Cooking Matters Pop-up Tour
2024-04-16 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Denver)
Come join us at the Alamosa Food Bank to learn more about how to make nutritious meals on a budget. This partnership with Cooking Matters is a wonderful opportunity for those to learn more about health-focused and nutritious meals that work for you and your family. We hope you can join us from 1 to 3 pm.
All participants of the Pop-up tour have the chance to win a gift card to City Market, after completing a short survey.
We hope to see you there!

Cooking matters Pop-up tour at the Alamosa Food Pantry

Cooking matters Pop-up tour at the Alamosa Food Pantry

Cooking matters Pop-up tour at the Alamosa Food Pantry

Cooking matters Pop-up tour at the Alamosa Food Pantry

Fill The Van Food Drive 2024
2024-04-18 10:00 - 18:00 | City Market and Safeway
Consider purchasing a canned good from either City Market or Safeway to donate to the Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley.
On Thursday, April 18th from 10 am to 6 pm outside of City Market (131 Market St, Alamosa, CO) and Safeway (1301 Main St, Alamosa, CO), volunteers will be accepting canned goods donations.
Help keep the shelves of the Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley stocked all year round with your help!

Activity Fair
2024-04-20 10:00 - 13:00 | Outside the Alamosa Senior Center, 92 Colorado Ave, Alamosa, CO, 81101, United States
Come join La Puente in collaboration with Church World Service for a fun and educational afternoon for all ages. The purpose is to learn more about hunger, not just locally but worldwide. Hear stories and participate in activities to better learn how YOU can tangibly help combat hunger!
All activities are free.
Registration will be from 10 to 10:30. There will be a few key speakers before activites kick-off.
We will be serving a frito pie lunch at 12 and have prizes!
To create a team go to https://events.crophungerwalk.org/cropwalks/event/alamosaco
If you would like to volunteer for our event please email director.volcoor@lapuente.net
If you’d like to learn more about the event please email community.engagement@lapuente.net

Lunch at the Activity Fair will be frito pie for anyone.

Kid biking at the Activity Fair

Facepainting at the Activity Fair

Kids at the Activity Fair

School Supply Distribution
2024-07-29 - 2024-08-03
La Puente is meeting the needs of K-12 students across the rural areas of San Luis Valley (SLV) by providing them with school supplies for the 2024-2025 school year.
Historically, La Puente has held a backpack distribution outside of our three Rainbow’s End Thrift Stores. We found this wasn’t meeting the true needs of the K-12 students in the SLV in underserved counties and school districts. This year we are focusing on reaching out to the most rural counties across the SLV, where students have access to supplies that will help ensure their success for the school year ahead of them.
This year we will be reaching Moffat, Fort Garland, Crestone, Monte Vista, Antonito, and San Luis.

Antonito Schools—Scheduled for distribution on July 29th at the school 11 am to 3 pm.

13099 Co Rd G, Antonito, CO 81120

San Luis—July 30th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at American Legion Post

142 302 4th Street, San Luis

Sierra Grande School—July 30, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Monte Vista School—July 31st from 9 am to 1 pm at

Monte Vista Elementary School 545 2nd Ave. Monte Vista

Sangre de Cristo—July 31st from 3 to 6 pm

8751 Lane 7 North Mosca

Crestone and Moffat will distribute along with what they are collecting.

Day of School:

Crestone: TBD
Moffat: August 12th

For more information or questions please contact Laura Fierce at (719) 589-5909 ext. 253 or email at community.edu@lapuente.net
This event is brought about with La Puente’s Adelante Family Resource Center. Adelante promotes the empowerment and stabilization of families. Adelante-supported families, are offered individualized assistance in the navigation of resources that will help families set and reach their goals. Services include assistance with housing, case management, referrals, improved access to counseling, and family advocacy. Through supporting families as they seek to improve their quality of life and achieve a healthy interdependence, Adelante seeks to be a resource center for all families who wish to flourish, especially for those who need a bit of extra support to make their dreams a reality.

PALS Art Show
2025-02-14 17:30 - 18:30 | Alamosa Presbyterian Church, 330 San Juan Ave., Alamosa, CO
The PALS kids have been working hard on their masterpieces! Join us for an exhibition celebrating their creativity. Pieces start at $10 and all money goes directly to a shopping spree for the kids.
PALS Children’s Program provides children with the social-emotional skills needed to succeed. PALS values exploration, growth, healthy relationships, education, self-regulation, and fun! We strive to provide a safe environment where each child has the opportunity to thrive!

