More than 18,000 New Mexicans have lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits since the changes overhauling the federal food paid program occurred, according to data from the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Of those, approximately 55% are children per New Mexico Voices for Children. More people may be affected in the coming months.
Depending on their situation, people may need to complete and document work, volunteer, school, or training activities to continue receiving SNAP benefits.
If you rely on SNAP or care about someone who does, learn what’s changing, how to protect your benefits, and ways you can help.
While the Storehouse does not determine SNAP eligibility or process applications, the food pantry team is committed to helping our community understand these changes. It’s also important to ensure that people know the Storehouse exists to help and that they don’t have to face hunger alone.
Who must meet these new requirements?
Recent federal legislation changed some SNAP rules across the country. We recently wrote a blog post detailing these SNAP changes. You can also visit the New Mexico Health Care Authority to find more information on the process.
To sum up, adults who fit these criteria must meet the new 80-hour activity requirement:
- You are 18 to 64 years old
- You are able to work
- You are not caring for a child under age 14
- You do not qualify for an exemption
You can also combine different activities to meet the 80-hour monthly requirement. For example, attending school 10 hours a week and then volunteering another 10, can count as 20 hours total.
Not everyone receiving SNAP will be affected. Some exemptions do exist. Many people already qualify for an exemption based on their age, disability, family situation, or other circumstances. The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) encourages every SNAP recipient to learn which rules apply to their household.
Need hours? Come volunteer at the Storehouse!
If you’re looking for volunteer hours to keep your SNAP benefits, volunteering at the Storehouse is an great way to help our community and fulfill these requirements. The Storehouse also welcomes civic clubs, school groups, and people who just want to help feed local families. In short, as one of the state’s largest food pantries, the Storehouse can always use a helping hand.
Volunteers help the Storehouse in many ways. Examples include sorting fresh fruits and veggies and canned food donations. Volunteers also help at check-in, pack food boxes, and load grocery carts with food for local families. If you have a particular skill you’d like to share, be sure to let us know.
To keep everyone safe, the Storehouse has a dress code for volunteers. An especially important part is to wear closed-toe, comfortable shoes. Individuals and groups up to 20 people are appreciated. Learn more on the volunteer page of our website or get started by sending an email to info@StorehouseNM.org.
Help Your Neighbors During These SNAP Changes
As SNAP rules change, more families may turn to local food pantries while they work through new requirements or wait for benefits to begin. Last year, the Storehouse provided approximately 2.2 million meals to nearly 78,000 New Mexicans. Community support makes that possible.
The public an help by:
- Donating food
- Making a financial gift
- Volunteering their time
- Organizing a food drive at their workplace, school, church, or neighborhood
Together, we can make sure families who need support have access to healthy food, no matter the changes to assistance programs.