Lab lends a hand to neighbors
San Martin de Porres Soup Kitchen helps feed the hungry and less fortunate in the Española Valley. Now the Laboratory is stepping up to the “bowl” to help this nonprofit agency.
On April 28, the Laboratory’s Community Programs Office (CPO), with the help of area businesses and agencies, is sponsoring a Chile Bowl contest to raise funds for the San Martin de Porres Soup Kitchen in Española. The event is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Big Rock Casino in Española.
“The money raised from the Chile Bowl is going to be used to increase storage capacity for the soup kitchen and build additional cold food storage,” said Tim Martinez of CPO, project coordinator.
“We decided to sponsor a fundraiser to help raise monies to make the improvements most needed by the soup kitchen and in turn raise awareness for the need of such services in the area,” said Martinez.
Martinez said that in last year's Laboratory Holiday Drive, employees donated more than 400 food baskets--more than 20,000 pounds of food--for 400 families in need in Los Alamos, Española, Abiquiu, Chimayo, Santa Fe, and surrounding areas.
“We had originally hoped to help out at least 50 families, but thanks to the generous support of Lab employees and the staff that work for KSL Services and Protection Technology Los Alamos, we went well beyond our goal,” said Martinez.
“That was the good news,” continued Martinez. “The downside to our success was that we overwhelmed the volunteers at San Martin de Porres. As quickly as we could deliver food baskets to the soup kitchen, volunteers had to go out and deliver them to the families, simply because they didn’t have the space or capacity to hold the donations.
“When I was out looking for business co-sponsors I was surprised to hear from some that they were not aware of the San Martin de Porres Soup Kitchen,” said Martinez. “Recognizing the need, the response and support for the Chile Bowl contest has been tremendous.”
Martinez said the goal is to raise $22,000 to pay for the expansion of the soup kitchen. Martinez will be at the Otowi Building cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday April 18 and 25 to sell tickets to the Chile Bowl.
Tickets are $20 each and include chile tastings prepared by local restaurants and a native New Mexican buffet. Participants also can vote for their favorite chile. Entertainment will be provided.
For more information on the Chile Bowl contest, contact the Community Programs Office at 5-4400 or write to community@lanl.gov by electronic mail.
San Martin de Porres Soup Kitchen is a service of the Ministerial Alliance, in association with the Apple Valley Senior Center. The kitchen provides hot lunches Mondays through Fridays for the poor, along with food baskets to anyone referred by a church or state agency.
To contact San Martin de Porres, call Suzan Roybal at (505) 753-4956.
