2022 - 2023 DONOR IMPACT REPORT
2022-2023 DONOR ANNUAL REPORT 15 Years Solving the Complex Issues of Child Poverty
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Addressing Child And Family Hunger
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Working to Improve Access To Federal Benefits Programs
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Identifying Supporting Homeless Students
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Evidence-Based Policymaking
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Donors
Back
Mission Statement New Mexico Appleseed's mission is to end poverty in New Mexico. We want to ensure that every child and family has the necessary support and opportunities to lift themselves out of poverty. We seek permanent and dramatic positive change.
Method New Mexico Appleseed focuses on systemic solutions to the causes and consequences of poverty. We work from the tiniest communities to the state, tribal and federal government to define problems and create solutions. New Mexico Appleseed's work is thoughtful, innovative, and effective.
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Dear Supporters and Friends of New Mexico Appleseed, As we celebrate our 15th year of unwavering commitment to fighting poverty and advocating for a better, more equitable New Mexico, I wanted to take a moment to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who have played a crucial role in our journey. Your support, dedication, and belief in our mission have been the cornerstone of our success. New Mexico Appleseed is different. While many nonprofits come and go, some falter because they lack the ability to work together effectively or to understand the bigger picture. In contrast, we have thrived and achieved meaningful impact. This success can be attributed to the exceptional quality of work carried out by our dedicated team and the holistic perspective that underpins our approach. Over the years, we have seen firsthand the power of collaboration. We understand that it is not enough to work in isolation. Our ability to partner with like-minded organizations, government agencies, businesses, and individuals who share our vision has been instrumental in our accomplishments. Together, we have leveraged our collective strengths to address the complex and interconnected issues that contribute to poverty, ensuring that our efforts are not just isolated drops in the ocean but waves of lasting change. Our understanding of the bigger picture is our guiding star. We recognize that poverty is not a solitary issue but rather a web of interrelated challenges. Our work delves into the root causes and systemic barriers that perpetuate poverty. By addressing these issues comprehensively, we make a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most. We are dedicated to creating a New Mexico where every individual has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential. The last 15 years have been a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together to tackle complex social issues with determination and vision. We have seen policies change, lives improved, and hope restored. Our journey is far from over, and we look forward to the next 15 years and beyond with enthusiasm and optimism, knowing that, with your continued support, we can create a New Mexico where poverty is not a barrier but a bridge to a better future.
2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dale R. Dekker, Chair Dekker/Perich/Sabatini Caroline Garcia, Treasurer KPMG LLP Linh Nguyen, Secretary Lumina Foundation Education, Inc Kara Bobroff One Generation Dr. Veronica Garcia Retired Randi McGinn McGinn, Montoya, Love & Curry Dawn Nieto-Gouy Kiva Ventures Georgie Ortiz Clifton Allen Larson Jennifer Ramo New Mexico Appleseed
Thank you for being part of our incredible journey and for standing with us as we strive for a more just and equitable New Mexico. With deep appreciation,
Dale R. Dekker Chair, Board of Directors
EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS Cathy Allen Kyle Armstrong Anne Bingman Sarah Brown
Joseph Goldberg Founding Chair Debbie Johnson Don Kidd*
Gregory Levenson Larry Lujan Lisa McCulloch Tony Monfiletto
Lillian Montoya Robin Otten Bonnie Paisley Conchita Paz
Ann Rhoades Ruth Schifani Ernest Schmider John Ulrich *Deceased
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Appleseed's Theory of Change New Mexico Appleseed corrects structural barriers to opportunity by designing and advocating for effective solutions to poverty through policy, legislative, and market-based reform. While many organizations offer important direct services—serve meals, educate children, and assist underserved communities—New Mexico Appleseed’s goal is to make systemic change that yields permanent or long term improvement on issues like hunger, homelessness, family economic security, child maltreatment and education. New Mexico Appleseed designs, tests, and implements practical solutions that address the causes and consequences of poverty.
