Santa Fe, N.M.  – New Mexico Human Services Department (NMHSD) announces it will issue all March food assistance benefits February 28, 2019, with an availability date of March 1, 2019. During the 35-day partial federal government shutdown, NMHSD issued the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) February assistance early on January 20, 2019. The early February issuance is the reason for the early March issuance to ensure households do not go more than 40 days between benefits.

“The SNAP program provides food security for approximately 455,000 New Mexicans monthly,” said David R. Scrase, M.D. HSD Cabinet Secretary. “The federal government shutdown interrupted the regular schedule for these important benefits. I am confident that HSD employees are working hard and are doing everything necessary to ensure New Mexico families have the ability to buy food for their families with the March benefits.”

Each month there are approximately 223,000 New Mexico families who receive SNAP benefits, with an average benefit of $241. It is important for families to plan accordingly for their food benefits based on the temporary changes in issuance schedules for March and April.

In April, NMHSD will issue SNAP benefits using the Compressed Staggered Issuance Schedule. Using that schedule, SNAP benefits will be issued between the first of the month and the tenth of the month dependent on the last two numbers of the customer’s Social Security Number (SSN).

May and ongoing, NMHSD will resume normal issuance of SNAP benefits using the Staggered Issuance Schedule. Using that schedule, SNAP benefits will be issued between the first of the month and the twentieth of the month dependent on the last two numbers of the customer’s Social Security Number (SSN).