Santa Fe Indian Center to Hand Out Care Packages

Drive-up service available Friday

"Right now we're concentrating on the immediate situation with COVID-19," says Caren Gala, director of the Santa Fe Indian Center. "We've received some funding from the Santa Fe Community Foundation, and we're going to be putting together care bundles."

Gala's been spending much of her time online lately, pricing out items that sometimes disappear from her virtual cart before she can check out and working out the best practices for serving local Native people based on their needs. Staff from the Indian Center plan to begin handing out the packages at the nonprofit's offices at 1420 Cerrillos Road on a drive-up basis on Friday, April 10 from 10 am-1pm—or until supplies run out.

Previously the organization also received bags of food from the Food Depot, Gala says, and she hopes to offer those again soon as well. Whatever the center is offering, however, it hasn't been particularly easy.

"Shopping online has been a real trip, but I got a shipment in today and yesterday, and we're putting those together," Gala tells SFR. "It's products for elders, diabetic socks, soft foods; items for babies like diapers and wipes; shampoos and other personal care items for adults—then it's food and snacks."

Gala plans to offer the service in the future as well and suggests regularly monitoring the Santa Fe Indian Center Facebook page or calling 660-4210 to ask questions. Additionally, Santa Feans looking to donate can do so here.

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