Welcome to our Community Hub

Rio Grande Food Project is more than food. We are a Community Hub where people connect with social service providers and resources and get help accessing programs that improve household circumstances and prevent hunger. This continuum of food access solutions includes job search and training opportunities, in addition to behavioral and physical health services, utility bill assistance, nutrition and cooking education, financial literacy, emergency cell phones and internet access, and youth literacy programming.

The Community Hub help’s guests enroll in critical public benefits including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) previously knowing as food stamps and Low-Income Home Assistance Program (LIHEAP) applications available.

Community Hub Hours:

Walk-ins welcome during regular food distribution hours

Wednesdays and Fridays

9:00am – 11:00am

For assistance outside walk-in hours call the RGFP office line at (505) 831-3778

Ways We Can Help

Workshops

Cooking & Nutrition

Cooking & Nutrition Series: Learn Basic Nutrition, Reduce Food Waste, and Create Healthy Habits.

Friday, February, 28th, 12 – 1:30 pm
Friday, March, 7th, 12 – 1:30 pm
Friday, March, 14th, Cancelled
Friday, March, 21st, 12 – 1:30 pm
Friday, March, 28th, 12 – 1:30 pm
Friday, April, 4th, 12 – 1:30 pm
Friday, April, 11th, 12 – 1:30 pm
Friday, April, 18th, Cancelled
Friday, April, 25th, 12 – 1:30 pm

KidsCook: Provides hands-on experiential learning for children and their families.

Status: Started on January 2025

Saturday, June 21st 11:30 – 1 pm

Financial Literacy

Topic: Coming up

Status: Started on February 2025

May 23rd, 12 – 1 pm
August 15th, 12 – 1 pm
October 3rd, 12 – 1 pm

Seed to Supper

FREE 6-week Vegetable Gardening series conducted by our Nutrition Educator partners at NMSU’s ICAN (Ideas for Cooking & Nutrition)

Status: 2025 classes begin in May!

May 2nd, 12 – 1:30 PM
May 9th, 12 – 1:30 pm
May 16th, 12 – 1:30 pm
May 23rd, no class
May 30, 12 – 1:30 pm
June 6th, 12 – 1:30 pm
June13th, 12 – 1:30 pm

PNM Bill Assistance

For over 10 years, RGFP has been the primary nonprofit administrator of the PNM Good Neighbor Fund, helping provide support for past-due electricity bills for residents statewide.

New Qualifications for Good Neighbor Fund 2025

To apply for the PNM Good Neighbor Fund, applicants must:

Show proof of past due or disconnection notice from PNM
Show documentation that the PNM account holder has received LIHEAP and/or SNAP benefits for the current year (Except for seniors 60+) (EBT cards are not permissible for this purpose)
Provide ID for the account holder

The maximum reward for GNF is $120 per household per calendar year

Applicant may only receive GNF once each year

Threshold income eligibility varies based on size. SSI and SSDI award letters may be accepted as proof of income for GNF senior applicants 60+ only

Customers must apply for in-person assistance through a community partner (including RGFP) or at a PNM bill assistance event.

If you are unable to apply in-person due to extenuating circumstances, please call 505-526-1005 to discuss case-by-case accommodation.

Water Bill Assistance

RGFP also partners with the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority to administer Water Assistance Fund grants for past-due water bills and assist qualifying households applying for the monthly Low-Income Credit Program.

Qualifications for Water Assistance Fund (WAF):

Applicant must reside within the Albuquerque city limits
Applicant must have an overdue water bill
Household income eligibility follows LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) guidelines

Applicant may only receive WAF once each year

Qualifications for the Low-Income Credit (LIC) program:

Applicant must reside within the Albuquerque city limits
Applicant must be the homeowner (LIC is currently not available for renters)
Applications are subject to review of account payment history
Household income eligibility follows LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) guidelines

Partnerships

The RGFP Community Hub connects guests with resources through our extensive partnership network designed to help improve household circumstances and reduce and prevent food insecurity. Partner services addressing unemployment and underemployment, insurance benefit maximization, federal aid program assistance, community health, financial literacy, caseworker support, and more are onsite on a rotating basis to directly assist guests during our regular food distributions. Year-round we provide onsite utility bill assistance, nutrition and cooking classes, benefit enrollment support such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps), and additional ad-hoc services and educational opportunities. All Community Hub services are always free of charge. If you are a service agency interested in connecting with the Community Hub, please email rgfp@rgfp.org.

For any questions about Community Hub services, please call (505) 831-3778.

Bonsai

Rio Grande Food Project has partnered with US Eagle Federal Credit Union to bring clear, in-depth lesson that help you dive into financial topics.

Click Here

Free Easy Savings Kit

We also partner with PNM to administer Easy Savings Kits, mailed directly to your door and containing approximately $60 value in energy-saving lightbulbs, weather proofing, and more to lower utility usage and costs long-term. Each household can receive a kit once every five years.