By William Melhado, Santa Fe Reporter
Jan. 26, 2022
It’s as simple as dignity, says Juliana Ciano, program director of Reunity Resources in Santa Fe.
“People want the dignity of choosing the food that they like, the food that they want when they want it,” she tells SFR.
The success of food programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Double Up Food Bucks, Ciano explains, stems from the power of choice and the increased volume of fresh produce families can afford.
While Santa Feans redeemed over $5,000 in produce using Double Up Food Bucks from Reunity Resources’ farm last year, Ciano says this amount represents just a fraction of the need across the state.
Data from the 2021 New Mexico Kids Count, an annual publication from the nonprofit New Mexico Voices for Children, shows that children in the state continue to face food insecurity that these programs aim to eliminate; experts say the pandemic has heightened the hunger crisis.
Read more at the Santa Fe Reporter