A cashier scans groceries, including produce, which is covered by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), at a grocery store in Baltimore, on Monday. Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photo
A cashier scans groceries, including produce, which is covered by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), at a grocery store in Baltimore, on Monday. Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photodur-i-syn

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New Mexico on Friday paid 100% of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to recipients who normally receive them during the first week of the month, according to the governor’s office.

The benefits were paid following a federal court and U.S. Department of Agriculture order to do so, but prior to a U.S. Supreme Court pause on the lower court order and in advance of a USDA revised memo to “undo” the payment of full benefits.

Approximately 460,000 New Mexico residents receive SNAP benefits.

The governor’s office initially reported the payments on Saturday. In response to questions from Source NM on Monday regarding the federal government’s revised guidance to only partially reimburse states, Deputy Communications Director Jodi McGinnis Porter, via email, reconfirmed the state had administered full benefits on Saturday to everyone whose issuance date fell between Nov. 1-8. Recipients with a Nov. 10 issuance date were begin receiving their funds on that date.

“We moved forward with full benefit issuance only after the USDA indicated they would comply with the Nov. 6 District Court of Rhode Island order requiring full November SNAP funding,” McGinnis Porter said via email. “Then, the Trump administration reversed course by telling states that they must try to undo full funding, creating yet another round of whiplash for the nation’s most vulnerable families. This gamesmanship is exactly why Governor Lujan Grisham called a special session (Monday). We will not allow our most vulnerable people to suffer needless uncertainty about whether they will be able to put food on their tables while Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress try and weaponize food assistance for political purposes.”

McGinnis Porter said residents “should be assured that they will continue to receive nutrition assistance, be it from the federal government, or through state funds. We have received no reports of declined EBT cards and have been assured by our vendors that recipients will receive their full benefits and their EBT cards will be accepted at retail locations.”

Food Banks and Pantries

ECHO Food BankAddress: 401 South Commercial Avenue, Farmington, NM 87401Services: Food pantry for all ages and low-income individualshttps://echoinc.org/echo-food-bank/………………………………………..

Frontline Mission Inc.Address: 129 North Behrend Ave, Farmington, NM 87401Services: Nonprofit organization providing food to those in needHours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.https://www.facebook.com/FrontlineMissionInc/………………………………………..

Oasis Ministries – The Lords PantryAddress: 117 E. Youth St., Farmington, NM 87401Services: Food boxes and clothing on Thursdayshttps://www.theoasisnm.org/thelordspantry………………………………………..

Crisis ClosetAddress: 1010 Ridgeway Place, Farmington, NM 87401Services: Free food and clothinghttps://www.findhelp.org/san-juan-baptist-association–farmington-nm–crisis-closet/4992206968193024?postal=87402………………………………………..

Feeding America: Road Runner Food BankWebsite: Use the Feeding America website to locate food banks and meal programs. Note that some locations may have additional requirements.https://www.rrfb.org/

Local food resources

Ballantine Communications Inc. has created resource guides specific to Montezuma County, Dolores County, San Juan County, N.M., and La Plata County with information about free food, grocery support and SNAP benefits. To view the resource guides, visit:

• Montezuma County Cares: https://www.the-journal.com/montezuma-county-cares/

• Durango Cares: durangoherald.com/durango-cares/

• San Juan County: https://www.tricityrecordnm.com/san-juan-county-cares/

Source NM is an independent, nonprofit news organization that shines a light on governments, policies and public officials.