Dear Volunteer Team,
Since this pandemic started, The Food Depot has taken a rigorous stance on safety to protect this work and all involved. We are so grateful for your diligence, attention to detail and understanding. Time and time again, we’ve heard your feedback — you feel safe volunteering because of these strict safety measures and everyone’s willingness to adhere to them.
The NMDOH has relaxed some restrictions, including the travel recommendations. At the same time, the threat of COVID continues — and we continue to bear the responsibility for ensuring The Food Depot stays open to feed hungry New Mexicans. We will continue observing the NMDOH travel recommendations, while asking you to keep safety a priority. We will continue asking the screening question about travel, ask follow-up questions for any “yes” answers, and evaluate circumstances on a case-by-case basis to determine what is safest for all involved.
NMDOH Travel Restrictions as of February 25:
Anyone arriving in New Mexico is strongly advised to undertake a self-quarantine period of at least 14 days or for the duration of their stay in the state, whichever is shorter.
Anyone arriving in New Mexico is likewise strongly advised to seek out a COVID-19 test at their earliest convenience.
Travel should be limited to only what is essential for work and family. When making your decision to volunteer post-travel, please play it safe.
While NM is making headway on lowering COVID-19 cases, other states are not.
Other states may also have fewer safety protocols in place, increasing your risk of exposure.
Many of your fellow teammates are still waiting for a vaccine, and may be at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.
One positive case within our The Food Depot community has the potential to force fellow volunteers and staff members into a two-week quarantine — or worse, impact their health.
We are also fortunate to say we have an abundance of help recently! With limits on how many people can work in each space, the schedule fills up quickly and there is usually a back-up list for each shift.
In short, we encourage you to play it safe, take a break, and let a teammate hold down the fort!
If you have any questions, please let us know. Thank you so much for your commitment to this work. Northern New Mexico is a brighter, healthier place because of you.