Disaster food benefits available for victims of New Mexico Wildfires

​Applications for individuals and families in five New Mexico counties will be accepted starting next week

Contacts: 

Marina Piña: marina.pina@state.nm.us

Jodi McGinnis Porter: jodi.mcginnis-porter@state.nm.us

June 6, 2022

Disaster food benefits available for victims of New Mexico Wildfires

Applications for individuals and families in five New Mexico counties will be accepted starting next week

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today that New Mexicans who have been affected by the recent wildfires that began in April may be eligible to apply for disaster food benefits during a seven-day application process that begins Tuesday, June 7 and ends Monday, June 13.

At the governor’s request,  the state has received approval for the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) for five New Mexico counties. 

These benefits are available to low-income residents affected by the wildfires. Approximately 27,500 residents may apply who work or live in the following five counties: Colfax, Lincoln (ZIP codes 88345 and 88312), San Miguel, Mora and Valencia (ZIP code 87002). The Presidential Disaster Declaration included five counties impacted by the Big Hole, Calf Canyon and Hermit’s Peak, Cooks Peak, and McBride fires. Residents in Taos, Sandoval and Santa Fe counties were not included in the disaster declaration and are not eligible for D-SNAP at this time.

“We are thankful for our federal partners for providing New Mexicans with this assistance as they recover from the devastating impacts of these wildfires,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “Now, more New Mexicans can receive the support they need to feed their families as we work together to recover and rebuild.”

The 7-day application timeline is a federal requirement. 

D-SNAP is available to residents of affected counties who would not ordinarily be eligible under SNAP guidelines and who lived or worked in these counties.  A resident may be eligible for D-SNAP benefits if their home or belongings were damaged or destroyed and if they have unreimbursed disaster-related expenses or a loss or reduction of income as a result of the wildfires. Eligible households will receive one month of benefits that they can use to purchase groceries at SNAP-authorized stores or from select retailers online. 

Impacted residents can apply for D-SNAP at the four sites below in addition to all local Income Support Offices beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday, June 7 and ending at 6 p.m. Monday, June 13, 2022. The hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday in the following locations:

• John Marshall Health and Human Services Center: 1500 Walter, SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
• New Mexico Highlands University, Student Union Building, 3rd Floor: 800 National Ave. Las Vegas, NM 87701
• Juan Gonzales Agricultural Center: 202 Chamisa Rd. Taos, NM 87571
• Eastern New Mexico University: 709 Mechem Drive, Ruidoso, NM 88345 (closed Sunday)
• All HSD Income Support Division Offices 

Elderly and/or disabled residents who do not have transportation may call and apply on the phone and document their case and verbally attest their information at: 1-800-283-4465. Those applications will be accepted Tuesday, June 7 through Monday, June 13. Applications cannot be accepted before June 7.

Income Support Division staff will determine eligibility for evacuees. Residents need to only bring verification of identity. Benefit levels are based on the table below:

To ensure every applicant receives one-on-one guidance from staff, the New Mexico Human Services Department will assist residents in alphabetical order based on their last name for the first four days of the application period. The remaining three days will be available to all applicants.

We talk, interpret and smile in all languages. HSD provides 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. 

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