COMMUNITY FOCUSED
COLLABORATION & EMPOWERMENT
RIGOROUS RESEARCH
EVALUATION
NEW MEXICO APPLESEED MAKES CHANGES AT THE SYSTEMS LEVEL TO ENSURE HIGH-IMPACT AND LASTING CHANGE. NEW MEXICO APPLESEED ADDRESSES THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF POVERTY.
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Appleseed's Multi-System Approach to Poverty The problem: New Mexico works in silos to address problems that exist across systems—only treating the symptoms of poverty and not the root causes. Despite all best and well-intentioned efforts by government and philanthropy, too many New Mexican families are unable to escape the inter-generational effects of poverty. All of New Mexico Appleseed's work uses a multi-dimensional lens to address the complex root causes of poverty. Ample research shows that many symptoms of vulnerable families are causal and/or correlated. For instance, a child's lack of stable housing is a risk factor for child neglect. Food insecurity is a risk factor for low educational outcomes. The correlations are too many to list, but critical to recognize if you want to understand and address the needs of New Mexico's most vulnerable families.
Learn more on p. 7-9
Learn more on p. 5, 6, 7, 9
Learn more on p. 5, 7 Learn more on p. 5-9
Learn more on p. 5-9 Learn more on p. 5, 7, 9
Approximately 16,000 multi-system families in New Mexico cost $900 million a year in social services. 1) This is expensive 2) We do not know who these families are 3) We do not know what services they are receiving 4) Without an evidence-based policymaking tool, we do not know if any of these services and interventions are effective 5
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ADDRESSING CHILD AND FAMILY HUNGER Free School Meals For All New Mexico Appleseed worked for fifteen years to create a robust plan to provide free meals for every New Mexico child. In 2019, Appleseed passed legislation eliminating reduced-price copays, making 12,000 students eligible for free school meals. This legislative session, in partnership with the Governor’s Office through the Executive Budget Recommendation, Appleseed helped pass Universal Free School Meal that allows 70,000 additional students statewide to receive breakfast and lunch for free. This $30 million investment will have a profound, long-lasting impact on combating childhood hunger while simultaneously improving academic performance and family economic stability.
Ensured Free Breakfast After the Bell In 2011, New Mexico Appleseed was the first in the nation to legislate and mandate Breakfast After the Bell for low-income schools. This required eligible schools to set aside time for children to eat breakfast after the bell rang. This program rapidly expanded breakfast to low-income children at the beginning of the day, ensuring they began the day with a healthy meal. In 2019, New Mexico Appleseed expanded that work to cover all high-poverty schools K- 12. Appleseed is working with the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) and the Governor’s Office as a watchdog to help school districts that are out of compliance with the law. Full compliance will result in an additional estimated 12,000 meals per day for hungry kids.
“Glad they can eat well every day at school.” - Anonymous (community interview on receiving free school meals).
Succesfully Advocated for Medicaid Demonstration Project Appleseed successfully advocated for and worked closely with the PED and the Governor’s Office to apply for the USDA pilot program that allows the state to use Medicaid data to expand the number of children who are directly certified for free school meals. This brings in federal dollars and feeds more children. In December 2022, New Mexico was approved for the 2023-2024 school year demonstration project, allowing an additional 30,000 low-income students to eat free automatically.
Expanded Summer Meal Access The Governor’s Office and Early Childhood Education & Care Department (ECECD) asked New Mexico Appleseed to lead in giving out $1,500,000 in summer meal expansion grants that they had difficulty distributing. New Mexico Appleseed has taken the lead in contacting eligible school districts and nonprofits in transforming their program to expand summer meal service to more children in rural areas. This includes more money for transportation, renovation, hiring of new employees, and transforming their menus and access to healthier foods.
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Districts are using funds to expand outside their district and incorporate more areas needing summer meal service. New Mexico Appleseed does this with donor and grant dollars and does not take state funds for this work.
