What started eight years ago with 10 to 15 students has grown into a district-wide movement of over 100 young people tackling food insecurity, financial literacy, and community needs—one project at a time.
Lending a Paw, the student-led service organization founded at Los Lunas High School with support from the Rotary Club of Los Lunas, recently earned statewide recognition when Nusenda Credit Union awarded founder and Los Lunas Schools Capstone Community Coordinator Jessica Baldonado the 2025 Financial Education Innovation Award.
The $5,000 award recognizes innovative approaches to teaching financial literacy while addressing real community needs—exactly what Lending a Paw has been doing since its founding by Baldonado, Cecilia Adkins, and Linda Ole.
"To Change the World One Project at a Time"
The club's motto isn't rhetoric—it's a documented reality. Lending a Paw students have completed over 200 community projects, including partnerships with New Mexico Ramps, the Valencia County Animal Shelter, and local organizations like Jubilee Los Lunas.
But two initiatives stand out for their sustained impact and innovative approach: the LLHS Thrift Store (seven years running) and the school food pantry (three years old).
Removing Stigma Through Strategic Design
When Baldonado and the founding students decided to open a thrift store seven years ago, the choice was deliberate.
"We advertised it within our school as thrifting," Baldonado explained. "That way, everybody would come and we wouldn't isolate students that were just in need. Students come in, 'I need this.' There's no shame. They get what they want, what they need."
This strategic framing—positioning the thrift store as a cool place to find unique items rather than a charity operation—removed the stigma that typically keeps students in need from seeking help.
The food pantry followed the same model. Students access what they need without labeling themselves as "food insecure." They're just students using a resource available to everyone.
Student-Led, Adult-Guided
What makes Lending a Paw sustainable isn't adult control—it's student leadership with adult facilitation.
"The adult sponsors act as facilitators, guiding the students but allowing them to take the reins," the Valencia County News-Bulletin reported. "Projects are often born from student proposals, fostering leadership, communication, and real-world skills."
Baldonado, who has worked with teenagers for 27 years, challenges the narrative that young people don't care: "It's not true that they don't care. They want to be respected. This is my fulfillment, to see these students grow."
Building Real-World Skills
The club addresses what Baldonado calls a major gap in youth development: "I think one of the big complaints of adults now is that students don't know how to talk on the phone ... or how to shake a hand or stand up. And these students, without even realizing it, are learning those skills because they're out and about and they're leading."
Through Lending a Paw's initiatives, students gain hands-on experience with:
- Budgeting and financial management
- Inventory control and resource allocation
- Community partnership development
- Public speaking and professional communication
- Project planning and execution
These aren't theoretical exercises. Students manage actual budgets, real inventory, and genuine community relationships.
Financial Literacy Through Practice
The Nusenda Credit Union award specifically recognized how Lending a Paw integrates financial education into service work. Students don't just learn about budgeting in a classroom—they budget real resources for real community needs.
Operating a thrift store requires understanding pricing, inventory management, and customer service. Running a food pantry demands tracking donations, managing perishable goods, and coordinating with partner organizations.
"Through these initiatives, students gain hands-on experience with budgeting, inventory, and resource management while addressing food insecurity and basic needs among classmates," the award citation noted.
Tangible Returns for Students
Beyond community impact, Lending a Paw provides concrete benefits for participating students:
Active graduating seniors can earn up to $2,000 in scholarships funded through grants and donations. The club has also helped students secure internships and employment opportunities.
"That money goes right back into the hands of the kids," Baldonado said.
District-Wide Expansion
The model has proven so effective that other Los Lunas Schools high schools—including Valencia and Century—have established their own thrift stores based on Lending a Paw's template.
The community has noticed the impact as well. Calls for help now come directly to the club, recognizing students as legitimate community partners capable of executing meaningful projects.
Rotary's Role
While Lending a Paw operates as a school-based Interact club (Rotary's youth service organization for ages 12-18), the Rotary Club of Los Lunas has been instrumental in supporting the initiative's growth and sustainability.
The partnership demonstrates Rotary's youth service model at its best: providing adult mentorship and organizational support while allowing young people to lead, innovate, and take ownership of community impact.
Looking Forward
Now in her 27th year in education, Baldonado hopes to see the program continue beyond her tenure.
"I really want to see it continue," she said. "I don't know if it'll look exactly the same—everyone has their own vision—but I feel like the food pantry and the thrift store and relationships that we've made need to continue."
With over 100 students now involved and expansion to other schools underway, Lending a Paw has moved from startup to sustainable community infrastructure.
What began as 10 students wanting to help has become a district-wide movement proving that young people, given respect and opportunity, are extraordinary community leaders.
Avenue of Service: Youth Service
Area of Focus: Basic education and literacy, Community economic development
To learn more about Lending a Paw or the Rotary Club of Los Lunas, contact the Los Lunas Rotary Club president through rotary5520.org