Feed Rio Rancho Kids has been doing just that since 2019

Since 2019, Feed Rio Rancho Kids has been living up to its name.

Founded by Karen Schafer and Kitty Perez, two concerned citizens who believe that in our country no child should go to bed hungry, Feed Rio Rancho Kids works to prepare snack packs for school kids in the City of Vision who are living with food scarcity.

Feed Rio Rancho Kids' motto is, “In Rio Rancho no child should go to bed hungry.”

Volunteers deliver snack packs through the schools on Fridays to provide food for students in need over the weekend.

The funds for the snack packs, which are filled with food, are provided by private donors, PNM and discretionary funds from Sandoval County commissioners Katherine Bruch and Joshua Jones.

“We are proud to serve the Colinas del Norte Elementary School, Stapleton Elementary School, Lincoln Middle School and the Desert Programs of Rio Rancho Public Schools,” Perez said. “During the school year, from August to May, we supply between 45 and 55 packets each week. One of our partners, the Unitarian Universalist Westside Congregation, provides space for storage of the food and for assembling the packets. All administration and assembly are done by volunteers.”

In addition to weekend snack packs, Feed Rio Rancho Kids provides some schools with new winter coats. During Thanksgiving and winter breaks, Feed Rio Rancho Kids helps supply all the fixings for holiday dinners.

"As Commissioner, I believe it’s crucial to fund programs like Feed Rio Rancho Kids that ensure our children have access to nutritious meals," Jones said. "Supporting these initiatives strengthens our community and provides our youth with the foundation they need to thrive. I've also seen the impact firsthand, having helped with the food pantry in Cuba. Investing in these programs is investing in our future."

The group serves the students confidentially and works with social workers for privacy, so even volunteers don’t know the identity of the students.

“Food security is critical for growing children,” Bruch said. “Feed RR Kids provides such an opportunity. Options for meals after-school hours and weekends are filling a critical gap for students in our community.”

To donate to or volunteer with Feed Rio Rancho Kids, visit uuwestside.org/index.php/feed-the-kids-rio-rancho.