Taos, N.M. — The rising cost of food and basic needs has impacted many, including college students. In response, the UNM-Taos Student Government Association (SGA) initiated the Lobo Food Pantry on Klauer campus during the 2021-2022 academic year. Initially an outdoor cabinet at Fred Peralta Hall, the pantry has now been upgraded and relocated to Padre Martinez Hall with support from the LOR Foundation. The new facility, named Thrive: Food and Resource Center, opens on August 19 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for August 23 at 1:30 p.m.
Managed by work-study students, Thrive offers refrigerated and frozen foods along with fresh produce, meats, dairy products, dry and canned goods, diapers, and other essentials. According to UNM-Taos Student Resource Navigator Cami Hartman, "It’s extra cool because it’s ran by work-study students who are trained to help fellow students find resources related to housing and benefits such as SNAP."
One of these work-study students is Jesyka Pacheco. Having faced significant personal challenges over the past year—including losing her home in a fire—Pacheco found support through Hartman and the Thrive center. "As I stood amidst the ashes of what once was my home, I realized that I had two choices: to succumb to despair or to rise from the ashes and seek new beginnings," Pacheco shared.
Hartman's encouragement led Pacheco to apply for a position as a student resource navigator at UNM-Taos. In this role, she connects with fellow students facing financial difficulties, food insecurity, or emotional stressors related to academic pressures. "Every day is an opportunity for me to make a difference in someone’s life," Pacheco said.
Thrive: Food and Resource Center receives support from organizations like El Pueblito’s Shared Table, St. James Food Pantry, Taos Bakes, Taos County Economic Development Center (TCEDC), and Agriculture Implementation Research and Education (AIRE). It is funded through student fees—50 cents per credit hour—grants, and private donations.
"Students have a hard time learning if they’re hungry," Hartman noted. "At UNM-Taos, we understand that and want to help."
