Expansion on the Horizon, Empty Freezers Today: East Mountain Food Pantry Navigates Growth and Meat Shortage

TIJERAS, N.M. — Tackling metal storage containers packed with years of clutter might not sound like a community celebration, but volunteers turned out in force Saturday for a Day of Service at the East Mountain Food Pantry — clearing the path for a major expansion while pantry leaders grapple with a pressing protein shortage.

Armed with work gloves and determination, dozens of community members spent the morning overhauling four chaotic Conex shipping containers behind the pantry’s current facility on Highway 333. The goal: purge unneeded items, catalog stored equipment, and organize supplies earmarked for a planned 5,000-square-foot facility next door.

“When I saw the tent set up, I was like, ‘It looks like it’s a party, and it’s actually the worst thing we’ve ever invited people to do,’” joked Amy Rome, president of the East Mountain Food Pantry board. “One volunteer came and said his wife signed up, found out what we were doing, said she’s afraid of spiders, and stayed home. But a lot of people showed up. When we ask for help, our community shows up every time.”

Nikki Caudill, the board’s secretary who coordinated the volunteer callout on short notice through social media, said the turnout exceeded expectations.

“We called a few people and it was immediate yeses. We had people sign up online and folks just show up,” Caudill said. “It is such a good feeling, especially to know what we have in inventory so we aren’t having to climb over boxes of random tarps and crazy stuff. We’re going to be done way sooner than I thought.”

For Caudill, who joined the pantry team after moving to the area in 2022, the mission is personal.

“Growing up, I was very food insecure, so it’s always been really near and dear to me,” Caudill said. “I felt this deep need to do something and make an impact somewhere that made sense. The food pantry is right here, and it’s a really big need in our community.”

Growing Out of a Tight Squeeze

The weekend cleanup marks an essential milestone as the nonprofit prepares to break ground on a modern, metal post-frame building on an adjacent parcel purchased specifically for the expansion.

Backed by roughly $700,000 in federal funding secured with assistance from U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, along with ongoing local fundraising, the new site will more than triple the pantry’s current 1,400-square-foot footprint.

Crucially, Rome explained, the new design solves severe logistical headaches that have constrained daily operations.

“Right now, we can only keep about a month’s worth of food on hand. The new building will allow three to four months of food on hand,” Rome said. “We’ll never have to turn away donations again because we don’t have space.”

Under current conditions, pantry volunteers must orchestrate an intricate dance around a single entrance, unable to unload rescue trucks while serving clients. The new building will feature separate distribution and warehouse receiving zones, commercial cold storage, and dedicated loading areas.

Rome noted that the board is preparing to enter a fresh design phase after previously rebidding architectural services to comply with federal grant requirements. General contractor bidding will follow, with leaders targeting a move-in within the next 18 months. Meanwhile, the pantry’s current multi-tenant property remains listed for commercial sale with a leaseback agreement planned until construction finishes, freeing the nonprofit from long-term landlord maintenance costs.

A Scramble for Protein

While the building project secures long-term stability, volunteers face immediate pressure inside the pantry freezers.

A sharp downturn in grocery rescue yields across Central New Mexico has left meat supplies critically depleted — an absence not felt so acutely since late 2023. While the pantry regularly provides 14 core non-perishable staples alongside rescued produce and bakery items, meat remains the cornerstone protein for local families navigating rising grocery costs.

“It’s scary. Volunteers come in and they’re panicked that we’re not going to have enough to give,” Rome said. “To get good protein is really critical for families, and we prioritize it.”

Pantry drivers run refrigerated rescue trucks several times a week to grocers in Albuquerque and the East Mountains, including Smith’s, Sprouts, Triangle Grocery, and Walmart. When store overstock dwindles, the pantry must purchase meat at retail and wholesale rates to prevent sending families home empty-handed.

“When we supplement with peanut butter or canned goods, we can swing that. But to buy meat really wipes out our savings in terms of food funds,” Rome said. “We can’t physically do it fast enough to restock freezers without community support, donations, and rescue.”

Community members seeking to support ongoing relief operations, contribute to the food purchasing fund, or donate toward the capital expansion can find information through the East Mountain Food Pantry’s local distribution center or online at eastmountainfoodpantry.org.

Community members looking to support the pantry can contribute financially to the food-purchase fund or drop off protein donations during regular intake hours.