Nourishing Connections This Fall: Community Partners

As we enter the fall season—a time of gratitude, harvest, and shared meals—we’re reminded that food sits at the heart of so many traditions across northern New Mexico.

Yet we also know this can be a challenging time, as food costs rise and federal nutrition programs face delays, stretching local safety nets.

Your support matters more than ever now.

With your help, Cooking with Kids is part of a community working to strengthen our local food system—in and outside of the classroom—helping kids and families connect through food, learning, and care.

Welcome to the Kitchen Connection!

This fall, Cooking with Kids launched The Kitchen Connection—a new partnership with The Food Depot and Communities in Schools. Together, we're bringing ingredients and recipe kits to school pantries in Rio Arriba and Santa Fe Counties—starting with our cozy New Mexico Harvest Soup!

Students and families at Tony E. Quintana and James H. Rodriguez Elementary Schools in Rio Arriba County and Gonzales and César Chávez Community Schools in Santa Fe County can now access ingredients to make recent Cooking with Kids recipes at home.

Forging new pathways to food access and acceptance at César Chávez Community School: CWK Educator Samantha Carrillo (left) teaches students to make New Mexico Harvest Soup in class, while CIS Coordinator Flor Lujan (right) helps families access the ingredients to cook the same delicious soup at home.

This new bridge from classroom to kitchen helps students bring home the same recipes they've cooked and tasted in class—sparking family connection and healthy eating habits that last.

We’re deeply grateful to The Food Depot for feeding thousands of families every day. If you’d like to make an even greater impact this season, please consider supporting their vital hunger relief work.Together, we’re ensuring every child and family has access to nourishing food—and the joy of sharing it.

 Fresh Rx—Healthy Foods, Healthy Futures

For the past several years, Cooking with Kids has been teaming up with Fresh Rx, a produce prescription program from the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association. Our skilled educators have been leading lively cooking demos at a variety of Fresh Rx sites in Rio Arriba and Santa Fe Counties, sharing easy, nourishing recipes that turn local fruits and vegetables into delicious everyday meals.

This fall, we've been offering cooking demos during produce pick-up hours at Presbyterian Española Hospital and at our newest partner site, CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Cancer Center. From market-fresh hummus to creative ways to enjoy seasonal squash, these sessions bring joy, flavor, and confidence to community members taking charge of their health by adding more fruits and veggies to their diet.

Come toast to the season, say goodbye to 2025, and help us wrap up this chapter (literally). Our home of 17 years is getting a new owner, and the time has come to transition to a space that can better accommodate our growing programs.

We’re not quite ready to announce where we’ll land next — but we can’t wait to celebrate at our Maclovia Street home, one more time together. Please join us for this free event!