New Mexico expands food welfare benefits during summer months

(The Center Square) - The New Mexico Health Care Authority unveiled a new welfare program that will give more taxpayer money to recipients during the summer months.

“Summer should be a time of joy and growth for our children, not a time of worry about where their next meal will come from,” Kari Armijo, Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Health Care Authority, said in a statement. “SUN Bucks will help bridge the gap, ensuring families have the resources to keep their kids healthy and thriving.”

The SUN Bucks program offers $120 per eligible child to buy groceries during summer vacation. Most families will automatically receive the benefits, while others must apply.

About 275,000 students will receive benefits from this program.

"In addition to free meals available at summer meal sites, the SUN Bucks program aims to support families by stretching their grocery budgets during these months," a release said.

The state will issue SUN Bucks benefits for school-aged children ages 5 through 18 who were on welfare programs like SNAP (food assistance), TANF (cash assistance), and most forms of Medicaid from July 1, 2023, to August 1, 2024.

The state plans to mail most SUN Bucks cards out on August 5, 2024. Recipients will receive $120 per child.

Those who do not receive their SUN Bucks cards by August 30, 2024, should visit summerebtnm.org for more information on eligibility requirements, the release said. Summer end 3 weeks later.

“Our goal is to ensure that every child in New Mexico has access to the nutrition they need to succeed, both in and out of school,” Arsenio Romero, Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Public Education Department, said in the release. “The SUN Bucks program is critical in supporting our families and communities throughout New Mexico.”

State officials did not respond to questions about the full cost and source of funds for this program.