New Mexico has announced an extension of disaster food assistance, allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) customers in several counties to use their EBT cards for purchasing hot, ready-to-eat foods. This measure is effective immediately and will remain in place until September 30. The counties included are Lincoln, Chaves, De Baca, Guadalupe, Otero, Sierra, Socorro, Torrance, Doña Ana, and Luna.
Niki Kozlowski, director for the Income Support Division, said that "families affected by flooding are still navigating significant challenges." She emphasized that "this temporary measure ensures they have access to warm and nutritious meals as they recover."
The emergency hot food waiver specifically allows families impacted by recent floodings to obtain hot meals if they cannot prepare food at home due to damage or displacement. However, this benefit is limited to deli departments at EBT-authorized retailers and does not extend to restaurants or non-EBT-authorized retailers.
This initiative is part of the efforts by the New Mexico Human Services Department to alleviate some of the burdens faced by households during this challenging period.
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