The Food Rescue Program began in 2014. In collaboration with retail grocers, the Food Rescue Program collects food that has passed its “sell-by” date, which would have been destined for the landfill, and distributes it to low income families in Doña Ana County.

In 2015, the Food Rescue Program was responsible for generating over 424,000 pounds of food, in 2016, this number grew to 719,000 pounds, worth over $1,236,000. Food rescue has been conducted by many large food banks, but this is the only the second large scale food rescue in New Mexico, and the only one in Doña Ana County.

While commodities and food drives generate canned goods and some other non-perishable products, the Food Rescue Program generates meat, dairy, produce and bread, enhancing both the quantity and nutritional value of the 27,000 food distributions made by the pantry each year. It also helps keep food out of the landfills, which, as it is estimated that 40% of the food in America goes to waste, is an important byproduct of the initiative.