Today, UWCNM, established the Feeding Families Fund: United We Eat to provide funds for agencies to feed families in their care. The agencies will then purchase food from local restaurants so that families and restaurants can both meet their challenges. About 1,326 meals will be provided to 314 adults and 104 children each week.

The fund will initially funnel donors’ contributions to agencies serving families in several counties in central New Mexico: All Faiths, Casa Esperanza, CLN Kids, Endorphin Power Company, Haven House (Sandoval County), Ronald McDonald House, St. Terese of Calcutta Soup Kitchen (Valencia County). Each agency will receive an equitable amount based on the number of families in their care. Future expansion of the effort could include delivering food or providing meals for front-line healthcare and other workers.

“This fund provides a safety net for many families struggling to provide meals for their families, agencies that are providing care for families receiving their services and restaurants that are hard pressed to keep people on the payroll,” said Rodney Prunty, President and CEO of United Way of Central New Mexico. “We invite donors to participate in order to ensure these families don’t go hungry.”

An initial gift of $15,000 from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico will kick off the fund. The gift is a part of a larger $250,000 grant the company has made to organizations throughout the state in response to Covid19.

The fund was conceived of and proposed by a family of long-time UWCNM donors, Billy and Rachel Gupton and Lynn and Craig Trojahn. They wanted to benefit agencies they knew that were serving families while also providing support to restaurants that might be struggling to retain employees.

“We knew there had to be a way to create a resource in our community that would make sure families aren’t going hungry, especially families who are also addressing other health or emergent needs,” said Billy Gupton of his family’s response. “We also know how hard it is for restaurants to operate at levels that keep staff employed. Partnering with United Way and the agencies they know and fund is the best way to bring everyone together with a common mission of feeding families.”