Succesfully Supported Summer Meal Waivers New Mexico Appleseed helped advocate federally for the Keep Kids Fed Act to help provide and extend much-needed waivers that provided free summer meals. New Mexico Appleseed worked with all school districts to inform them of their rights and helped provide guidance on providing meals to all students. Because this legislative win came after summer started, New Mexico Appleseed worked with school districts and nonprofits to make the switch midsummer and creatively use waivers to cover the summer meal expenses.
Successfully Championed For District-Wide Meal Access New Mexico Appleseed successfully advocated for 36,000 students in Las Cruces Public Schools and Gallup Public Schools for years to encourage the districts to utilize the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) to feed all district students for free. As people lost their jobs during the pandemic,
eligibility changed for these school districts. New Mexico Appleseed worked and encouraged them to rerun their numbers for the 2022-2023 school year to provide free meals to all their students.
WORKING TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO FEDERAL BENEFITS PROGRAMS Researching and Developing Public Benefit Policies Public benefit programs can stabilize New Mexicans struggling with poverty. However, structural and program barriers, enrollment issues, and misinformation prevent individuals from fully leveraging these programs. Funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, New Mexico Appleseed is partnering with faculty and staff from the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Office for Community Health (OCH) to design, implement, and evaluate a Family Centered Benefits Enrollment Pilot. With a mixture of urban and rural sites, families receive referrals and support from Community Health Workers to enroll in public benefits such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), transportation, and rental/housing supports. New Mexico Appleseed is utilizing its policy expertise to understand better how enrollment can be increased, how programs can better serve clients, and the gaps in services. Appleseed is working with OCH to develop initial screeners around benefit eligibility, identifying what services are available in areas, particularly housing and transportation, developing a training program on benefits programs for OCH staff, and has started
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identifying opportunities to improve policy for benefits programs.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program plays a crucial role in addressing childhood hunger and nutrition in New Mexico, particularlly in rural communities. WIC is a federal assistance program that is underutilized and often misrepresented within rural communities. Appleseed partnered with the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) and employed our innovative theory of change based on the evidence that true systems change begins and ends with community voices. People are the experts in their own challenges, and it is critical to leverage their perspectives on what barriers need to be dismantled and how best to solve those challenges. As legal, community outreach, and economic policy experts, Appleseed interviewed community members and experts on how to solve nutrition access through education and outreach. WIC centers in rural areas often serve as community hubs, connecting families
“[ The Government ] could provide more programs for women, mothers, to be more fully educated so that they can obtain a better job. And also provide free childcare for mothers and fathers who have to work all day and wouldn’t have to pay childcare, they can just go ahead and be secure in knowing their child is getting care of really well.” - Susan B (community interview on solutions to end poverty and injustice).
with local resources and support services. However, transportation and time have been an issue for families. With the assistance of the DOH, Appleseed proposed unique ideas of training around WIC with early childhood providers and home visiting centers to work with families to educate and receive benefits. We created training tools and are partnering with the DOH to host monthly collaborative training sessions and we expect over one hundred childhood providers and home visiting centers to attend. By providing essential support to pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children, WIC contributed to healthier families and stronger communities in rural New Mexico.
Advocating For Summer Cash Assistance Summer Electronic Transfer (Summer EBT) was designed to address food insecurity during the height of the pandemic during summer. The program’s success came from the simplicity of loading monetary benefits onto a card, which families and children could use instead of requiring congregate meal service at parks or schools. Eligible families were identified by state agencies and local schools and were automatically enrolled in the program. During the first weeks of the pandemic, Appleseed played a crucial role in assisting state agencies and the Governor’s Office on how to improve data matching using existing data to enroll students. The summer of 2023 was the final year of the program. Appleseed assisted the PED with outreach and expertise to school districts and community members to encourage the use of the electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards and discourage participants from disposing of the cards. 9
New Mexico Appleseed is now advocating for the PED to apply for the USDA demonstration project that would provide similar food benefits for eligible families during the summer. Without such advocacy, New Mexico often does not apply for such programs.
