As Ebenezer Scrooge famously discovered in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, helping others makes your own holidays brighter, too. Santa Feans came out in force to do just that, as they supported the Stuff the Bus food drive for The Food Depot on Friday, December 15, 2023.
This inaugural event was coordinated by Hutton Broadcasting with partners The Food Depot and the Albertsons Market on Zafarano. The effort was supported by generous sponsors, including title sponsors Del Norte Credit Union and Southwest Care.
Of course, the real success of the food drive was thanks to the generosity of people who stopped by to donate non-perishable food items, personal care needs, and cash or checks. They brought in a whopping 1,452 pounds of food, which translates to 5,800 meals for people in the Santa Fe area. In addition, $735 in cash and checks was donated that day!
Stuff the Bus Food Drive in Action
The bright blue Food Mobile took center stage during Stuff the Bus, and along with the Coca-Cola bear, drew people over to learn what was going on. People could purchase items to donate at Albertsons or bring items from their own pantries.
Hutton Broadcasting’s radio stations were out in force that day, visiting with listeners and broadcasting live to make sure people knew to stop by and support the food drive.
One donor gave in honor of his brother, who was a client of The Food Depot after he lost his job during the pandemic. A former volunteer came by to find out about new programs. A client of The Food Depot even helped out by buying some soup to help feed others.
Overall, the day brought a festive feeling of generosity and holiday good will as The Food Depot gained resources to help feed many people over the holidays.
Thanks to the Community
The Food Depot’s Executive Director, Sherry Hooper, said, “The inaugural Stuff the Bus food drive was a true reflection of Santa Fe as a community. We are so thankful for everyone who generously donated on Friday to fill the shelves of The Food Mobile. A special thank you to Albertsons Market and Hutton Broadcasting for bringing people together to address food insecurity in Northern New Mexico.”
Art Trujillo, vice-president of sales for Hutton Broadcasting, said, “Our team was really excited to see the community engaged in feeding those in need during the holidays.” Trujillo led the drive to establish the event in Santa Fe and looks forward to doing it again each year.
Why Stuff the Bus?
The Food Depot provides resources to people in a nine-county area in Northern New Mexico. They report that one in eight people in New Mexico have food insecurity and that one in every five children faces this problem. In Santa Fe country alone, there are approximately 16,940 individuals who face food insecurity, including 5,430 children. Learn more about the scope of the food insecurity problem in our area.
Thanks to the Stuff the Bus Sponsors
The event was made possible thanks to the generosity of Stuff these Bus sponsors.