A special edition shirt in collaboration with ASNMSU will appear on shelves and online this Friday at Organ Mountain Outfitters with 25 percent of the proceeds donated to the Aggie Cupboard.

The Aggie Cupboard has operated on campus since 2012 and offers free assistance to NMSU students, faculty and staff facing food insecurity by providing non-perishable foods.

The vision of the Cupboard is to create a campus community free from the worry of hunger where they are completely able to pursue academic success.

“Going to college is expensive. Some students have to choose between paying bills and getting groceries,” said Luis Terrazas, Director of Public Relations at ASNMSU. “The Aggie Cupboard helps reduce the need for students to make that choice. We want our students to succeed, and that is difficult for them to do on an empty stomach.”

Terrazas spearheaded the effort to initiate the collaboration and helped design the shirt that will benefit NMSU. According to Terrazas, ASNMSU appreciates the collaboration with Organ Mountain Outfitters, and their contributions will allow them to serve more students through their invaluable service.

Meg Long, the Director of the Aggie Cupboard, stated in a press release that the donations will allow them to provide more assistance to those in the NMSU community experiencing food insecurity.

“We are very grateful to both Organ Mountain Outfitters and ASNMSU for donating part of the special edition t-shirt proceeds to the Aggie Cupboard,” said Long.

Organ Mountain Outfitters is a for-profit company of photographers and designers passionate about the Southwest and apparel that fits our way of life. From the beginning, OMO has promised two dollars from each T-shirt sale will go to the Las Cruces Public Schools reduced lunch program.

“To date, we have donated over 90,000 lunches to students in Las Cruces Public Schools and when [ASNMSU] approached us with the opportunity of the Aggie Cupboard we were encouraged that we could help students at NMSU as well,” said owner and founder of Organ Mountain Outfitters, Chris Lang.

Lang created Organ Mountain Outfitters in his garage with his wife and two children, first appearing as a booth at the Downtown Las Cruces Farmers Market. Lang eventually expanded into a storefront Downtown, staying close to his humble beginnings. The store is located at 535 Main Street and NMSU students receive a 10% discount.

In June, Lang announced that his homegrown company had donated a grand total of $35,000 to the LCPS reduced lunch program, paying off the lunch debt. OMO has prided itself on serving and giving back to the community and hopes to expand its mission into other communities across the Southwest.

With the collaboration between Organ Mountain and ASNMSU, students will not only have the opportunity to own a unique edition of OMO outerwear but also give back to their fellow classmates who may be struggling.