Leveraging Community Expertise and Partnership Collecting stories and experiences sends a powerful message that community voices matter and their input is integral to shaping effective policy solutions designed to assist them. Ultimately, these interviews empower Appleseed to be more responsive, accountable, and effective in our mission to alleviate food insecurity and improve the lives these federal benefits are meant to serve. Appleseed’s outreach team has been conducting statewide community listening sessions on benefits access to WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) Free School Meals, Senior Food Programs, housing supports, and LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) to gather firsthand insights and knowledge. Understanding participants’ experiences can help Appleseed identify the strengths and weaknesses of programs while improving the design and delivery of these essential services. Interviews serve a vital role to the Appleseed system of change in understanding the real-life experiences and challenges individuals and families who rely on these assistance programs face. The outreach team has conducted one hundred interviews in over seven counties, collecting valuable data and compelling stories of lived experiences, challenges, and needs of individuals and families who rely on critical government assistance programs. 10
“Food pantries mostly give food that is gonna go ahead and expire right away, or if they give you vegetables, they need to be used quickly. So what’s gonna happen the rest of the other weeks that you need food and you only qualify for once a month? So if there could be some sort of group where you can go at least twice a month and just try and survive out of that.” - Gerald (community interview on challenges to having enough food).
IDENTIFYING SUPPORTING HOMELESS STUDENTS Charter School Mini Grant & Technical Assistance Appleseed partnered with the NM Public Education Department after observing state charter schools were struggling to identify students eligible for McKinney-Vento, the federal law governing homelessness in the educational context. About twenty state charters, year after year, reported zero students identified as PED. Appleseed was provided a list of twenty priority charter schools in partnership with state agencies for the targeted outreach. All had identified zero, or close to zero, McKinney-Vento students in recent school years.
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Appleseed developed a plan to: 1. Identify the schools that wanted to participate in the mini-grant program. 2. Make contact with the McKinney-Vento liaison and execute a grant agreement outlining the uses of the funds and obligations of the grantee. 3. Work with REC-9 to ensure the funds were expeditiously released to schools. 4. Identify immediate needs of the school district and be available throughout the spring and summer for questions and assist with preparation for the 2022-2023 school year. 5. Convene four community practices in August, September, October, and November of 2022. 6. Provide on-going technical assistance during the 2022-2023 school year. A total of thirteen schools from across New Mexico accepted the mini-grant award: Amy Biehl Charter High School, Estancia Valley Classical Academy, Explore Academy- Albuquerque, Explore AcademyLas Cruces, Gilbert Sena High School, Middle College High School, New Mexico Connections Academy, Raices Del Saber Xinachtly Community School, Red River Valley Charter School, Roots And Wings Community, Solare Collegiate Charter School, South Valley Preparatory School, and Taos Integrated School Of The Arts. The mini-grant program increased the identification of students experiencing homelessness. Schools went from zero students to at least eight schools, each identifying approximately fifty-four students as of the 40-day count (actual numbers may be higher because some schools had issues migrating
their data to the state reporting system.) The number identified will also increase as the school year progresses. Schools used their funds in many ways to identify and support students, such as paying staff a stipend to outreach to families, developing a multimedia outreach campaign, and providing concrete support to students that enabled them to attend school. This model may be expanded to other charters and districts identifying zero students.
Statewide McKinney-Vento Community Of Practice The McKinney-Vento Community of Practice (CoP) is our monthly statewide collaborative network available to all school districts and charter school liaisons to address and improve issues related to school-aged homelessness among New Mexico students—Appleseed plans and hosts sessions to provide expertise, up-to-date information, and technical assistance to stakeholders. Participants actively participate in our CoP and provide ideas on topics and subjects they wish to learn more about, such topics as voices of youth, USDA and HUD housing, LGBTQ issues, doubled-up housing, inadequate utilities, guardianship, and grandparents raising grandkids. The Community of Practice has a consistent statewide participation of thirty to forty active members and serves as a training tool for new liaisons.
McKinney-Vento Incentive Program (M-VIP) In July 2022, the New Mexico Appleseed announced the completion of a successful conditional cash transfer (CCT) pilot for inadequately housed high school students living in or around Cuba and West Las Vegas, New Mexico. With the success of the CCT pilot, Appleseed has been working on a historic piece of legislation called The McKinney-Vento Incentive Program (M-VIP) to assist youth 11 experiencing homelessness.
