President Balderas Greets Community at El Rito Food Distribution

Northern New Mexico College President Hector Balderas joined staff, volunteers, and community members at the college’s El Rito Campus during the monthly Food Depot distribution, greeting families and helping welcome residents who rely on the program.

On the afternoon of the distribution, vehicles lined up along the campus road as families arrived to receive food supplies. President Balderas spent time stopping at each vehicle, greeting community members through open windows, shaking hands, and sharing conversation. He also handed out Northern New Mexico College hats and shirts to families as they passed through the distribution route.

The event provided an opportunity for the college’s leadership to engage directly with community members who live in the surrounding rural areas and regularly participate in the program.

The Food Depot distribution takes place every third Thursday of the month at the El Rito Campus. The program serves families from El Rito and nearby communities throughout Rio Arriba County and northern New Mexico.

For many residents in the region—where grocery stores can be miles away and transportation options are limited—the distribution provides an important source of food and support for households.

The partnership between Northern New Mexico College and the Food Depot reflects the college’s ongoing commitment to serving the broader community. While NNMC is known for its academic programs and workforce training opportunities, the El Rito Campus also plays an important role as a community gathering place and resource hub for the surrounding region.

Throughout the year, the campus hosts a variety of programs and initiatives that extend beyond traditional academic offerings.

Community members regularly participate in Continuing Education classes held on the El Rito Campus, which include accessible and affordable courses such as Tai Chi, pottery, letterpress printing, Tetrapak printmaking, and CDL permit preparation. These programs provide opportunities for residents to develop new skills, explore creative practices, and connect with others in the community.

The campus has also taken steps to support environmental sustainability and ecological education. Northern New Mexico College recently received Bee Campus USA certification through the Xerces Society, recognizing the college’s efforts to protect pollinators and restore native habitats.

With support from the Carroll Petrie Foundation, the campus has developed more than 1,400 square feet of native pollinator habitat and rain gardens, creating space that benefits both the local ecosystem and educational programming related to environmental stewardship.

Additional community-centered initiatives are continuing to grow on campus. The NNMC greenhouse project, supported by funding from the Con Alma Health Foundation, is expected to expand opportunities for food-related programming, community learning, and sustainability efforts.

The El Rito Campus also serves as a gathering place for regional collaboration. On March 21, the campus will host the 10th Annual Rio Chama Congreso, an event that brings together community partners, educators, and organizations from across the region to discuss shared priorities under the theme “Cooperating & Collaborating.”

Events such as the Food Depot distribution demonstrate the many ways the college interacts with the communities it serves.

President Balderas’ participation in the distribution reflected a broader commitment to strengthening connections between the college and the people of northern New Mexico. By meeting residents where they are—whether through education, partnerships, or community programs—Northern New Mexico College continues to play an important role in supporting the well-being and resilience of rural communities across the region.