In the Fall of 2009, Desert Harvest reached the milestone of 3 million meals of food rescued. Desert Harvest was started in 2001 to address two needs – to alleviate hunger in Central New Mexico and to providevolunteer opportunities for people with disabilities. The program, which rescues surplus food from area restaurants and delivers it to other nonprofit agencies, has been a tremendous success.

In 2009, Desert Harvest rescued an average of 45,000 pounds of food per month – a several thousand pound increase from the previous year. Currenly, over 45 restaurants and grocers make donations and 15 recipient agencies benefit from the food collected. Without Adelante’s Desert Harvest program, most of that food would have ended up in trash bins instead of feeding those in need. The program began by simply picking up surplus prepared foods and has now expanded into meals prepared especially for groups who need it. Seven area restaurants provide guest meals to our recipient agencies, most of them agencies supporting children in the community.

As Desert Harvest has expanded, our partnerships have helped us to nourish people beyond the food we collect. The program has provided vocational counseling to teens at recipient agencies and the Desert Harvest staff worked with Computer Reruns to provide 27 refurbished computer systems to low-income people and families in transitional and recovery programs. The people involved are in school using the computers as tools in their progress toward self-sufficiency.

Desert Harvest continually looks for food service establishments to donate their over-run food, monetary donors to cover the cost of food safe packaging, volunteer drivers, and agencies to assist. For more information contact Jim Knutson at 341-7186 or JKnutson@GoAdelante.org.

Food for Thought

Despite the bounty of our agricultural production and the numerous restaurants that flourish in New Mexico, one of our most complex and serious health problems is hunger. Chronic hunger and malnutrition take a heavy toll on lives. Children may miss school, have difficulty paying attention in class, and not grow at the same rates as their well-fed peers. Hungry people suffer from frequent illnesses that jeopardize their futures as productive citizens.

Most low-income families receive food assistance from several sources. Even with Federal assistance and the work of non-profits and charities, nearly 20 percent of the requests for food assistance go unmet. Food recovery programs, like Desert Harvest, can make a significant difference.

Desert Harvest recovers prepared food that goes to waste. We work alongside service agencies and food banks that collect non-perishable foods. We have formed partnerships with local restaurants and hotels to pick up prepared food that would be thrown away and deliver it to other non-profit service agencies that feed people in need. Desert Harvest volunteers are Adelante participants and other community members committed to doing something about hunger in our community.

If you become a food donor, Adelante can help you determine the best schedule to pick up your surplus food. As you have over-runs, package and refrigerate or freeze the food you would like to donate (freezing is preferred). Adelante provides the packaging at no expense to you. Desert Harvest volunteers will pick up the food and deliver it directly to a recipient agency. To volunteer or learn more about Desert Harvest contact our program manager:

Jim Knutson

505.341.7186

fax 341.2001

JKnutson@GoAdelante.org