Research has shown that inadequate housing in children leads to poor educational and health outcomes. M-VIP is designed to support the real-time academic, social-emotional, and financial needs of inadequately housed students and uses the proven impact of cash transfers to address poverty. M-VIP would provide a $500 monthly cash transfer to high school students experiencing homelessness until they graduate each year and fifty new students enter. Students would have bank accounts for unbanked families or arraign for other forms of payment such as visa gift cards or other electronic systems. On-site coordinators would be paid to oversee all aspects of the program, including implantation, data reporting, and acting liaison between program managers and school districts. Weekly group or individual tutoring from teachers or paraprofessionals would be available to help with supervising academics. Responsible agencies would receive funds from the legislature and develop a Request for Proposals (RFP) for program managers and evaluators tasked to implement stability and improve educational outcomes for participating students. In the program’s first two years, high-quality evaluators would develop a robust evaluation plan incorporating qualitative and quantitative data while working with program managers and school districts to implement and analyze data for final reports to assigned agencies and legislature. When students cannot meet their basic needs regularly, it can be next to impossible to make school a priority. Offering families and students a monthly stipend reduces the financial stress on the family. Our past pilots showed that monetary incentives can increase engagement in school, tutoring, and emotional support offerings and improve socialemotional well-being. 12
“We got evicted from the apartment last month because couldn’t pay rent. We had to move into a motel for two weeks, and then we couldn’t afford our motel. So we lived with one of our cousins but had to sleep on the floor for half of the month.” - Eduardo S
Since then, we have been working to expand this program in legislation and the state budget. This lengthy process requires a significant shift in how legislators see the provision of cash as a tool to leverage their existing educational investments.
Fee Waiver for IDs Accessing IDs for unaccompanied youth can be a complex and sensitive process as these individuals may need the typical documentation or family support that many others have. Unaccompanied youth are often minors who are not in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian and may be experiencing homelessness or other challenging circumstances. Appleseed provided legal and outreach assistance to the Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness State Advisory Committee and Representative Raymundo Lara of Dona Ana County in passing House Bill 389 – Removing The Fee Requirement For Issuance Of An Identification Card To Homeless Individual. New Mexico law at NMAC 2414-28(A)(7) permits unaccompanied youth to request their birth certificate from Vital Records without requiring a signature from an adult while waiving the $10 fee.
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If the youth lacks two proofs of New Mexico residency, the youth and the McKinney-Vento liaison or another school employee may help the youth complete the Affidavit of New Mexico Residency. The New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) is retraining staff on the rules. A valid ID is often required to access a wide range of services and benefits, including healthcare, education, housing, and employment. Without identification, unaccompanied youth may face barriers to accessing these essential services. Unaccompanied youth missing guardianship and limited support networks can now access free identification documents.
State Funding Increase Increasing state funding for McKinney-Vento state programs can be crucial in addressing homelessness and providing support for students and families. McKinney-Vento programs are designed to provide assistance to students in accessing and succeeding in school, as well as offering life-changing services. New Mexico Appleseed has been advocating for increased funding for McKinney-Vento programs, which has taken time and persistence. This year, the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program – the primary piece of federal legislation related to the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness, received $967,448.00 this year and $870,876.00 last year. Appleseed is also working to help advocate for additional state funding for the Student Success & Wellness Bureau, which houses the McKinney-Vento department.
