Applications open December 4 

SANTA FE — Residents of Chaves County affected by the recent storm and flooding may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits. Applications will be accepted from December 4 through December 11.  

“D-SNAP extends benefits to a broader group of residents, including those who don’t typically qualify for SNAP,” said Kyra Ochoa, Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Health Care Authority.  “This effort ensures more people can access the support they need during this difficult time.”  

At the request of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the state has received federal approval to implement D-SNAP for Chaves County. Approximately 23,430 households in affected areas may be eligible for food benefits. This includes individuals residing in the following ZIP codes: 88201, 88202, 88203, 88230, 88232, and 88253. These areas were included in the Presidential Disaster Declaration following the severe storm and flooding in Chaves County on Oct. 19-20, 2024. 

Residents can apply for D-SNAP benefits in person at the HCA Chaves County Field Office, located at 1701 S. Sunset Ave. Roswell, NM 88203. 

Application hours: 

• December 4–11: Weekdays, 8 a.m.– 6 p.m. 

• Saturday, December 7: 9 a.m.– 1 p.m. 

• Closed Sunday, December 8 

Residents who cannot travel to the field office can apply by phone by calling 1-800-283-4465. Phone applications will be accepted during the following hours: 

• December 4–6 and December 9–11: 8 a.m.–6 p.m. 

• No phone applications will be accepted on December 7–8. 

Residents may qualify for food assistance if they experienced damage or destruction to their home or belongings, a loss or reduction in income, or unreimbursed expenses related to the disaster. Eligible households will receive one month of D-SNAP benefits to purchase groceries at SNAP-authorized stores or participating online retailers. Benefits will be deposited onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which functions like a debit card. 

7,579 households already receiving SNAP benefits may be eligible for supplemental benefits. SNAP households that do not already receive the maximum benefit amount for their household size may call (800) 283-4465 or apply in person to increase their monthly benefit for one month.   

Additionally, the deadline to report food loss has been extended to December 26. People can report food loss in person at the local HCA field office, located at 1701 S. Sunset Ave., Roswell, NM 88203. Staff are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Reports can also be made by calling HCA at (800) 283-4465 between, 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.  

HCA staff will determine applicants’ eligibility. The only requirement to apply for D-SNAP is to verify your identity and have information about your household’s income and any expense related to the disaster. The table below shows the benefit levels:  

To ensure one-on-one guidance, HCA will assist residents alphabetically by last name for the first three days of the application period. The remaining four days will be open to all applicants, regardless of their last name. 

• Wednesday, December 4: A-J. 

• Thursday, December 5: K-S. 

• Friday, December 6: T-Z.  

• Saturday, December 7: A-Z. 

• Monday, December 9: A-Z. 

• Tuesday, December 10: A-Z.  

• Wednesday, December 11: A-Z. 

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We talk, interpret and smile in all languages.  We provide written information to our customers in both English and Spanish and interpretation services are available in 58 languages through our provider, CTS Language Link. For our hearing, and speech impaired customers, we utilize Relay New Mexico, a free 24-hour service that ensures equal communication access via the telephone to individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled.