Food bank adds freezer to pantry

Forty years ago, the Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico was but a pantry in Nancy Taylor's shoe store off of Seventh Street in Clovis.

Earlier this month, the organization that has provided food to more than 2.4 million people across five counties achieved a new level of cool – a 1,056 square-feet freezer, which allows it to hold a larger variety of food and maintain its shelf life.

"It's one of the biggest things in our history," said Dianna Sprague, executive director of the food bank.

The freezer was made possible by a $500,000 New Mexico Food Security Grant secured by the city of Clovis.

"We couldn't do what we do without the community's support. This grant was really a response to our efforts during COVID and the government realizing the food shortage within the state," Sprague said.

It's a "big change" from where the food bank began, Sprague said.

Construction of the freezer started during the spring, and it was formally received by the food distributor on Nov. 20.

In its 40 years the food bank has serviced 5,000 families and individuals every month since its beginning, Sprague said. Those who benefit come from Curry, De Baca, Guadalupe, Quay and Roosevelt counties.

"We do anywhere from 1.5 to 2 million pounds of food each year, distributed," Sprague said.

"We've come a long way from a little pantry in a shoe store."

She said the evolution the food bank has gone through over the years has been "surprising to say the least."

Sprague said the food bank's mission has always been to provide and support food programs to alleviate hunger for eastern New Mexico residents.

"We always wanted to make a difference in this community," Sprague said.

Sprague said the freezer will assist the food bank's goal in creating a senior commodity food program and continue its other programs as well.