Hungry and Homeless is one of nine philanthropic programs of Assistance League of Albuquerque. The committee assists the hungry and homeless by partnering with nonprofit organizations in Albuquerque: Silver Horizons and ABQ Health Care for the Homeless.
The mission of Silver Horizons is to ensure that low-income seniors live safe and secure, in their own homes. They help with household bills, minor home repairs, and with free groceries. The households they assist have a monthly income of about $900.
Since 2020 and the pandemic, the seniors’ household has changed. It used to be a single senior, or maybe an elderly couple. Today, they find adult children returning to their elderly parents’ home with their children. In fact, 40% of the seniors Silver Horizons assist are raising grandchildren – often without the child’s parents being involved.
Silver Horizons has a food pantry and food markets for seniors at various sites around ABQ and now Santa Fe. ALA provides Silver Horizons $1000 each month to pay for meat and groceries from John Brooks. There is also a box located in the ALA Thrift Store to collect non- perishable food.
The most needed items are the 5 C’s
Since 1985, ABQ Health Care for the Homeless (AHCH) has served our community as the only health care organization in Central NM dedicated exclusively to people without homes. In 2021 AHCH provided services to over 5,000 men, women, and children. Almost 50% of the clients served were men age 20-64. AHCH works with the public and organizations like ALA to ensure the best care for their clients, and to address the systemic causes of homelessness.
ALA orders online each month for AHCH for needed seasonal items. Around 100 pairs of socks are ordered each month. The ALA Thrift Shop provides many warm winter coats. Additional needs in the cold months are hats, scarves, gloves, lip balm, sunscreen, hand warmers and lotion. In the fall of 2022 ALA provided 100 bags with these items.
AHCH is a medical facility, not a shelter. For that reason, they cannot accept opened bags of personal toiletries, medical supplies and most clothing.
Anita Cordova, Chief Advancement Officer with Albuquerque Heath Care for the Homeless and John Silver, Resource Center Coordinator detail the huge value of the partnership with the Assistance League for their clients.
John Patterson is the Director of Service, Delivery and Development for Silver Horizons. Silver Horizons offers food products to their customers in a unique way. They can come into the building and select the specific items they want to take home rather than being given a pre-packaged set of goods.
