UNM-Valencia Pantry Receives $20,000 Food Security Grant
Funding will help expand access to nutritious food and strengthen basic-needs support for students.
The UNM-Valencia Pantry, operated by the Pasos Resource Center, received $20,000 from the New Mexico Higher Education Department’s Food Security Bridge for fiscal year 2026-27. The funding will support efforts to improve access to nutritious food and expand services for students experiencing food insecurity.
The project focuses on three primary goals: increasing the amount of nutritious food stocked and distributed through the campus pantry and micro-pantries, increasing the number of students served each month, and expanding the number of students who receive take-home food packages.
UNM-Valencia will measure the project’s success through student participation and continued use of pantry services. Increased engagement will help the campus assess awareness of the program, student trust in the resource and access to essential food support.
The pantry is also preparing to transition to PantrySoft, an all-in-one software system designed for food pantries and basic-needs programs. The system will allow UNM-Valencia to manage inventory in real time, analyze usage trends, plan for future needs and provide information to stakeholders and funders. PantrySoft was funded by Complete College America as part of efforts to address food insecurity and other basic needs among students.
Together, the new funding and technology will strengthen UNM-Valencia’s ability to provide students with reliable access to food and other essential support.
