SENATE MEMORIAL 88

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Bill Tallman

A MEMORIAL

DECLARING FEBRUARY 12, 2018 "ROADRUNNER FOOD BANK OF NEW MEXICO DAY" IN THE SENATE.

     WHEREAS, the struggle with hunger is an ongoing crisis in New Mexico, one of the most poverty-stricken states in the nation; and

     WHEREAS, the latest "map the meal gap" report shows that among all states, New Mexico ranks second for childhood hunger and seventh in overall hunger; and

     WHEREAS, one in four children in New Mexico is at risk of hunger; and

     WHEREAS, the map the meal gap in New Mexico shows that more than sixty-three million meals are missing from the plates of people in need; and

     WHEREAS, nearly ninety percent of hungry household residents have annual incomes of less than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000); and

     WHEREAS, roadrunner food bank of New Mexico, one of two hundred feeding America member food banks, is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to solving hunger in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, roadrunner food bank of New Mexico serves as a distribution hub and provides food to hundreds of affiliated partners around the state, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and regional food banks; and

     WHEREAS, roadrunner food bank of New Mexico also distributes food through its own specialized programs that help children, families, seniors and clients experiencing chronic disease related to nutrition at schools, low-income senior housing sites, senior centers and other health care clinics; and

     WHEREAS, last year, roadrunner food bank of New Mexico distributed over thirty-two million pounds of food, or twenty-six million meals, to help seventy thousand hungry people every week through a statewide hunger-relief network; and

     WHEREAS, most of the food distributed by roadrunner food bank of New Mexico comes from food rescue efforts; and

     WHEREAS, food rescue captures unsalable food from the food industry, including grocery stores, food manufacturers, growers and others; and

     WHEREAS, nearly thirteen thousand volunteers perform over fifty-five thousand hours of service at roadrunner food bank of New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, about thirty percent of food distributed is produce, allowing roadrunner food bank of New Mexico to provide nutritious food to at-risk populations for whom produce is often unaffordable due to limited incomes; and

     WHEREAS, roadrunner food bank of New Mexico engages in other programs such as job training; and

     WHEREAS, a rooftop solar array provides the majority of the energy needs for the building that houses roadrunner food bank of New Mexico;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that February 12, 2018 be declared "Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico Day" in the senate; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the president of roadrunner food bank of New Mexico. 

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