Housing Screening Tool A housing screening tool is essential for schools participating in the McKinney-Vento program as it helps identify and support homeless and housinginsecure students, ensures compliance with federal law, promotes equity, and facilitates important data collection and reporting. In partnership with the
Public Education Department, New Mexico Appleseed developed an English and Spanish universal housing screener that schools can use to ascertain whether families are experiencing homelessness, housing instability, or housing inadequacy. Using a standardized universal housing screener tool will identify more students as inadequately housed so we can both improve our understanding of the number of students and type of housing inadequacy that exists. It streamlines the process of identifying eligible students, thereby reducing administrative burdens and ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently. A standardized data collection through the screening tool can track the number of reported housing-insecure students and accurately identify the population of students eligible for McKinney-Vento programs. Beyond accurately identifying current homeless students, a screening tool can also help schools identify students at risk of becoming homeless in the future. Appleseed’s outreach team has recruited eight new school districts to adopt the housing screening for an estimated 65,500 children screened. A proper screening tool is crucial to providing a supportive and inclusive educational environment for all students.
McKinney-Vento Community Voice Qualitative Data Collection New Mexico Appleseed has been interviewing McKinney-Vento Liaisons and families whom they serve to better understand the issues they are confronting daily. Conducting participant interviews with liaisons, families, and students plays a crucial role in understanding and addressing the challenges highly mobile students face. Innovative policy-driven solutions start with utilizing community research and empowerment strategies to gather and identify solutions. 13
Collaborating and interviewing experts, such as McKinney-Vento Liaisons, increase our knowledge and understanding of complex issues and bridge the gap between regulatory obligations and systematic breakdowns. Many families and students experiencing homelessness may not self-identify due to stigma or lack of awareness. Appleseed’s outreach team interviews families and students to help uncover hidden challenges highly mobile families face while understanding their specific circumstances, such as the reason for homelessness, living conditions, and access to necessities. Once the outreach team concludes statewide interviews and collects data and stories, Appleseed can advocate for policy changes and additional needed resources to adequately address student homelessness and its impact on education and families. Sharing these experiences with policymakers and the public can raise awareness and lead to systemic improvements. McKinneyVento interviews are essential in tailoring support in advocating for effective and data-driven policy solutions necessary to make a positive and longlasting impact on vulnerable populations.
“It’s a big issue that salaries are so low and everything is so expensive, making it harder for families to survive. It’s making a lot of people go homeless because they either eat or pay for housing, so it’s a fine line.” - Gerald (community interview on problems and concerns in the community).
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EVIDENCE-BASED POLICYMAKING How is it that New Mexico spends billions of dollars on the symptoms of poverty and yet we see no significant changes to our children’s outcomes? A major reason is that we do not use data to identify who needs help, what kind of help they need, and whether any of that help is effective. New Mexico Appleseed brought a solution to the state that may have the most impact on anything we have done yet: The Family Success Lab links data across agencies and families to paint a whole picture of risk factors and protective factors and provides an opportunity for an objective program evaluation. The Family Success Lab at the New Mexico Department of Health. If the risk factor for failing third-grade reading is that your dad was in prison, we don’t know that. If a protective factor for staying out of child welfare is that you live with your grandmother, we don’t know that either. We must follow These critical data stories and breadcrumbs to have positive outcomes for our families. Prior to New Mexico Appleseed’s intervention, New Mexico state agencies had siloed data and services, so those data stories and breadcrumbs have been hidden until now. New Mexico Appleseed conceived, designed, and successfully advocated for the Family Success Lab at the New Mexico Department of Health. The impact of this is that the state didn’t know who got services, what services were affected, didn’t have an unduplicated count of individuals in multiple agencies, and couldn’t see the risk factors across generations. The Family Success Lab at the Department of Health allows the state to do just that. As it grows, it will be a critical tool for
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A heightening crisis of parental substance use and child maltreatment in the U.S. and New Mexico generates exceptional dyadic and multi-generational trauma. Severe substance use, especially from methamphetamines and/or opioid use, is rising. Not only does systemic inequity predicate and exacerbate these issues but there is little financial recourse or hope for families in concentrated poverty.
the state and the legislature to know how best to deploy resources. New Mexico Appleseed is spearheading advocacy efforts to support the growth of the Family Success Lab, including establishing a research agenda for all the social services agencies as they build on their data-sharing efforts and craft the Family Success Lab’s research plan over the next few years.