2025-2026 School Supply Drive
2025-05-16 - 2025-07-21
Adelante Family Resource Center, a program of La Puente, is meeting the needs of PreK-12th Grade students across rural areas of San Luis Valley (SLV) by providing them with school supplies for the 2025-2026 school year.
Historically, La Puente held a backpack distribution outside of our three Rainbow’s End Thrift Stores. We found this wasn’t meeting the true needs of the K-12 students in the SLV in rural counties and school districts.
Last year, we began reaching out to the most rural counties across the SLV, where students have access to supplies that will help ensure their success for the school year ahead of them. Partnering with 7 different school districts across the SLV, we successfully distributed 15,000 school items (not including pens and pencils) to help set up 1,356 PreK-12th Grade students up for success!
We anticipate increased need this year as three additional school districts have already signed up as of April to participate in the 2025 Distribution. Surveyed teachers in the San Luis Valley have shared their concerns about covering supply gaps, which are often paid for out of pocket. We at Adelante Family Resource Center are actively contacting local schools, identifying which districts have families with the most need, consulting schools’ supplies lists, surveying teachers, and ordering supplies that specifically meet grade requirements. Our goal is to be strategic in the ways that we supplement students’ school supplies to offset some of the burden carried by families and teachers. Because we buy in bulk, we are able to spend on average $20 per child to cover most of their basic school supplies that would otherwise cost families $40+ per child if they went to a superstore on their own.
As with last year’s event, our staff and volunteers will host the distribution at different sites across the SLV to promote accessibility. Supplies will be organized so that students can choose their own grade-specific supplies. Last year, one second-grader left with a backpack full of everything pink, from pencil sharpeners to scissors to notebooks! A family with 2 school-aged children shared, “Every little bit helps” while another caregiver praised the individualized attention staff and volunteers gave his children, saying, “They talked to each child like it matters. And having options to choose from is great!”
For more information or questions please contact Adelante’s Director, Tara Bay, at director.adelante@lapuente.net
If you are interested in giving please fill out the form below:
Fill out my LGL Form!

This event is brought about with La Puente’s Adelante Family Resource Center. Adelante promotes the empowerment and stabilization of families. Adelante-supported families, are offered individualized assistance in the navigation of resources that will help families set and reach their goals. Services include assistance with housing, case management, referrals, improved access to counseling, and family advocacy. Through supporting families as they seek to improve their quality of life and achieve a healthy interdependence, Adelante seeks to be a resource center for all families who wish to flourish, especially for those who need a bit of extra support to make their dreams a reality. For the School Supply Drive, Adelante partners with SLV Community Solutions, local organizations, school districts, and teachers to best serve students in the SLV!

Generosity On Tap 2025
2025-06-07 17:00 - 20:00 | The Colorado Farm Brewery, 2070 County Road 12 South, Alamosa, CO, 81101, United States
Join us at our annual Generosity on Tap Fundraiser supporting La Puente’s Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley. We are excited to be having this event again at The Colorado Farm Brewery.
All proceeds from the night will go directly to the Food Bank Network to help ensure no one has to go hungry in the San Luis Valley. Ticket price includes a chance to participate in the live & silent auction, catered food (with vegan and vegetarian options), and live music performed by Don Richmond and the Rifters. This is a highly anticipated event so get your tickets now! If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to Wilson Hamilton at development@lapuente.net or at 719-589-5909 x.235. We can’t wait to see you on June 7th at 5 pm!

Purchase Your Tickets Now!
Fill out my LGL Form!

If you cannot attend this year’s event but would still like to support The Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley you can donate below.

SLV Free School Supplies Distribution!
2025-07-23 - 2025-08-13
Adelante Family Resource Center, a program of La Puente, and SLV Community Solutions are meeting the needs of PreK-12th Grade students across rural areas of San Luis Valley (SLV) by providing them with school supplies for the 2025-2026 school year.
To learn more about WHY we are holding a school supplies distribution and/or to DONATE to this collaborative community effort to support local students, please visit here: https://lapuentehome.org/school-supplies-drive-2025/
We will have FREE grade-specific supplies such as scissors, glue, markers, crayons, pencils, notebooks, binders, and more!
Some things to know before you come:

Bring your own bag or backpack
Families should go to the distribution day/location within their own school district
Students must be physically present to receive supplies (You cannot pick up supplies on behalf of someone else. This is to ensure we have enough supplies for everyone who shows up!)

