Dinner at the Dismas House

by Jasmine McBeath

Half a year after meeting Kathy Chavez, our community chef extraordinaire, I'm still wowed by how she can put together a meal from whatever food is laying around the kitchen, including those pesky leftovers challenging you from the fridge. This past Friday I saw Kathy in her element as she coordinated from the kitchen of the Dismas House. I was content chopping vegetables, while other Oxfam volunteers plus Dismas' staff and residents prepared appetizers, dessert, and side dishes.

I first learned about the Dismas House from Greg Heilers, one of our Oxfam volunteers. Greg is part of the house staff and told me how the program helps adults on probation and parole transition into society. On Friday I received the full tour and learned there are actually multiple buildings on the property that house 17 residents at any time and almost 100 residents throughout the year. Their Volunteer Dinner Program is a way for residents to meet new people and network for jobs and housing opportunities. For us, it was a fun way to spend a Friday evening, with good food and even better company.


One resident from Las Cruces lamented that the red chile made him miss home. Most everything from the dinner was local following the GROW Method, from the beans harvested in Estancia to the carrots grown at Skarsgard Farms. Kathy even provided a healthy twist on local recipes such as turkey adovada, a delicious dish made with potatoes, red chile and turkey. Of course, no meal would be complete in New Mexico without either red or green chile. We were lucky enough to have both.


 We started talking about New Mexico in the context of food, and soon we were discussing water rights, conservation, and solar power. A number of Dismas House residents had experience installing solar panels and were passionate about the environment.  We also touched on things everyone can do, such as eating less meat or using less water when cooking or brushing your teeth.

More importantly, we shared our experiences and what brought us to Albuquerque. Kalen and I were particularly moved by a resident who said he's extremely grateful to be where he is now and couldn't be more excited to live his life. It was a good reminder for me, and at the end of the night, I felt the same way.

Thank you Dismas House for the warm welcome!


And...a final shout out to our volunteers: Greg (pictured above), Pat, Kathy, and Kalen