Improving Family Economic Security New Mexico Appleseed received a grant from the Kellogg Foundation to co-design a pilot program in partnership with a design team comprised of people with lived expertise. The program’s purpose, Basic Income for Baby’s Success (BIBS), is to provide financial support through cash transfers to caregivers of babies born with substance exposure. The program aims to add to the evidence base on cash transfers generally and to answer the questions as to whether cash transfers with this population result in (a) increased financial stability and (b) decreased substantiated reports of child maltreatment among the target population. The design is predicated on identifying babies and their caregivers during delivery through the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) program in New Mexico.
Benefits programs do not provide flexible spending to meet household-specific needs, especially when parental SUD barriers and new-parent expenses coincide. Traditional CWS systems do little to address the underlying well-being of the families they serve and often do more harm than good. However, a multitude of research bears out the solution: investing in upstream economic support and holistic CWS-treatment services would have significant monetary ROI and rippling benefits for families and society alike. Having such nascent needs met as one’s basic needs can provide the essential feeling of being cared for by society that we need to keep moving forward, growing, thriving, and giving.
“She’d also use that money for clothes so her son could feel better about himself. Would also use the money to pay for the internet. Sometimes she has to decide on paying the electricity or paying the internet bill. Having that extra money would relieve that stress & help her son continue thriving in school”. - Anonymous on the way cash transfer would support well-being
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New Mexico Appleseed successfully passed universal free school meals in partnership with the state and legislators to allow all children in the state to receive breakfast and lunch for free.
Successfully advocated for the New Mexico Public Education Department to apply for and receive a USDA demonstration project using Medicaid data to decrease food insecurity.
Partner with school districts to have every child screened for inadequate housing. Inadequate housing has a major impact on academic performance and life outcomes.
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Provide training and policy research and advice to: University of New Mexico Hospital Office of Community Health, school districts, state agencies, and colleagues across the country.
Innovate programs that increase graduation rates for inadequately housed and homeless students.
Increase access to a Community benefits to improve social determinants of health.
Advocate for research agendas at the state and local level to make evidence based policymaking be institutionalized.
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Appleseed's Team Jennifer Ramo, Executive Director jramo@nmappleseed.org
Appleseed’s issue areas. She has worked on social justice and
Jennifer Ramo is the founder and Executive Director of New Mexico
experience as a legal advocate, policy analyst, and program
Appleseed. An experienced attorney, she designed New Mexico
manager. Prior to joining New Mexico Appleseed, Hilari held
Appleseed’s effective system of change and created Appleseed’s
several leadership roles in New Mexico state government. Most
first-in-the-nation programs such as the Hunger-Free Students’
recently as the Senior Advisor to the Secretary at the New
Bill of Rights (prohibited lunch shaming children whose parents
Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department. In this role,
owe school meal debt), the Breakfast After the Bell law (requires
she was responsible for innovations and agency strategies that
all high poverty elementary schools to serve breakfast during the
improve outcomes for system-impacted families and youth.
child welfare issues for almost two decades and has extensive
school day that has been replicated by over a dozen states and districts) and the Food Access Navigator project on the Navajo
Hilari also served as the Statewide Child Welfare and Juvenile
Nation (awarded a USDA innovation demonstration grant). Her
Justice Attorney for the New Mexico Supreme Court, where
anti-hunger and homelessness work has received international
she led a major initiative to improve the quality of legal
attention and been highlighted in the New York Times, CNN, USA
representation for New Mexico’s most vulnerable children and
Today, Le Monde, BBC and Al Jazeera, among others.
families. She also served as a consultant to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, specializing in cross-sector collaborations around
Ms. Ramo’s professional focus is on multi-generational systems
the country that promote equitable outcomes for older youth,
involvement and using community voice/qualitative data and
and authentic youth engagement in systems change. Before
quantitative data to improve poverty outcomes. The lens of racial
her life as an advocate for young people and families, she was a
equity in the poverty arena is a natural extension of this work.
data geek at a legal software company for several years.
Ms. Ramo is a graduate of Albuquerque Academy, the University of Southern California and Tulane Law School. She was a recipient of
Hilari earned her law degree with a certification in Children’s
the Coro Fellowship.
