Update 10/29/25:

We have truly appreciated all the donations that came in since we started our GoFundMe initiative this past summer. But we continue to need your help!! In summary, we've fed more than 90 families and over 125 children since we started. We continue to receive shelf stable foods at our physical site at the Jicarilla Child and Family Education Center in Dulce, NM, and we supplement that with our funds from you all with fresh milk, bread, eggs and cheese. Last month we packed 10 boxes for our local foster families who have taken on one or several foster children, including buying much needed infant formula and baby foods, even diapers and bottles if needed. Our coalition of local educators, counselors, medical and nursing staff, tribal employees and other community members all work together to identify families in need and can request a food box. We don't require income eligibility forms or anything like that, and serve both tribal and non-tribal members. Now with the possible loss of WIC and SNAP funds that many of our local families rely on, we want to continue to offer food boxes to those that need it. Please consider supporting us as we continue our good work!!

--Yolandra Gomez

History: The Jicarilla Food and Nutrition Coalition based in Dulce, New Mexico, and affiliated with the Tribal Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program, is raising funds to buy food for families with children in need this summer in our community. Our goal is to provide food boxes weekly for at least 30 families who rely on summer school lunches that for several reasons was discontinued this year. We started our food drive on June 30th, 2025, with drop-off locations at our community coalition partner sites including the Jicarilla Supermarket, Fitness Center, Indian Health Service Clinic, Child & Family Education Center, St. Francis School, and the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board. Our partners also helped us immediately identify families in need and since then we have served 7 families that included 29 children total! We are grateful for the support we have received so far. Your monetary donations will allow us to purchase more food including perishables such as milk and eggs that are difficult to store in our pantry. Any amount will go a long way in making this possible!

The Jicarilla Home Visiting staff responsible for this drive currently includes Yolandra Gomez, MD, MPH, a local pediatrician. Thanks to Michelle Gomez, RN, our past Community Outreach Coordinator who initially helped set this initiative up during the summer. All funds will go directly towards the purchase of food for our families. Our goal is to make these food boxes available to any family who need extra support regardless of income status.

Thank you for considering donating!