We are excited to see you there! Below are the dates, times and locations of our SLV Distributions:

South Conejos School District

July 23
8:30am – 2:00pm
South Conejos School

Centennial School District R-1

July 26
11:00am – 4:00pm
San Luis Inn

Monte Vista School District

July 27
4:00pm – 7:00pm
Ski High Complex (2335 Sherman Ave)

Moffat Consolidated School District – Crestone

Crestone Charter School will communicate day/time of supply distribution directly to students

Moffat Consolidated School District – Moffat

July 29
9:00am – 12:00pm
Moffat PK-12 School

Sangre De Cristo School District

July 30
3:00-7:00pm
Sangre de Cristo School

Mountain Valley School District

August 13
10:30am-12:30pm
Mountain Valley School

Sierra Grande School District

July 31
9:00am – 3:00pm
Sierra Grande School (17523 E Highway 160, Blanca)

North Conejos School District (Centauri Middle & High School + La Jara Elementary)

August 6
9:00am-2:00pm
La Jara Town Hall (211 Broadway St, La Jara, CO 81140)

North Conejos School District (Manassa Elementary)

August 4
9:00am-12:00pm
Manassa Elementary School

Center Consolidated School District

August 8
10:00am – 2:00pm
Casa Blanca Park (450 S Worth St, Center, CO 81125)

HOPE Week - Community BBQ Block Party 2025
2025-09-29 17:00 - 19:00
Join the celebration of H.O.P.E. Week with a Community Barbecue Block Party on September 29th, at 913 State Ave, Alamosa, CO. From 5:00pm to 7:00pm, a BBQ dinner will be served with live music by a local band. There will also be yard games and a kids’ craft table put on by the Alamosa Public Library. Hosted by La Puente, this event marks the start of H.O.P.E. Week with an evening of fun for the whole family!
Homeless Outreach, Prevention, and Education (H.O.P.E.) Week is a series of events meant to bring the community together to learn about homelessness and poverty in the San Luis Valley. Moreover, H.O.P.E. Week highlights community-based programs that alleviate and prevent homelessness.
Information about the Community Barbecue Block Party and other H.O.P.E. Week events can be found on La Puente’s social media platforms.
Feel free to call 719-589-5909 ext. 209 or email comm2@lapuente.net for more information.

HOPE Week - Candlelight Vigil 2025
2025-10-01 18:00 - 19:00
Homeless Outreach, Prevention, and Education (H.O.P.E) Week is a series of events meant to bring the community together to learn about homelessness and poverty in the San Luis Valley. Moreover, H.O.P.E. Week highlights community-based programs that alleviate and prevent homelessness.
La Puente will host several events throughout the week…anyone from the community is invited to join!!!
We encourage you to join us for the Candlelight Vigil on October 1st, which is a walking tour that starts at 6:00 PM outside of the Shelter and ends at Sacred Heart. Several community members that previously experienced homelessness will share their story and attendees will also enjoy a musical performance by ASU’s 68 West. The Vigil will wrap up around 7:00PM.
If you want to stay and enjoy some fellowship, Sacred Heart will be offering pizza and drinks for attendees in their fellowship hall starting at 7:00PM.
For questions about the Vigil (or if you would like to offer a musical performance or poem to enrich the evening) contact Vanessa at asstdirector.comm@lapuente.net

Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway 2025
2025-11-22
Leading up to Thanksgiving Day, the Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley will be giving out 800 Thanksgiving boxes filled with a whole frozen turkey, stuffing, canned pumpkin pie filling, a variety of canned goods, and fresh carrots, potatoes, and onions.
This year, rising costs of groceries and other necessities have hit our clients hard, and we’ve seen our service numbers increase across our pantries…for reference, from 2022-2023 about 9,000 folks used our Network within the year but last year from 2023-2024, over 12,000 individuals relied on the Network. As inflation rises, our clients’ dollars don’t go as far as they once did. For some, the extra cost of a Thanksgiving meal isn’t feasible.
At the cost of $32.45, you can ensure that one family who otherwise could not afford a Thanksgiving meal can celebrate with their loved ones and create meaningful traditions this holiday season.
To donate a Thanksgiving meal, you can:

send a check with “Food Bank Thanksgiving Drive” in the memo to 802 State Ave, Alamosa, CO 81101
donate online using a credit or debit card below!

Spread the Joy of Thanksgiving!
Fill out my LGL Form!

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Annalise Baer by calling the Alamosa Food Bank at 719-589-4567 ext. 101 or by emailing director.foodbank@lapuente.net.

Community Thanksgiving Meal
2025-11-27 12:00 - 14:30
La Puente is delighted to invite you to attend our annual Community Thanksgiving Meal, a cherished tradition that brings our community together in the spirit of gratitude and compassion!

