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The City of Albuquerque Department of Family and Community Services provides quality health and social services, housing, recreation, and education to improve the quality of life for every community in Albuquerque. Lisa Huval, Deputy Director of Housing, and Monika Dziamka (Jam-kah), Public Affairs Specialist for the City of Albuquerque Family and Community Services, explain the six strategies deployed by their department to accomplish these goals:

Strategy 1: Acquire, rehab, and convert motels into affordable efficiency apartments with on-site supportive services
Strategy 2: Develop Affordable Rental Units through New Construction or Acquisition/Rehab of Existing Multi-Family Properties
Strategy 3: Preserve existing affordable units
Strategy 4: Create more supportive housing voucher
Strategy 5: Create Project-Based Vouchers
Strategy 6: Increase Down payment assistance to help low-and-moderate income homeowners purchase their own homes

Family and Community Services offer a FREE Eviction Prevention Clinic on May 25, 2022. 714 4th Street SW, Albuquerque, NM. 12;30-3:30 pm MT. The clinic is FREE, but you must register online before May 20th. https://www.cabq.gov/family/services/homeless-services/eviction-prevention.  Contact 505-768-HELP for more information about Housing resources available.

Reload Love provides trauma relief, medical supplies, academic programs & safe spaces (such as playgrounds) for children victimized by terrorism. In August 2021, Reload Love began assisting families from Afghanistan to relocate to safe homes in the US, including New Mexico. The work with these Afghan families continues, and now saving children in Ukraine is a new mission.  Jennifer Santiago is the Co-Founder and Director of Reload Love, and Kelly Besedick is the Production and Marketing Manager.  Jennifer said, “Bullets and babies don’t mix!”  The world is coming together to “Reload Love.” Find out how you can help at https://reloadlove.com/.

New Mexico Business Coalition (NMBC) Founder and President Carla Sonntag is joined by NMBC Board Member  Wayne Berry (Jillian Homes Realty) to talk about the political and public policy changes needed to help businesses thrive. Carla said, “We need more business experience in our State (government). If they know how to run a business and have the responsibility of signing a paycheck, they’re a little more judicious about how they spend taxpayer dollars. We don’t have that going on right now, in my opinion. We’ve got people in charge that are professional government people. To them, money just comes from taxes. If they need more money, then they just tax the people more. That is not a good idea for economic development. It does not attract business, and it doesn’t promote the growth of business.”

Wayne said, “Some people are going to be against something just because someone else is for it. It’s that attitude and that partisan divide that takes us to the fringes in many, many areas.”

For more information about the New Mexico Business Coalition, go to https://nmbizcoalition.org/.

Calvary Elementary School is now taking applications for grades K-3. Dr. Brian Nixon oversees Education and Publishing for Calvary Church. In this interview, Brian talks about integrated learning and the paideia approach to education. In reference to one aspect of integrated learning, Brian said, “Music is vital to the education of children. Not just for a few, but every child! Music helps students memorize and remember.” More information about Calvary Elementary School is available at https://calvarychurchelementary.com/ or call 505.338.0183.

 

“How Love Wins” will be performed on Saturday, April 9th, and  Sunday, April 10th, with matinee shows at 2:00 pm. Lindsay Dekleva is the Studio Director for Magnify Dance Center, and Lauren Maddock is the Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, and Technique Integration Instructor. Both Ladies are also performing in “How Love Wins” with their students. Tickets are available at The National Hispanic Cultural Center Box Office, online @ NHCCNM.org, or by calling 505-724-4771. Group discounts are available!

Lindsay said, “We share the whole Gospel story through our dancing!”

Magnify Dance Ensemble is a not-for-profit organization incorporated in 1990 to develop excellence in dancers through inspired service and performance. Visit their website at www.magnifydancecenter.com/ensemble.

Care Net Pregnancy Centers of Albuquerque provide FREE pregnancy services, including testing and ultra-sounds. STI testing and post-abortive care are also available for the asking. Paula Gonzales is the Executive Director of Care Net Pregnancy Centers of Albuquerque, and Jennifer Ward is the Community Outreach Director.

Finding out you are pregnant can feel scary if the pregnancy was unplanned. Feelings of anger, anxiety, denial and depression are all normal reactions. Carrying a pregnancy to term and raising a baby is no easy task, so it is understandable if you and your partner are unsure what to do.

Paula said, “Care Net Pregnancy Centers help people navigate these uncertain times. We explore your pregnancy options with you and make sure you have access to the most accurate and medically-sound information.” All services are FREE. More information is available at https://carenetabq.com/.

Carla Sonntag is the Founder and Executive Director of the NM Business Coalition. This episode gives us a detailed accounting of the bills that passed and failed in the 55th New Mexico Legislative Session that ended on February 17, 2022. She said, “The reason I thought this session was so good is that I saw so many people get involved that I had never seen before. We started this initiative Better Together New Mexico; during this 30-day session, we had almost 300,000 actions taken. When you have over 300,000 emails coming at you on different issues, you better pay attention because this is an election year. People are lit up, and they are ready for leadership that will hear them and take action.

“Better Together New Mexico is a new way to get New Mexicans engaged, informed, and drive positive change for our state,” Carla said. More information is available at https://nmbizcoalition.org/.

 

Carolyn Fittipaldi is the Acting Executive Director of the New Mexico Education Trust Board. She said, “It’s never too early, and it’s never too late to start saving for future education. “The Education Plan” is New Mexico’s Official 529 College Savings Plan administered by the Education Trust Board of New Mexico. We are a state agency. A 529 College Savings Plan is a tax-advantaged way to save money for college or trade school.”

Find out more about “The Education Plan” at https://theeducationplan.com/.

Bernadette Shanaberget is the Principal of Calvary Elementary School; Teresa Garcia is the Director of Calvary Preschool; Dr. Brian Nixon oversees Education and Publishing for Calvary Church. Bernadette said, “We want our kids to be the best taught and best-loved!” Find out more about Calvary Preschool at https://calvarychurchpreschool.com/ and Calvary Elementary at https://calvarychurchelementary.com/.

Holly Slade is the Founder of Feed New Mexico Kids, and Tracy Rodden is the Community Outreach Director. Holly said, “New Mexico ranks number one in childhood hunger in the United States. Feed New Mexico Kids partners with Albuquerque Public Schools to get nutritious, single-serving food to children who might not know they will find their next meal. Food is collected at churches and police sub-stations across the city and packaged into weekend snack packs for food-insecure children.”

Support Feed New Mexico Kids online by going to https://feednmkids.com/.