Emergency food assistance extended for households affected by floods 

SANTA FE — Lincoln County residents who lost food due to flooding now have 17 days to request emergency replacement of their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.   

The deadline for reporting food losses has been extended to Sunday, August 24.   

The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) is providing this emergency support to help families recover from fire-related damages. Replacement benefits are available for all SNAP customers in Lincoln County.   

“We’re committed to helping the residents of Lincoln County recover from the recent flooding,” said Niki Kozlowski, Income Support Division Director. “We’re helping families replace food that was lost—ensuring they have access to the nutrition they need during this challenging time.” 

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   

• Location: 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 Lincoln County.  
• Report the food loss verbally or in writing by August 24.    

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 3,910 New Mexicans and was made possible through Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s executive order declaring a state of emergency in Lincoln 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 August 24 deadline. 

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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.