Law from Capital University Law School, and her undergraduate degree from Chatham College.
Jasmine Meyer, Director of Community Research and Engagement (Former) Jasmine Meyer, MPH, supports Appleseed’s program and policy
Josephine Benavidez, Director of Administration jbenavidez@nmappleseed.org
initiatives by designing and implementing community-based
Josephine Benavidez, as Director of Administration, is
participatory research and evaluation, as well as through
responsible for all aspects of the accounting for the
intervention design and strategic planning expertise. Ms. Meyer
organization, including maintenance of donor databases, and
has worked in public health leadership for over a decade in both
management of the office and support to staff.
New Mexico and Louisiana. A native to Northern New Mexico Josephine has spent her
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Hilari Lipton, Esq. - Director of Law and Policy (Current) hlipton@nmappleseed.org
life raising her family with her husband and giving back to
Hilari Lipton is Director of Law and Policy at New Mexico
College while raising her family and working full-time obtaining
Appleseed, providing policy and legal expertise across all of
her associate degrees in accounting and business to further
the community she was raised in, something that is deeply important to her. Josephine attended the Santa Fe Community
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compliment her twenty-eight years of experience in the fields of
includes supporting school districts around the state with their
accounting and office management.
McKinney-Vento programs, offering technical assistance, and identifying issues on the ground that require policy changes.
She is known for her attention to detail and dedication to her
Mr. Valverde received his bachelor's degree in anthropology
trade. Her ability to adapt and solve problems, often with limited
at Eastern New Mexico University, and his master's degree in
resources working toward team and personal goals is a key
cultural anthropology and food studies at New Mexico State
character trait she possesses. Her comprehensive bookkeeping,
University.
administrative, and office management experience in her career contribute to her success in supporting New Mexico Appleseed’s
Steven Montaño, Rural Outreach Coordinator smontano@nmappleseed.org
initiatives.
Steven served his country honorably during Operation Desert
and her latest role as finance and operations manager will
Storm. He was awarded numerous combat citations for
Meghan Mead, Director of Law and Policy (Former)
courage and gallantry in combat while serving in the US Army
Meghan Mead provides policy and legal expertise across all of
with the First Armor Division “Old Ironsides”. Steven is also a
Appleseed’s issue areas. She helps identify effective solutions
Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
to problems affecting child poverty, and advocates with local, state and federal partners for their implementation. Her work
Steven is retired from the State of New Mexico as the Senior
includes successful legislative advocacy to eliminate the
Business Development Consultant and was responsible for
reduced-price copays for school meals, securing funding for the
Economic Development activities for Southern New Mexico.
Family Success Lab at the Department of Health, and providing
While serving in this role, he was able to bring in many
technical support to state and local partners on issues around
new businesses and high paying jobs to the State of New
child homelessness, including improving identification.
Mexico. He has been involved in all facets of business and finance operations at the Federal and State levels, with strong
Prior to her work at New Mexico Appleseed, Ms. Mead was a
emphasis on business recruitment and expansion operations.
practicing attorney for ten years, primarily focusing on health
In his past years as a public servant, he has received numerous
care and nonprofit tax and governance. She is a graduate of
awards, certifications, and other recognition for outstanding
Stanford Law School and received her undergraduate degree
contributions in Economic Development and Public Service. He
magna cum laude in history and economics from Mount Holyoke
held the distinct honor of serving under four Governors (Gov.
College.
King, Johnson, Richardson and Martinez).
Daniel Valverde, Director of Strategy dvalverde@nmappleseed.org
After his State of New Mexico career, he served with the US
Daniel Valverde is responsible for bringing awareness about
working with Economic and Business Development in the
child hunger issues across the state and helps support federal
Western United States.
Department of Commerce and the US Department of Treasury,
programs, such as school breakfast, school lunch, and after school meals. He helps assist after school programs in receiving free reimbursable meals and snacks using federal funds. He also works on Appleseed’s McKinney-Vento program. His work 19
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