LWV NEWS RELEASE
The League of Women Voters’ community event, Lunch with a Leader, is set for 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16 at the Unitarian Church, 1738. N. Sage Loop in Los Alamos. on Sage Street. It will feature Jill Dixon, Deputy Director of The Food Depot in Santa Fe and Lyn Haval, Director of LA Cares.
Dixon came to New Mexico eighteen years ago as a secondary education teacher after four years of working for Teach for America in economically disadvantaged areas. In educational settings, she saw firsthand how a lack of access to food impacted a child’s sense of well being and academic potential. While working in business, she became aware of the Food Depot who was searching for a development director and thus, the magic happened. Jill finds incredible purpose in working daily to achieve food secure futures for New Mexicans. She has been a part of this dynamic organization for nearly 12 years, witnessing profound growth, and bold innovation. She looks forward to helping people join the food security movement. She will discuss the urgency of food insecurity and the many ways the hunger-relief network is working together on short and long term solutions to create healthy communities.
Lyn Haval was born and raised in California, and attended various colleges while her husband was in the Air Force. Later she earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration at UC Riverside. She followed her daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters to Los Alamos to become a full-time Gramma. When her granddaughter started school, she spent some free time helping out at LA Cares. Lyn started with filling bags with canned goods, answering the phone messages, and packing bags of fruit. Soon she was asked to join the board, and when the President retired, she was elected President. Everyone on the Board of Directors helps with the monthly distribution and many hours in between doing support work behind the scenes. LA Cares is a 100% volunteer organization and 100% donation supported. Lyn will talk about how LA Cares operates, what they do with the Food Depot donations, what our population looks like, and the many ways they assist residents of Los Alamos County.