Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

Rachell Reed waits at the Albuquerque Rescue Mission for a bus to Joy Junction where she will spend the night. Reed is more than 8 months' pregnant with her second child. John Spedalerie (right) has a smoke after dinner and before going to his home. Homeless services directors in Albuquerque say rising gasoline and utilities prices are bringing more people through their doors.

Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

Gary McConahy (left) works in the kitchen at Albuquerque Rescue Mission advancing trays for people to pick up. McConahy has been volunteering for two years at the facility, which is serving more meals now than ever as gas and utilities prices increase.

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Bosque School students fill boxes at Roadrunner Food Bank. Watch »

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About a month ago, Patricia was sleeping in the back seat of her car, hoping to find a place for her two grandchildren to stay.

Patricia, a 45-year-old who didn't want to give her last name, had quit her job to take care of her mentally ill granddaughter full time and got evicted from her house.

She is one of 23 women who find themselves at the Barrett House, a homeless shelter for women and children, during the holiday season and one of many who are filling shelters as gas and food prices increase.

Directors of three homeless services in Albuquerque say the higher cost of living is spurring a hike in demand for their services.

With a car as her only possession, Patricia had to walk from the Northeast Heights to the North Valley, where her grandchildren go to school, because she had no money for gas.

"I had never been in a shelter in my life," said Patricia, who is staying at the Barrett House with her grandchildren, ages 9 and 10. "I am having problems with my car. I can't find any vouchers to help me with gas."

These economic issues have had an effect on some shelters and homeless services throughout Albuquerque.

Jasmin Holmstrup, communications officer from Roadrunner Food Bank, 2645 Baylor Drive S.E., said this is just one of the many issues shelters are facing this holiday season.

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture ranks New Mexico second highest on the national hunger list.

"One out of every six New Mexicans is at risk for going hungry. That's 16.8 percent of the population that don't know where their next meal will come from," said Holmstrup.

In the last four years, there has been a 38 percent increase of people seeking food, she said. With the rise in gas, food and PNM prices, Roadrunner is in a critical situation this year.

"It affects our ability to bring fresh produce across the nation," she said. "We have a fleet of five trucks that pick up food and deliver food, and our gas bill goes up."

Roadrunner spends more than $5,000 a month on local gas costs, Holmstrup said.

Food is another expense. Fresh produce costs the food bank $5,000 every time officials get a shipment, which could be two or three times a day or once a week. Roadrunner expects those costs to rise to $6,500 by next year if prices keep increasing.

Doug Chandler, assistant to the executive director of the Albuquerque Rescue Mission, 525 Second St. S.W., said this time of year is the busy season for its two shelters, one in Albuquerque and one at the old West Side detention facility.

The cold weather is not the only thing that is contributing to the busy season, Chandler said.

"Throughout 2007, we have been serving more meals per month than we have ever served," he said. "I think there's a variety of reasons. I think part of it is rising costs. So many people live from paycheck to paycheck. When they run into crisis, it gets down to `do you pay for the medicine you need or do you buy food?' " he said.

People weigh their options, Chandler said. A lot of people have to buy gas to get them to work or their kids to school. They come to the shelter for food.

"They are struggling more as gas goes up; people are seeing an increase across the board. Almost half the families are working families," Holmstrup said.

Evelyn Facio, program director of the Barrett House, 10300 Constitution Ave. N.E., said this year has been about 25 percent busier than previous years because of the rise in prices for utilities, gas and food.

Dorothy Otero, executive director, said that if people are already at risk for poverty, the rise in prices can cause them to struggle financially.

Otero and Holmstrup say summer is their busiest season.

"The theory is that in the summer months family members don't feel so bad when they can't house somebody — it's warm," Otero said.

Holmstrup said children don't have free or reduced lunches in the summer because school is out, and so parents count on Roadrunner for food.

Even though summer is the busiest season, people always become aware of homelessness this time of year, Otero said.

"During holidays, it's cold," she said. "Family will take them in. It pulls at their heartstrings. In January, they (families in need) are back out on the streets."

Holmstrup agrees people's interest in helping the homeless increases during this time of year.

Holmstrup said Roadrunner keeps the donations it receives during the holidays and saves them for the next few months when the food bank is in dire need.

As for Patricia, this holiday season has been a rough time in her life, which she hopes never to experience again.

"I'm scared right now," she said. "I'm working as fast as I can to get help."

She is seeking some sort of financial support to help her with the rising gas prices that get in the way of taking her grandchildren to school.

"All I can do is pray, but I won't give up," she said.