A number of food banks, soup kitchens for hot meals and free emergency food pantries in Las Cruces, New Mexico distribute groceries to individuals or families who are in some form of an emergency situation.
There are also meals, free bags of food, personal toiletries and household goods for low to moderate income families from food pantries near you.
Distribution centers can include churches, non-profit organizations, community action agencies, and many other local charities as well as non-profits.
Salvation Army Food Pantry
The Salvation Army is dedicated to eliminating food insecurity.
The Salvation Army operates free local food banks around Las Cruces, New Mexico from almost all of their local social service centers. The charity organization is involved in feeding millions of families each year, with a large percentage of those assisted being children as well as the elderly.
We have located 2 Salvation Army Food Pantry locations in Las Cruces, New Mexico which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
The Salvation Army - LAS CRUCES, NM: Corps Community Center
Services provided :
- Aid to Families
- Character Building Programs
- Christian Education
- Disaster Services
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Food & Nutrition Programs
- Men's Ministries
- Missing Persons
- Music & Arts Programs
- Residential Camping Activities
- Seasonal Services
- Visitation Services
- Women's Ministries
- Worship Services - Children's / Teen
- Worship Services - Church
- Worship Services - Sunday School
- Worship Services - Young Adult
- Worship Services - Youth Ministries
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (575) 524-4713 to book your appointment.
Address :
,
Las Cruces, NM .
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Counties:
- Dona Ana County
The Salvation Army Las Cruces Corps Community Center
At The Salvation Army, our motto of "heart to God and hand to man" is put into action every day as we change lives, transform our community and remain a steadfast beacon of hope for those in need in Las Cruces and the surrounding areas.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (575) 524-4713 to book your appointment.
Address :
1590 E California Ave,
Las Cruces, NM 88001.
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Las Cruces
Help Residents of Counties:
- Doña Ana
Church Food Pantry
A number of churches around Las Cruces, New Mexico have food pantries for those in their neighborhoods who are in need of food items.
Churches operate with food donations gathered and deliver to the food pantry nearest you by individuals using food drives.
Some churches also deliver food items to elderly who are unable to drive to a nearest community food pantry. Please contact your local church directly.
We have located 1 Church Food Pantry locations in Las Cruces, New Mexico which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Trinity Lutheran Church Food Pantry
The Trinity Lutheran Church Food Pantry serves many needy families of the Las Cruces area who are struggling to put food on the table. To help address this need, the TLC Food Pantry distributes food the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month from 10:00 am to 12 noon. The Church operated a small Food Pantry prior to 2011 and began the full scale Food Pantry in February of 2011 when Trinity Lutheran Church partnered with Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico to better serve the needs of families in the Las Cruces area. Since the start of that collaboration, the Food Pantry is operating with positive trends for number of families served and total food provided.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (575) 523-4232 to book your appointment.
Address :
2900 Elks Dr,
Las Cruces, NM 88005.
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- Las Cruces
Help Residents of Counties:
- Doña Ana
Catholic Charities Food Pantry
Resources provided by the Catholic Charity organization focus on addressing food, holiday, and immigration needs.
Families of all religions, backgrounds, and cultures can contact Catholic Charity centers for help.
Catholic Charities in Las Cruces, New Mexico are open to families on a first-come, first-serve basis. The centers operate during normal business hours, and provide walk-ins with groceries, food boxes, and items to prepare a meal.
The food pantries are like grocery stores, allow clients the ability to choose the items they need from the groceries that are available on site.
First-time clients of the food pantry will need to apply, and this is done from a one-page application. An applicant will need to provide basic household member as well as demographic information.
We have located 0 Catholic Charities Food Pantry locations in Las Cruces, New Mexico which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Helping Hands Food Pantry
Helping Hands is a faith-based 501(c)(3) food pantry operated around Las Cruces, New Mexico almost entirely by volunteers.
It provides a 7-day supply of groceries and personal care items free of charge to people in need, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Helping Hands is supported entirely by donations from individuals, service organizations, churches, and businesses in our community.
Find a local helping hands food pantry open near you.
We have located 0 Helping Hand Food Pantry locations in Las Cruces, New Mexico which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Mobile Food Pantry
The mobile food pantry program distributes food directly to families in communities around Las Cruces, New Mexico in need during large-scale one-day distributions.
A typical mobile pantry serves 200-250 families distributing up to 10,000 pounds of food. This past year over 6.6 million pounds were distributed through this program.
