(The Center Square) – Hundreds of thousands of additional New Mexico residents will soon be eligible for food stamps as the state expanded its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit eligibility.
“No New Mexican should ever have to go hungry. By expanding SNAP access and increasing benefits, we’re making sure more families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities have the support they need to live with dignity and security,” Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “These changes are a step forward in our ongoing efforts to reduce hunger and strengthen the well-being of our communities.”
SNAP recipients ages 60 and older, and people with disabilities will see their state supplement increase. The minimum benefit will increase from $32 monthly to $100. The change will impact over 26,450 households statewide.
This increase will cost the state $14,106,800.00; New Mexico will use state general funds to pay for it, an HCA spokesman told The Center Square via email.