Jared Trujillo is reliable and welcomed this time of year as he distributes needed goods in his yearly collection drive.
Trujillo recently made a second delivery of donations to Storehouse New Mexico, a private, non-profit food pantry in Albuquerque that provides free groceries to families in need, according to KRQE. The first drop-off occurred in November. The first load of food weighed 520 pounds and the latest weighed 880 pounds.
"Right now, this puts us at 1,400 pounds total," Trujillo said. "We want about 600 more."
Trujillo collects donations at his Halloween and Christmas display on Waterford Place, KRQE reported. His vehicles are filled with food and other essentials for the Storehouse. Every dollar donated to the drive provides five meals.
One in four children in New Mexico goes hungry all year long, according to Storehouse New Mexico. That makes Trujillo's collection drives a much-needed resource during the holidays.
"We have a lot of families who are in need of food," Justin Gomez, Storehouse development manager, said. "The Storehouse feeds 40,000 people each year. For each distribution that we give, that's 70 meals of produce, shelf-stable items, and canned goods. So, these donations really help us fill those boxes for people."
Food is distributed at the Storehouse on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, KRQE reported. Trujillo will take donations until New Year's Day. For more information on donating or checking out the Christmas display, go to Trujillo's Facebook page.
Trujillo is hopeful that he can meet the goal of 2,000 pounds of food, according to KRQE.
"I do believe with the help of Albuquerque and people coming by, we can hit it," he said.
