said. “We thought it would be interesting to do more collaboration with other Downtown neighborhoods – and hopefully raise more money for a good cause in the process.”
The first of the annual fundraisers – then a project of the Huning Castle group alone – happened in 2018. The appeals have since raised a total of $15,430, facilitating the delivery of up to 77,145 meals, a number based on Roadrunner’s formula of five meals for every dollar raised. (The food itself is often donated, but it is up to the charity to pay for distribution costs.) The Raynolds group joined the effort in 2023.
This year’s drive will focus on financial contributions only, but Garcia encouraged anyone with physical foodstuffs they want to give away to consider Storehouse New Mexico (Broadway and Central) or one of the food mini-libraries around the Greater Downtown area (see article below).
“I want to extend a big thank you to those who donated in past years,” Garcia added. “We need you and everyone else to pitch in again this year. Any amount is appreciated.”