NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – An estimated 58,000 New Mexicans could lose some or all of their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in the coming years. Jill Dixon, President of New Mexico’s food bank association, said that’s a troubling projection, especially when roughly 420,000 people in the state are currently enrolled in the program.

“Having 58,000 of them suddenly fall off and not receive benefits is just catastrophic,” said Dixon, who's also the Executive Director of the Food Depot in Santa Fe. “And beyond that human cost, there's also a very real economic cost. For every dollar that is distributed to people in our communities, they return about $1.70 in local economic stimulants, and a lot of that money gets spent at grocery stores, particularly in rural communities.”

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