When & Where: The event will take place on Thanksgiving Day, November 27th from 12:00pm – 2:30pm at La Puente’s Community Shelter (913 State Avenue, Alamosa, CO 81101).
Who: Anyone and everyone from the SLV community is welcome to attend, enjoy a warm meal, and share the holiday spirit! No RSVP is needed to attend. So come and bring a friend, neighbor, or stranger!
What: Last year we were incredibly honored that over 250 people chose to spend Thanksgiving Day with us. Plates were piled high with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, casseroles, and pies prepared and donated by members of our community. Most importantly, guests who would have otherwise spent the holiday alone expressed gratitude for being able to connect with neighbors and leave with a deeper sense of belonging. We all enjoyed some live music performed by community members, as well as the interactive “gratitude activity wall.”

WANT TO HELP OUT? This event is for the community and by the community! There are several ways to contribute to making this event possible.

Volunteer: There are several different volunteer roles the day of, from serving food to cleaning up. If you are able to spare an hour or two on Thanksgiving Day (or if you can help with setup and cooking the days leading up to Thanksgiving), please sign up for a time slot using this Thanksgiving Volunteer Form.
Bring Food: When you are doing your own Thanksgiving shopping and cooking, consider making a little extra for La Puente’s Thanksgiving meal, which is a potluck style. We are in need of turkeys, pies, stuffing, casseroles, and other staple holiday side dishes. If you aren’t able to make a full dish, no worries! Consider dropping off a can of cranberry sauce or some whipped cream! A quick way to sign up to bring food is to use this Food Donation Form.
Financially Give: If you aren’t able to donate food, we invite you to make a financial contribution to help our staff make sure there is enough food to go around! To mail in a check, make it out to La Puente (PO Box 1235, Alamosa, CO 81101) with the memo “Community Thanksgiving Meal” or give a financial gift using the form below!

Contact Jade at volunteers@lapuente.net for more information about the event and/or to sign up to help!

Fill out my LGL Form!

Share the Magic 2025
2025-12-06 18:00 - 21:00 | Adams State Theatre, 208 Edgemont Blvd, Alamosa, CO, 81101, United States
We invite you to attend the 35th annual Share the Magic on Saturday, December 6th!
Enjoy a holiday reception, heavy hors d’oeuvres provided by The Ruby Rose, and the Theatre production by Adams State of Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big SLV Adventure, a one-act play in which a favorite holiday tale has been transformed into a gut-busting, fun, music-filled, and family-friendly theatrical experience that incorporates the details of your own San Luis Valley into the script! Share the Magic is a great time to celebrate the holidays and connect with other community members! Moreover, all proceeds from Share the Magic support local households struggling with poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness through La Puente’s network of programs.
To host this event, La Puente partners with Valley-Wide Health Systems and Adams State University Theatre Department. The support of these incredible partners, among other sponsors, showcase how La Puente is our community’s response to address the effects of poverty so individuals and families get what they need to stabilize, heal, strengthen, and ultimately thrive.
Event Details:

When: Saturday, December 6th. The reception starts at 6pm and our guest speaker will begin sharing at 7pm, followed immediately after by the play
Where: Adams State University SLV Federal Main Stage Theatre (208 Edgemont Blvd, Alamosa, CO 81101)
What: holiday reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres, guest speaker, and ASU Theatrical performance

Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased below. Prefer to purchase a ticket an alternative way? Contact our Director of Development, Wilson, by calling 719-589-5909 ext. 235 or emailing development@lapuente.net. Please note that tickets will not be mailed; all tickets will be held at the welcome table and available for pickup the night of the event.
Fill out my LGL Form!

Community Christmas Party
2025-12-20 12:00 - 15:00
You are Invited to Our Annual Christmas Party!!!
The holiday season is upon us, which entails peace, goodwill, and community love. To celebrate, La Puente is hosting our annual Christmas Party to spread the holiday cheer!
Visit with Santa Claus, enjoy hot chocolate and cookies, and feast on a Lasagna lunch with your neighbors, coworkers, classmates, friends, and family! Moreover, every attendee (age 0-99+) will take home a gift at this community event.
Last year, over 460 people from the SLV showed up and we had an incredible time together…so don’t miss out this year! Everyone is welcome, and the more the merrier!

When: December 20th from 12pm-3pm
Where: 913 State Ave, Alamosa (La Puente’s Shelter)
Who: Anyone and everyone from the SLV!

Want to Help Out? This event is for our community and by our community, not just by La Puente! If you are interested in supporting this holiday event, there are several ways to get involved such as volunteering, donating in-kind gifts, and contributing financially to our gift fund! Click HERE to get involved!
