Help others in need during the 2020 holiday season

Throughout November and into December, the Bulletin is providing information on ways you can help those in need in Las Cruces and Doña Ana County during this holiday season. This is the fifth and final entry in the series.

Consider adopting PETS as a holiday gift and/or donating to:

• Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary needs unscented bleach, Friskies canned cat food, Fancy Feast, Meow Mix original dry cat food, cat treats, Milk Bones (all sizes), clumping cat litter, pure baking soda, rubber gloves, bottled water, toilet paper, paper towels, tall kitchen trash bags, scented laundry detergent, Clorox disinfecting wipes, bottled hand soap, Ziploc bags all sizes, clear packing tape, scotch tape, zip and cable ties. Take donations to SHAS Thrift Store, 840 El Paseo Road, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Send donations to Safe Haven, 840-D El Paseo Road, Las Cruces, N.M. 88001 or donate online at www.shaspets.com. Sanctuary: 575-805-5338 or tricia@shaspets.com. Thrift store: 575-541-4942. SHAS, founded in 1996, is a no-kill, nonprofit adoption center for homeless cats and dogs.
• ACTion Programs for Animals (APA) has rescued more than 4,800 dogs and cats in the community since 2012, most from the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley. APA runs a pet food bank, prison-dog program and low-cost clinics for the public. Visit the adoption center at 537 N. Solano Dr., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and by appointment Saturday. Visit www.apalascruces.org. APA’s Second Chance Thrift Store, 2475 N. Main St., is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays; donations, shoppers welcome.
• The Cat’s Meow Adoption Center welcomes cash donations. 2211 N. Mesquite St., 575-640-0011, 639-3036, thecatsmeowlc@gmail.com. Donate at www.thecatsmeowlascruces.com. Mail donations to The Cat’s Meow, P.O. Box 3166, Las Cruces, N.M. 88003. Adult cats, kittens available for adoption. Volunteers and foster families welcome. Cat’s Meow has found homes for more than 500 cats since 2014.

Local FOOD BANKS (visit www.nmfoodbanks.org) need food and cash donations:

• Roadrunner Food Bank is the state’s largest hunger relief organization, providing food to hundreds of partners across New Mexico, including distribution sites in Doña Ana County. Since New Mexico is one of the most food insecure states, the best way to help is a financial contribution to source, acquire and distribute food. To donate food, call 505-349-8909 or email info@rrfb.org, and Roadrunner will put you in touch with a Las Cruces partner. Volunteers needed for outreach opportunities in southern New Mexico. For general inquiries and to volunteer in Las Cruces, call 575-323-5150 or email shelby.stuckel@rrfb.org. For food assistance, call 575-523-4390 or visit www.rrfb.org/find-food. Staff and volunteers can also help those in need apply for food-stamp (SNAP) benefits. Call toll-free 844-684-6268 or email snap@rrfb.org. Roadrunner began service in 1980 and feeds 70,000 people each week through a statewide hunger relief network. Visit www.rrfb.org.
• Casa de Peregrinos Emergency Food Program: Donate online at www.casadeperegrinos.org or take or mail donations to 999 W. Amador Ave. (Mesilla Valley Community of Hope). Call 575-523-5542, email cdplascruces@gmail.com, visit www.casadeperegrinos.org. Volunteer/donation hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; food-assistance hours: 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Bring ID and recent proof of address for food assistance. Volunteers welcome. $50 provides 300 meals, $100 feeds an average family for a month. 2019 CdP stats: distributed 3.8 million pounds of food in Doña Ana County to more than 30,000 people at their flagship pantry, 13 rural pantries, monthly mobile food pantries at five Las Cruces senior centers, NMSU, DACC; 3.2 million meals provided. All of these statistics will be shattered in 2020 with all they have done during COVID-19.
• Aggie Cupboard distributes food to NMSU students, staff and faculty in need at NMSU and Doña Ana Community College campuses in Las Cruces. Open 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 3-6 p.m. Thursdays, or email aggiecupboard@nmsu.edu for an appointment. Take food donations 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays, 1-3 p.m. Thursdays to 906 Gregg St., NMSU, or e-mail to arrange alternative time. Items needed: canned chicken and tuna, peanut butter, soup, canned fruit and vegetables, cereal, evaporated milk, cooking oil and toiletries. Aggie Cupboard began in 2012. It had 1,272 client visits in fall 2019 and 1,300 in spring 2020. It distributed 36,283 pounds of food in the 2019-20 school year. Call 575-646-7636, email aggiecupboard@nmsu.edu. Donate online at https://mas.nmsu.edu/project/6947, Facebook at Aggie Cupboard at NMSU.