PNM foundation aids nonprofits

Sixty-two New Mexico nonprofits now have a total of $750,000 toward their missions, including one organization receiving $100,000 in celebration of the 100th birthday of PNM. Funding for the organizations was provided through the PNM Resources Foundation’s New Century of Service Grant Program.

Designed to promote economic development and education within the PNM service territory, the grants were awarded to organizations that work to innovate new products and services that, in turn, grow and develop businesses in New Mexico; create collaborative community spaces for public use; and provide educational opportunities that support economic development.

“It is an honor for the PNM Resources Foundation to invest this money in our New Mexico communities,” said PNM Resources Foundation President Becky Teague. “We are excited to support projects which will promote jobs, services and education in hometowns across the state.”

Priority for funding is given to projects that demonstrate a clear path to sustainability, have a well-defined timeline for implementation; show tangible results, fuel a stronger New Mexico through measurable economic impact and more.

The 2017 New Century of Service grant recipients of $100,000 and $50,000 are:

Adelante Development Center Inc. - $100,000 for GiveABQ, an innovative donations cooperative project to develop the nonprofit environment by efficiently connecting nonprofits to the resources they need.

Cultivating Coders - $50,000 to fund technological education and workforce participation opportunities for high school students in Albuquerque South Valley and beyond. New Mexico organizations that have been awarded $10,000 grants include: Alamogordo: Imagination Library of Otero County, and the New Mexico State University Foundation Inc.

Albuquerque: 516 Arts, ABQid Business Accelerator, Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Albuquerque Museum Foundation Inc., APS Education Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central New Mexico Inc., Career Guidance Institute, Catholic Charities of New Mexico, CNM Ingenuity Inc., DowntownABQ MainStreet Initiative, Encuentro, Escuela del Sol Montessori, Explora Science Center & Children’s Museum of Albuquerque, Fathers Building Futures, Fusion Theatre Company, Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails Inc., Lifequest USA Inc., New Day Youth and Family Services, New Mexico Child Advocacy Networks, New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science Foundation, Rio Grande Community Development Corp., Rio Grande Community Development Corp., Rio Grande Community Development Corp., Saranam LLC, SpreadLoveABQ, True North Financial Ministries, University of New Mexico Foundation Inc., Wings for L.I.F.E. International, and the Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team (WESST). Cochiti: Rural Community Assistance Corp.

Corrales: Cochiti Corrales Mainstreet.

Deming: Luna County Economic Development Corp., and Asombro Institute for Science Education. Gallup: Teach For America Inc.

Las Vegas: New Mexico State University Foundation Inc., and MainStreet de Las Vegas.

Lordsburg: Hidalgo County Heritage Society.

Placitas: Placitas Community Library Inc.

Rio Rancho: Galloping Grace Youth Ranch, and St. Felix Pantry.

Ruidoso Downs: Department of New Mexico Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Santa Fe: Community Learning Network, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, MIX Santa Fe, Museum of New Mexico Foundation, National Dance Institute of New Mexico (NDI New Mexico), New Mexico Film Foundation, New Mexico Resiliency Alliance, Santa Fe Business Incubator, Santa Fe Public Schools, Vista Grande Public Library, and YouthWorks.

Silver City: Imagination Library of Grant County, Southwest Center for Health Innovation, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments, The National Center for Frontier Communities, and the Western New Mexico University Foundation.

Since 1983, the PNM Resources Foundation has helped improve the quality of life in New Mexico by supporting nonprofit organizations. Founded by PNM shareholders, the PNM Resources Foundation is a separate, nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation governed by a board of trustees comprised of PNM employees. No customer funds are part of the PNM Resources Foundation endowment.

Gallup pantry gets BCBSNM grant

The Community Pantry in Gallup has received a $40,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico (BCBSNM) for their Growing a Greener World project. The grant will help the pantry educate clients on the purpose of healthy gardening, cooking and eating.

BCBSNM presented the check to the Community Pantry on Aug. 8 at 1130 Hassler Valley Rd. in Gallup.

Growing a Greener World promotes self-sustainability through the pantry’s gardening efforts including year-round growing seasons on site. Through the grant, the pantry staff will also conduct cooking classes in their commercial kitchen to educate community members on healthy cooking and meal preparation. Through the various programs that The Community Pantry provides, the needs of the people can be met at many levels. Education, supplemental programs, gardening, cooking, and business entrepreneurship, are just a few opportunities that the community can participate in at the pantry.

“Through this grant, we are able to reach out to more community members regarding nutritional needs that are being met and that can be met,” said Alice Perez, The Community Pantry director. “We are engaging different organizations that are reaching similar goals so that together, we can create a better quality of life for our community and its people.”

This grant is funded through Healthy Kids, Healthy Families, BCBSNM’s signature grant program. BCBSNM understands that nutritional meals play a crucial role in children’s health, growth and development and learning.

“We are interested in making long-term impacts on the health of New Mexicans through nutritional programming,” said Janice Torrez, vice president of external affairs and chief of staff, BCBSNM. “With partners like The Community Pantry, we are helping to support hunger relief efforts in the state.”

The Community Pantry serves people in northwestern New Mexico, including a branch in Grants. The organization distributes more than two million pounds of food yearly, helping 3,000 families each month through various programs, including free produce, Dollar Stretcher Boxes, the Hope Garden, and Emergency Food Boxes.