Food pantries are seeing more people seeking assistance two months after the federal government stopped issuing the emergency COVID SNAP Benefits.
“The need is huge here in New Mexico,” Jill Beets, marketing representative for the Storehouse of New Mexico told KRQE. “We’ve had this one long-standing issue with hunger.”
The New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) announced that, starting in March, more than 500,000 New Mexicans would no longer receive benefits from the emergency COVID Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The benefits have gone back to regular pre-pandemic rates.
A family of three that was receiving $740 in SNAP benefits each month, now might be receiving only an average of $335 per month, per KRQE. A one-person household with no income receiving $376 each month under SNAP, might now be getting $281 per month.
“Those SNAP benefits are huge for our state,” Beets said, “[A total of] 500,000 people in New Mexico are on SNAP benefits, and 144,000 of those people live in Bernalillo County, which is our primary service area.”
Storehouse New Mexico already supports about 35,000 people a year in the metro area. The end of SNAP and continuing inflation has led to increased need. “It makes sense that we’re seeing a big increase in people,” Beets said. “Some people their cut was like $90 a month. Some families saw a reduction of over $250 a month in those benefits.”
Beets said last fall Storehouse New Mexico served about 156 households a day. On April 1, it served 258. “[It’s] almost a 60% increase in people,” Beets said.
An increase in people leads to an increased need for food donations. Albertson’s Market recently donated nearly 5,000 pounds of apples.
“I just want to compel people that if you’re skipping meals, know that there are support systems here to help you,” Beets said.
For more information on food distribution, volunteering and donation visit the link here.
