Rio Grande Food Project

VISION & MISSION

Rio Grande Food Project envisions a world where every person has plentiful, nutritious food.

Our mission is to alleviate hunger and cultivate long-term food security in our communities.

HISTORY

Rio Grande Food Project (RGFP) is a food pantry, urban garden, and community hub located at 600 Coors Blvd. NW (south of Interstate 40), in an area known as a “food desert” where a significant portion of residents do not have sufficient access to quality food. RGFP is the largest food pantry on Albuquerque's westside.

Since 1989, RGFP has provided members of our surrounding community with free supplemental groceries and kind, compassionate support. Originally started by members of Rio Grande Presbyterian Church, Rio Grande Food Project became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2004 and has continued growing and evolving in response to community need each year since. Today, RGFP continues to provide free groceries to thousands of people each year, along with additional services and resources to help address root causes of food insecurity through our Community Hub. Since 2019, RGFP has operated a dynamic onsite garden, growing fresh fruits and vegetables harvested for immediate distribution back into the community. 

Rio Grande Food Project alleviates hunger by providing food assistance 3 days per week throughout the year. RGFP sources food from our local food bank, from donations received from individuals, organizations and companies through food drives, through purchasing from local growers and distributors, and from grocery store food rescue that would otherwise be thrown away. Our Urban Garden is also a source of fresh produce which is harvested and immediately distributed to our guests.

Our Community Hub addresses long-term food security by helping with utility bill assistance through the PNM Good Neighbor Fund & Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority. We also invite other partners on-site who address unemployment or underemployment, additional insurance benefit enrollment, federal aid program assistance such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), and community health on a rotating basis to assist guests. 

Our Urban Garden contains 60 garden beds where we grow beans, beets, lettuce, chard, kale, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, cabbage, cucumbers, strawberries, peaches, apples, pears, grapes and more for harvest and immediate distribution through our food pantry. Corporate and organizational volunteering make this garden a success and RGFP partners to offer healthy cooking classes as well. Through our partnership with the Albuquerque Master Gardeners, RGFP can offer open garden hours for guests and community to learn how to grow their own fresh produce.

Every year, Rio Grande Food Project hosts our Hike to End Hunger event on the 4th Saturday of October. This event is free to attend and is a fun, family and dog-friendly outing along the beautiful Bosque Trail north of Alameda.