HCA News:
SANTA FE — Lincoln and Chaves County residents who lost food due to Winter Storm Fern have 18 days remaining to request emergency replacement of their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The deadline for reporting food losses is Monday, Feb. 23.
“We are committed to standing with the residents of Lincoln and Chaves County as they recover from this winter storm,” Niki Kozlowski, Income Support Division Director said. “We are helping families replace the food they lost so they can continue to have the nutrition they need during this time.”
The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) is providing this emergency support to help families recover from storm-related losses. Replacement benefits are available for SNAP households in the following ZIP codes: 88317 and 88350.
How to report food loss:
Option 1: Call
- Phone: 800.283.4465
- Hours: 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Option 2: Visit in person
- Locations:
- 2000 Juniper Drive, Alamogordo, NM 88310
- 26387 Hwy 70, Ruidoso Downs, NM 88346
- Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Who Qualifies
To receive replacement benefits, households must:
- Be current SNAP recipients.
- Live in affected ZIP codes (88317 and 88350).
- Report the food loss verbally or in writing by Feb. 23.
No documentation of specific food items is required — verbal reports are accepted.
Additionally, SNAP customers statewide can replace lost or damaged EBT cards through:
- FIS EBT Edge app (download from the app store).
- Website: www.ebtedge.com
- Phone: 1.800.843.8303.
- Local HCA office.
This measure covers approximately 305 New Mexicans and was made possible through Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s executive order declaring a state of emergency in Mora County due to flooding. These actions are part of the state’s ongoing efforts to assist families recovering from fire and flood-related damage. The HCA is committed to ensuring those affected have access to available resources during this challenging time.
The HCA urges eligible households not to delay—replacement benefits can be processed quickly, but only if reported before the Feb. 23 deadline.