Pilot program in New Mexico addresses both food deserts and benefits access

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Maurisa Potts
Spotted PR
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maurisa@spottedmp.com

Arlington, VA (October 11, 2021) — The National Council on Aging (NCOA), the national voice for every person’s right to age well, has completed a successful pilot program that provided Tribal elders of the Santa Clara Pueblo in northern New Mexico with access to locally sourced and culturally relevant foods, while also connecting them to benefits programs to help them pay for daily needs. 

Many people in Indian Country live in food deserts—areas with few grocery stores or access to fresh produce. With funding from the Healthy Food Community of Practice led by Walmart Foundation, NCOA launched the pilot program this summer with the Rio Arriba County Department of Health and Human Services, one of NCOA’s Benefits Enrollment Centers.

“This was a true farm-to-table program that delivered nutritious food to native Tewa elders and—at the same time—screened them for benefits that can help them afford healthy food every day,” said NCOA Senior Program Manager Randy Feliciano. “It may be the ultimate recipe for food sovereignty—fostering ‘our foods for our people.’”

Funding was used to purchase a new tractor, manual farming equipment, and seeds; hire a farm worker and recruit a team of pueblo volunteers; and provide tractor service to individual plot owners who had crops in their backyards but no way of tending them on their own. 

The effort yielded a rich crop of fruits and vegetables, including white and blue corn, green chiles, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, pumpkins, beans, and a variety of local fruits native to the community. The harvest enhanced and diversified the home-delivered food options provided to over 500 elders living on the reservation. In addition, the elders were screened for public and private programs, and 290 of them received one or more benefits to help them afford food, medicine, utilities, and more.

Additional details are available on NCOA’s website. 

About NCOA
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. We believe that how we age should not be determined by gender, color, sexuality, income, or zip code. Working with thousands of national and local partners, we provide resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy to ensure every person can age with health and financial security. Founded in 1950, we are the oldest national organization focused on older adults. Follow us at @NCOAging.