Mobile food pantries usually visit churches, community centers, schools, shopping centers, and other convenient locations. They usually go to areas where there aren't grocery stores or other food pantries.
Mobile Food Pantry Schedule 2024
Unlike traditional food pantries where you go to them, mobile pantry trucks come to you. Food banks sometimes have an online mobile food pantry schedule.
Mobile food pantry scheduled to visit a community once a week or once a month. There may be last-minute cancellations or changes so recheck the mobile food pantry schedule before you plan to go.
We have located 0 Mobile Food Pantry locations in Las Cruces, Model.Content.StateName which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
The St. Vincent de Paul food pantry operates around Las Cruces, New Mexico much like a grocery store where people in need can choose their own food. It helps to enhance their personal dignity and reduces waste due to unwanted food items.
It also helps them to be proactive in addressing any underlying health issues. This is our model of choice for food pantries in the future.
We have located 0 St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry locations in Las Cruces, New Mexico which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Food Pantry Delivery Program
Food Pantry Delivery Program delivers food and other products once a month at twenty points in around Las Cruces, New Mexico area. This makes it just a bit easier for some of more remote rural agencies to receive their products. About 70% of members take advantage of the Food Pantry Delivery Program.
Food Pantry
We have located 7 Food Pantry locations in Las Cruces, New Mexico which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Casa de Peregrinos (Casa)
Food-Assistance Hours: Open 3 days a Week Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 am to 11:00 am and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm; Be sure to bring in ID and recent proof of address
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (575) 523-5542 to book your appointment.
Address :
999 W Amador Ave Ste F,
Las Cruces, NM 88005.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Las Cruces
Help Residents of Counties:
- Doña Ana
El Caldito Soup Kitchen
El Caldito is a community based volunteer organization, with 3 part-time employees (a kitchen manager, a security guard, and a custodian). Dedicated volunteers perform all the tasks necessary in a kitchen to process and store food, prepare and serve meals, and clean up afterwards. We are open 8AM to 1PM preparing and serving a midday meal.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (575) 525-3831 to book your appointment.
Address :
999 W Amador,
Las Cruces, NM 88005.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Las Cruces
Help Residents of Counties:
- Doña Ana
God’s Pantry
God’s Pantry is our emergency food pantry. The pantry is open on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month from 9-11am. On the 1st Friday of each month we also host our God’s Pantry Cafe, which is a time to spend getting to know the clients with coffee and yummy treats.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (575) 522-8220 to book your appointment.
Address :
2000 S Locust St,
Las Cruces, NM 88003.
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Las Cruces
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- Doña Ana
Las Cruces Gospel Rescue Msn
The Rescue Mission is a non-profit that provides for the basic needs: food, shelter, clothing, and emotional/spiritual support during times of unexpected emergencies. All services are free to the recipients. We assist people who have no place to turn and find themselves homeless. In addition to providing food shelter, clothing, and showers, the Rescue Mission helps people in need of emotional support and spiritual support by providing volunteer opportunities, encouragement, and time for people gain confidence, direction, and a foundation to get back on their feet. Anyone who is needing help is welcome to come and eat meals, shop for free clothing at The Clothing Room, get prayer and encouragement at the chapel, or stay overnight in a fresh, clean bed.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (575) 523-7727 to book your appointment.
Address :
1050 W Amador Ave,
Las Cruces, NM 88004.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Las Cruces
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- Doña Ana
St. Albert the Great Newman Center - La Bodega Food Pantry
La Bodega is the Newman Center’s non-perishable food pantry. Donations of food or money are always welcome, but this ministry also requires volunteers to help sort and distribute food, as well as help communicate particular needs to the parish. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. When: Wednesdays and Thursdays
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (575) 526-9117 to book your appointment.
Address :
2615 S Solano,
Las Cruces, NM 88101.
Get Directions
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- Las Cruces
Help Residents of Counties:
- Curry
SVDP - St. Genevieve Parish
“for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me†(Mt 25:35). New members are needed to help at the Parish Hall every Thursday to show our love for Jesus through the poor.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (575) 680-5287 to book your appointment.
Address :
100 S Espina,
Las Cruces, NM 88001.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
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- Las Cruces
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- Doña Ana
Women's Intercultural Center - Emergency Food Pantry
We collect and distribute canned food donations to individuals and families to ensure that no one goes hungry in Southern NM and West TX. The Emergency Food Pantry is open Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 3 pm.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (575) 882-5556 to book your appointment.
