Refrigerated Food Lockers Expand Access for UNM-Taos Students

College students in Taos faced limited access to food resources because existing pantries operated only during set distribution hours, making it difficult for students with work schedules or family obligations to get the food they needed.

Building on the success of the student-led Thrive Market pantry—which now serves more than 1,200 visits per semester thanks to an initial grant made by LOR in 2024—staff at UNM–Taos had an idea to expand access through innovative technology: refrigerated food lockers.

LOR’s funding helped UNM–Taos purchase a 16-unit refrigerated locker system that makes fresh food available to students beyond traditional pantry distribution hours, providing convenient, flexible access to nutritious food while reducing staffing demands and generating data through the use of PantrySOFT software that could guide a broader, community-wide approach to food security.

This project is fiscally sponsored by Downtown Taos.