|
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."
- Virginia Woolf
Food is an incredibly important part not only to our health but to our day to day lives. Good quality food provides fuel to our bodies and can uplift our souls. When we go without food, we may feel sluggish, and unable to operate at our full capacity. Additionally, eating cheap, unhealthy, ultra-processed, foods can cause major health issues like diabetes, obesity, and arteriosclerosis (narrowing of artery walls due to buildup of fat). In order to combat this, a number of organizations have come together to help fight food insecurity in Farmington and across the country. This section of the libguide provides an overview of these organizations.
Studies have shown that students who are struggling with food insecurity (not knowing where their next meal will come from) score significantly lower than students with stable food sources. Additionally, studies have also shown that students who have breakfast and lunch score significantly higher than students who don't. The Food for Thought program at San Juan College hopes to bridge some of these inequities through the Food for Thought department. This department's most prominent program is the TrailBlaze Cupboard, which serves as the campus' food bank, serving various goods every Tuesday. The department also gives out meal vouchers for free, hot, food at Mary's Kitchen. Food for Thought also hosts events such as "food of the month" events, providing fresh produce with Harvest Food Hub, and helps connecting students with local/national resources.
Note: These resources are only available for enrolled San Juan College Students and Staff.
Contacts:
Mon-Fri 8 a.m.05 p.m.
Emergency Food Bags
Meal Vouchers for Students
Mary's Kitchen is the primary cafeteria/dining hall for San Juan College. It provides students, staff, and community members with relatively inexpensive food. Meal plans are available for students to purchase to allow them to purchase food for less expensive. Mary's Kitchen also collaborates with the Food for Thought program to provide free, hot, meals for individuals in need.
Contact us:
For many students struggling with poverty or other issues, the compounding stress of their daily lives with the stress from school can cause major health issues. The San Juan College Student Achievement Center is an incredible resource for students at San Juan College to help alleviate any issues they may have in their daily lives in order to assist with student achievement. They are a one stop shop all sorts of services, from food and clothing assistance, to renting out laptops and hotspot, to providing tutoring in, time management, and study skills. Having a steady source of healthy food is not only an incredibly important for success at college, but it's also incredibly important for your health. Additionally, improvements in time management can also help alleviate stress (an important factor in our health).
Note: These resources are only available for enrolled San Juan College students and staff.
Contact:
People Assisting the Homeless or PATH, is a non-profit organization that serves the homeless population of San Juan County, providing information, guidance, and support services. The organization operates an emergency shelter in the city of Farmington, a free food location called "Daily Bread" (providing a free lunch Monday through Friday), operates transitional housing program, assists in providing daycare for children of parents looking for shelter, life skills training, and access to computers.
Note: People who are interested in the emergency shelter must complete a pre-screening first.
Contact us:
A person's access to healthy and consistent food is an incredibly important part of a person's health. The Economic Council Helping Others (ECHO) is a non-profit which operates several food banks in Farmington, NM and provides supplemental food for seniors. It also provides other critical services such as distributing hygiene items such as diapers, emergency rent/utilities assistance (if they have the money), operating a pre-school in Aztec, and providing other forms of emergency assistance.
Note: These resources are available for residents of northern New Mexico, but many physical resources are located in San Juan County and Farmington.
Contact, Admin Office (Emergency Assistance)
Contact, Farmington Food Bank
Contact, Aztec Preschool
The Salvation Army is a Christian based organization which focuses on assisting the homeless and food insecure people throughout the U.S. In San Juan County, the Salvation Army is headquartered in Farmington. In the Farmington area, the Salvation army provides temporary living in its Roof Shelter and provides food through the Farmington Food bank. The organization also provides the "Aztec Utility Assistance," which provides utility assistance to people who live in San Juan County (not just Aztec).
NOTE: The Salvation Army is a Christian based organization (and may push non-believers into their faith) and has had a contentious relationship with LGBTQ+ people.
Contact us (Farmington Corps):
The Crisis Closet is an initiative of the San Juan Baptist Association, which provides a food pantry and emergency clothing to members of the Farmington community who are facing a crisis. All services offered are completely free, but interested parties must have a referral from a local Southern Baptist Church that is a member of the San Juan Baptist Association.
Contact us:
The Food and Clothing Pantry is an initiative of the Word of Life Church to provide food and clothing to community members who are suffering from various forms of economic desperation free of charge.
Contact us:
The Frontline Mission Food Pantry is a foodbank located in Farmington, which coordinates with other foodbanks in order to distribute food to the homeless. The organization collaborates with ECHO and PATH's foodbanks in order to acquire food. Individuals who are interested in getting food from this food pantry must be residents of New Mexico (with a New Mexico ID) and an empty box.
Contact us:
The Lord's Pantry is a food pantry associated with The Oasis Ministries (but not located in the same building). The organization provides food, clothing, and other home goods for individuals in need. The organization also provides prayer and Christian counseling services.
NOTE: The organization is a Christian faith based organization.
Contact us:
The 211 Hotline is a hotline operated by United Way and The Hartford which can be used to connect people to different services in the community. The services provided by the 211 hotline includes food services, emergency rent/bill support, and disaster recovery. The 211 website also includes links to various programs that are hosted by the United Way.
Contact us (United Way Farmington Branch):
The Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, is a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide food assistance to families in need. While in the 1970s to the 2000s, food stamps were physical stamps, now, the SNAP program hands out cards which can be used to purchase foods like a credit card. The program has certain eligibility requirements, so, make sure that you are eligible for the program before applying. It is important to note that SNAP can only be used to purchase certain things.
NOTE: As of writing this libguide (11/5/2025), the federal government is shutdown and some federal programs may not be available.
Contact us, Farmington Field Office:
Contact us: SNAP information
USAGov is a directory of federal programs, including programs to help individuals in need. The U.S. Federal Government has several programs designed for people who are struggling with food insecurity and other issues. These include food stamps (SNAP), emergency food assistance, special nutritional assistance for pregnant women/newborns (WIC), school meal programs, and food assistance for Native Americans. Many of these programs have income limits and requirements. Be sure to look into the requirements of a program before applying.
NOTE: As of writing this libguide (11/5/2025), the federal government is shutdown and some federal programs may not be available.
Contact us:
Feeding America is a charity which focuses on combating food insecurity across the United States. The organization operates a connected series of 200 food banks operating 60,000 different food distribution programs. The local Feeding America foodbank for most of New Mexico, including San Juan County (with the exception of the Northeastern part of the state) is the Roadrunner Food Bank in Albuquerque and Las Cruses.
Contact us (Feeding America corporate office):
Roadrunner Food Bank Albuquerque Branch:
Roadrunner Food Bank Las Cruses Branch
According to the school nutrition association, 95,000 schools/institutions serve school lunches to 29.7 million students each day. For many food insecure children, this may be their only stable source of food. In order to assist students in accessing this incredibly important nutrition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (alongside various state departments of education) have implemented free or reduced price school lunches. Families who receive SNAP benefits are automatically enrolled in Free and Reduced Lunch programs.
Contact us:
The Hungry College Student Cookbook
by
Healthy Cooking & Nutrition for College Students: How Not to Gain the Freshman 15
by
The Really Hungry Vegetarian Student Cookbook: How to Eat Well on a Budget.
by
The Industrial Diet: The Degradation of Food and the Struggle for Healthy Eating
by
