Temporary hot food benefits for all SNAP recipients due to wildfires 

New Mexicans are temporarily able to purchase ready-to-eat foods from deli departments

SANTA FE – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients are temporarily able to purchase hot food prepared for immediate consumption with their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card from deli departments at EBT authorized retailers until June 13, 2022, the New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) announced today. This does not include restaurants or other non-EBT authorized retailers.

The announcement followed the approval of a waiver by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that HSD requested to ensure New Mexico families who are not able to prepare food due to home damages or displacement caused by the federally declared disaster wildfires have access to meals.

“These benefits are essential to many displaced New Mexico families who were forced to evacuate from their homes due to the wildfires,” said Angela Medrano, Deputy Secretary HSD. “The ability to purchase a ready to eat warm meal for themselves and their families can make an enormous difference during these disastrous times.”

HSD would like to remind New Mexicans who receive SNAP food benefits that they can double up food bucks and purchase more fruits and vegetables when they spend SNAP EBT card dollars at participating farmers markets, farm stands, mobile markets and grocery stores. For example, if you spend $10 from your SNAP EBT Card at a participating outlet, they will give you another $10 to buy fresh fruits and veggies grown in New Mexico. There are nearly 80 locations across New Mexico. Learn more at: https://www.doubleupnm.org/.

Supported by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, HSD has ensured SNAP recipients qualified for uninterrupted benefits at the maximum allotment throughout the Public Health Emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure continued uninterrupted benefits as long as possible, clients should ensure their contact information is up-to-date. 

The easiest way to do this is to make sure contact information is up-to-date on the YesNM website: www.yes.state.nm.us. Users can simply and easily update their address using the chat functionality there. Step-by-step directions on how to update your address are available here. Individuals seeking to apply for or check their SNAP benefits may apply online through www.yes.state.nm.us or by phone at 1-800-283-4465. 

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We talk, interpret and smile in all languages.  We provide written information to our customers in both English and Spanish and interpretation services are available in 58 languages through our provider, CTS Language Link. For our hearing, and speech impaired customers, we utilize Relay New Mexico, a free 24-hour service that ensures equal communication access via the telephone to individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled.

The Human Services Department provides services and benefits to 1,065,029 New Mexicans through several programs including: the Medicaid Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Child Support Program, and several Behavioral Health Services.