Address :
303 Lincoln St,
Anthony, NM 88021.
Get Directions
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- Anthony
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- Doña Ana
Drive-thru Food Pantries
Since the start of the coronavirus, drive-thru food pantries have become the safest, most efficient way to provide food to our struggling neighbors.
Who can visit a drive-thru pantry?
Drive-thru pantries are open for anyone who needs help getting food. There are no eligibility criteria. Visitors do not need to provide any identification or income statements.
Only two piece of information is asked
- You Zipcode, and
- Number of people in their family.
You dont need to take appointment. Drive-thru pantries are first-come, first served so plan to arrive early.
How do drive-thru pantries actually work?
There are lot of volunteers help at Drive-thru food pantries. While not all drive-thru pantries operate in the same way, here�s how most work:
Staff and volunteers direct visitors to the parking area.
Visitors pull up to the pantry in their car and are usually guided into a clearly marked queue. As people move through the pantry, staff will continue to move the cars forward to get everyone through as quickly and safely as possible.
Checkin.
You are required to fill some information for Pantry's recording keeping.
Food is loaded into the cars.
Pre-packed bags of food, usually full of shelf-stable items like pasta, canned fruit and peanut butter, as well as fresh produce and meats are loaded by volunteers into the trunk of the car.
Pet Food Pantry
One in four pet owners who give up their pets to a shelter say it is because they cannot afford to care for them. Pet Food Pantries are designed to fill the void in the nation�s current assistance programs that exclude the purchase of food and supplies for family pets.
The Pet Food Pantry provides free pet food, for 3 months or less, to pet owners who cannot afford to feed their pets in Las Cruces, New Mexico
Who are eligible for Pet Food Pantry
Pet Food Pantry helps people who are:
- All ages, races and marital status
- Unemployed or underemployed
- Retired, living on social security or other limited income
- Physically or mentally disabled
- Experiencing homelessness or housing instability
Tips for Visiting a Food Pantry
Show up early.
This is very important. This means you will be first in line and have a chance to get the items that are sought after and in limited quantities such as fresh produce, dairy and frozen food.
You don't usually need to show up hours ahead of time but coming at least an hour before is usually a good idea.
Remember all documentation.
Many food pantries require documentation to prove who you are, and in some cases, where you live.
This is to make sure people are not coming more than they are allowed or using fake names to do so. Call ahead of time to find out what documentation is needed.
It's just your photo ID and a piece of mail that verifies your address.
Use several food banks.
Using more than one food bank (when available) is smart because you may be able to get something at one that you may not get at another.
For instance, one may have a deal with a local gardener that gives them their extras. This may mean this food bank has more produce.
Eligible for other programs?
Ask your Department of Social Services office if you are eligible for other assistance programs to supplement your household’s food supply.
They can easily tell you if you can apply for WIC (Women and Infant Children), USDA Commodities or SNAP(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
Ask about extras.
If you have special needs for infants or special diets, the pantries may be able to assist you.
Many times, they can help with diapers, baby formula, baby food, personal hygiene products, and even special diet items like gluten free or sugar free foods.
Go on different days of the week.
Depending on the food pantry, they may be open only one or two days a week or they may be open all seven days. When you have a choice, going midweek is often best as it is less crowded.
Be polite to workers.
Nearly everyone at a food bank is a volunteer. Be polite to the workers there as they often deal with highly emotional situations.
FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions)
1. What is the difference between a food bank and a food pantry?
Independent community food pantries are self-governing and usually distribute food to their clients on a once-a-month basis. A food bank is the storehouse for millions of pounds of food and other products that go out to the community. A food pantry functions as the arms that reach out to that community directly.
2. What kind of food is at a food pantry?
Specifically, food banks often need items like:
- Peanut butter
- Canned soup
- Canned fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Pasta
- Canned beans
- Canned stew
- Canned fish
3. Who can go to food pantry?
At the majority of food pantries, eligibility is based on self-attested need. You do not need to have a referral, and income is not a factor to receive food.
4. What is the difference between a food pantry and a soup kitchen?
A food pantry provides three-day food packages to families that have a place to live, but not enough food. These packages are designed to provide nutritionally balanced meals. Soup kitchens serve individuals in need of a hot meal, the only meal of the day for many of them.
5. How does a food pantry work?
Food Banks acquire large donations of edible but unmarketable food from the food industry and distribute it to organizations that feed hungry people. Then they provide this food to family in a need.