Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Action Needed to Protect SNAP State Supplement

Dear Anti-Hunger Advocates in New Mexico:

The New Mexico legislature has an opportunity to restore funding for the SNAP State Supplement during the current Special legislative session. This program ensures over 4,000 low-income older and disabled New Mexicans receive at least $25 a month in SNAP benefits to put food on the table. Unless the legislature takes action, the program will be eliminated in October.

Please take a minute to call your state legislators and ask them to support Senate Bill 3 to fund this important program. Then write a letter to the editor highlighting the importance of this and other safety net programs.

If you have a Google account, log in, and Click on this link for a fact sheet with additional information

And here is a copy of Senate Bill 3, which appropriates the $450,000 needed to prevent the program from being eliminated. (Also available via Google Documents)





According to new data released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in its annual report on food insecurity, New Mexico no longer leads the country in hunger. On average in the years 2005-07, New Mexico had the second highest rate of hunger in the country. The New Mexico numbers released today covers the three years during the heart of the recession, 2008-10. During that time, New Mexico improved its ranking from 2nd worst in the nation to 13th. Click here to view the report.

The improved ranking is likely due in part to steps New Mexico had taken during that period to improve safety net programs, including creation of the State Supplement in late 2007. New Mexico is at risk of backsliding if it eliminates the very improvements which proved effective during the economic downturn.

Patricia Anders
Staff Attorney

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