Shared Table
23 March 2020
It’s no surprise that community is at the heart of everything we do at Taos Ski Valley. As the first certified B Corp ski resort, we are constantly looking for ways to improve and give back to those that help define who we are. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world in ways that were unimaginable only a month ago. Yes, ending the season early means less days on snow, but also lost wages for our staff and the employees of many local businesses in our tight-knit town. Once the decision to close the resort was made, our Food and Beverage team quickly realized we had a surplus of incredible food that would no longer be needed on the mountain, and would be put to great use distributed to those in need in Taos. Chris Goss, Director of Food and Beverage, explained: “We feed hundreds of skiers up on the mountain every day with these same ingredients, yet being able to donate this quantity of quality food to feed our own community at a time like this feels much more impactful. We are grateful to help in this small way.”
We partnered with Shared Table, and to date, across three deliveries, have donated more than 100 cases of fresh produce, milk, cream butter, cheese, eggs, and deli meats. The Shared Table is a food pantry that provides restriction-free access to anyone in need. This week, with our help, Shared Table was able to provide food to 275 households in a drive-by food distribution, a 35% increase in households picking up food from an average distribution day. After the most recent donation, we received the following note: “Every person was so thankful for the produce and dairy products that you all contributed. Thank you for sharing love and food with our neighbors.”
Our food storage at the resort has allowed us to space our donations out in a timely manner, giving Shared Table the time it needs to process everything and have it distributed before our next donation, which has helped them reduce waste and maximize distribution. We are planning on one more delivery as soon as they are ready, and will continue to help our community through this time as best as we can. We’d like to thank Chris Goss, Chef Matt Deliso, Chef Kayla Trujillo, and Marie Eggly for their tireless work to make sure this food got to those who need it most. We are proud that they are part of the Taos Ski Valley family and we will continue to look for ways to have a positive effect during these tumultuous times.
