New Mexico
Host Site:
The University of New Mexico Office of Community Learning and Public Service nurtures leadership for community capacity building in neighborhoods where the social determinants of inequity result in major health disparities. Over 800 university students, community college and high school students have apprenticed with local partners through CLPS AmeriCorps programs. Through civic engagement and anti-racism training Corps Members gain an understanding of the root causes of health disparities.
Service Sites:
La Plazita Institute and Kirtland Elementary School (Bernalillo County): FoodCorps Service Members work with the UNM Community Engagement Initiative and its community partner organizations in the Southeast Heights and South Valley communities of Albuquerque. Members' strengthen community connections by developing school gardens and partnerships with community members, organizations, and students to support the network of assets in the county and across the state.
La Semilla Food Center (Dona Ana County): FoodCorps Members help build a strong local food system, self-reliant communities and a healthy environment by increasing awareness and action around food and farm issues and advancing a thriving food system in the Paso del Norte region of southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas.
Santo Domingo Pueblo (Sandoval County): FoodCorps Members serve in partnership with John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, a nutrition promotion and healthy development program in Santo Domingo Pueblo, NM.
Farm to Table (Santa Fe County): FoodCorps Members work to alleviate the childhood obesity and healthy food access issues through service for healthy food system development.
Thanksgiving Farms at Tierra Lucero (Taos County): Students throughout the Taos School District learn about healthy food and positive lifestyle development from activities conducted by Service Members at the community plots of Tierra Lucero.
Connections, Inc (McKinley County): FoodCorps Service Members at this pueblo border community organization serve diverse communities of Latinos, Anglo- and Native American children all facing challenges relating to access to healthy food.
The focus of service at all sites will be on:- Community and school gardens: with hands in the dirt, FoodCorps Members nurture community gardens and intergenerational community-building, learning from strong community leaders, farmers and families
- Food for well-being network: Members create systems for food access, sharing ideas and lessons learned with the state-wide network of partners
- Cooking up a healthy life-style: Service Members provide cooking workshops and healthy recipes for children, youth and families, co-creating nutrition and well-being curriculum with children, farmers, and school personnel
- Farmers of tomorrow: Service Members learn from community farmers who connect to schools and youth programs for food access and nutritional health
