As part of its mission, which includes providing accessible health care for vulnerable populations, Molina Healthcare launched MolinaCares Accord in 2020 as a way to invest in filling some of the gaps that still exist in healthcare. It made its first investment and ongoing funding commitment to the Community Pantry in Gallup April 28.
Because Molina believes that its members and their communities disproportionately experience more issues related to food insecurity, housing and other socioeconomic factors, it has donated $20,000 to support the services the pantry provides across McKinley and Cibola counties.
The funding will focus on The Wholehearted Food Fund, which provides local meat protein sources to the pantry while assisting local ranchers with a viable channel of distribution for their livestock.
“We are grateful for MolinaCares and its partnership,” Alice Perez, chief executive officer of the Community Pantry, said. “Their gift will help those who reside in and around food deserts to access the nutrition and sustenance they need to live healthier lives.”
The MolinaCares Accord provides funding to programs that improve health, life, and living in local communities through the Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c) (3).
The Community Pantry was founded in 1999 by Jim Harlin and Tom Crider, two men who saw a need for healthy food and nutrition initiatives in the City of Gallup and surrounding areas.
In the beginning, the Community Pantry was a small building nestled on the west side of the city, but in 2003 found its official home at 1130 Hasler Valley Road in a brand-new facility. The current building includes offices, a food distribution warehouse, and a large outdoor area for gardens and greenhouses.
The Community Pantry serves people in Northwestern New Mexico and includes a branch in Grants, which serves all of Cibola County.
