EMPTY STOCKING FUND

The Empty Stocking Fund is a 40-year-old project of The New Mexican. Each year, hundreds of people receive aid from the fund during the holiday season to help cover rent payments, medical bills, utility costs, car repairs, home improvements and other needs.

Who it helps: Applicants, who must live within 50 miles of Santa Fe and must provide documents that provide proof of their identity, are considered without regard to race, age, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation. The process for applying has closed; The New Mexican received nearly 800 applications.

How it works: Applications for funding are carefully vetted. Members of the Empty Stocking Committee review requests, meet with each qualifying applicant to examine records of outstanding bills or other needs and verify the applicant’s income.

If a request is approved, the committee sends a check directly to the service supplier. The cap for most requests is $1,000 but can be as much as $2,500 per household, depending on the need.

2021 goal: $275,000

This holiday charity project, which began in 1981, is jointly administered by the Santa Fe Community Foundation, Enterprise Bank and Trust, the Salvation Army, Presbyterian Medical Services, The Life Link, Habitat for Humanity, Esperanza Shelter, Youth Shelters and Family Services and a private individual.

To donate: Make your tax-deductible donation online at santafenewmexican.com/empty_stocking or mail a check to The New Mexican’s Empty Stocking Fund c/o the Santa Fe Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1827, Santa Fe, NM 87504-1827. Donors can request to remain anonymous.

If you can provide a service such as roofing or home repairs, contact Habitat for Humanity at repairs@santafehabitat.org. If you can contribute food, clothing, toys, housewares, furniture, firewood or other items or services, call the Salvation Army at 505988-8054.

DONATIONS

Nathaniel Messimer: $100 David and Ann Millican: $100 Ursula and Richard Moeller: $100 Barbara Murphy (in memory of Andrea Kuntz): $25

Nancy Noyes: $200

Jim and Jan Patterson: $250 Dan and Carol Pava: $108 Anne Pfauth: $100

Paul and Donna Reeves: $100 Betsy and Steven Robeson: $300 Paul and Adella Romero (in memory of Paul III, Jerome Romero and James Gutierrez): $300 Sandia Area Federal Credit Union: $2,000

Santa Fe Federated Republican Women: $1,460

Gavin and Amy Sayers (in memory of Peter Mullins): $250 Stephen Schmelling and Carlotta Lockmiller: $200

Bob and Judy Sherman: $215 Eugenia Shuller: $100 Genelle Smith: $50

Ishwari Sollohub: $76 Deborah and Marc Sotkin: $100 Southwest Archaeological Consultants: $200

Joseph Stampfer (in memory of Anne and Ted Stampfer): $250 Margaret Urban: $100 Michael and Laurie Vander Velde: $250

Dave and Liz Vlaming: $125 John R. Watson: $100 Marilyn and Ed Winter-Tamkin: $500

Total: $7,659

Cumulative total: $262,786.55