ENDING CHILDHOOD FOOD INSECURITY IN NEW MEXICO

1Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico |

ENDING CHILDHOOD

FOOD INSECURITY IN

NEW MEXICO

Derek Lin, MPH | March 2021

Updated September 2021

2 | Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico

All children need access to nutritious

food in order to be healthy. Food

security – having reliable access

to adequate amounts of nutritious

food – is a social determinant for

both physical and mental health,

and children with consistent access

to fresh produce perform better in

school and are better equipped to

meet developmental milestones,

helping them build a strong foundation

for future success. Unfortunately, the

high rates of food insecurity in New

Mexico prevent many children from

reaching their full potential. The

COVID-19 pandemic has worsened

child food insecurity, making

it more urgent than ever to take

immediate action on this issue.

Evidence-based programs, such as

the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Program (SNAP), Temporary

Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),

and tax credits like New Mexico’s

Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC)

and Low-Income Comprehensive Tax

Rebate (LICTR), help New Mexicans

gain financial security and address

the root causes of food insecurity.

However, when there are barriers to

accessing these programs, or when

they are underfunded, many families

are forced to choose between healthy

food and other basic household

needs. By taking a holistic approach

to solving the joint epidemics of

financial and food insecurity, we can

ensure that all New Mexico families

have reliable access to nutritious food

during the pandemic and beyond.

ENDING CHILDHOOD FOOD INSECURITY IN NEW MEXICO

Derek Lin, MPH | March 2021

INTRODUCTION

Deﬁnitions

Food Insecurity: Limited or uncertain access to adequate

food for an active, healthy life due to lack of money and other

resources.

Hunger: A potential consequence of food insecurity that,

because of prolonged, involuntary lack of food, results in

discomfort, illness, weakness, or pain that goes beyond the

usual uneasy sensation.

Food Desert: Geographic area at least 1 mile (in urban settings)

or 10 miles (in rural settings) from the nearest supermarket or

large grocery store.

Updated September 2021*

*Updated to include new data, legislation, and regulations, as well as to correct an error

in data about children ages 0 to 3

3Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico |

FOOD INSECURITY IN NEW MEXICO

New Mexico has long had one

of the worst rates of child food

insecurity in the country. In 2020,

26% of New Mexico children

experienced food insecurity,

which is

up from pre-COVID-19 levels of 22%.

Due to COVID-19, food insecurity in

one county was as high as 38% in

2020 (see Figure I). Food insecurity,

which is defined as limited or

uncertain access to food,

is most

prevalent among families of color and

those living in food deserts or poverty

– meaning a household income of

less than $25,750 a year for a family

of four. In 2019, 25% of New Mexico

children lived in poverty, which is

the third highest rate in the country.

Children ages 0 to 3 experienced

even higher rates of poverty at

36%, compared to 24% nationally.

Poverty is a major determinant of

food insecurity because lower-

income families often have to make

trade-offs between purchasing

food and other basic needs since

food costs make up a larger share

of their household budget. New

Mexico households with annual

income of less than $15,000 –

which are disproportionately Black,

Native American, and Hispanic

– spend on average 33% of their

income on food compared to 4%

for households earning more than

$70,000

(see Figure II). SNAP

usage, which can be considered a

proxy for measuring food insecurity,

also reveals disparities by race and

ethnicity (see Figure III). Because

SNAP is supplemental, benefits do

not provide all of the food a family

needs over the course of a month,

so families receiving SNAP benefits

may still be food insecure.

FIGURE I

The Pandemic Increased Food Insecurity, but Rates Vary Widely by County

Child food insecurity rates in 2020 by county and (+percentage point change over 2019)

Key for food

insecurity rates

11%-20%

21%-30%

31%-40%

San Juan

30%

(+5%)

Rio Arriba

26% (+4%)

Taos

28%

(+6%)

Colfax

29% (+3%)

Union

30%

(+3%)

Sandoval

23% (+5%)

Santa Fe

23%

(+6%)

Harding

30%

Catron

32% (+3%)

De Baca

20% (+2%)

Lea

24%

(+7%)

Los Alamos

12% (+2%)

McKinley

37% (+5%)

Cibola

33%

Valencia

26% (+4%)

Bernalillo

25% (+5%)

Torrance

29%

Guadalupe

24% (+3%)

Mora

33% (+4%)

San Miguel

32% (+3%)

Quay

34% (+4%)

Socorro

31% (+2%)

Lincoln

25% (+6%)

Curry

26% (+3%)

Roosevelt

28%

(+3%)

Chaves

26% (+4%)

Eddy

21% (+4%)

Otero

30% (+5%)

Sierra

36% (+4%)

Grant

32% (+5%)

Hidalgo

28% (+2%)

Luna

38% (+5%)

Doña Ana

29% (+4%)

New Mexico (all ages): 17% (+3%)

New Mexico children: 26% (+4%)

Sources: “Child Food Insecurity in New Mexico,” Feeding America, 2020, and “The Impact of Coronavirus on Food

Insecurity in 2020,” Feeding America, 2021

NEW MEXICO VOICES FOR CHILDREN

4 | Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico

Sources: Consumer Expenditures Survey. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019 American Community Survey Data. US Census Bureau, 2019

33%

14%

10%

Income levels

<$15,000 $15,000-$30,000 $30,000-$50,000 $50,000-$70,000 >$70,000

FIGURE II

Families Earning Less Than $15,000, Who are More Likely to be Families of Color, Spend the

Largest Share of Their Income on Food

Share of household income spent on food by income group (2019)

Share of New Mexico families earning less than $15,000 by race and ethnicity (2019)

US (All races)

New Mexico (all races)

Hispanic/Latinx

Non-Hispanic White

Native American

Black/African American

Asian/Pacific Islander

14%

10%

17%

11%

21%

12%

5Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico |

“At school, there are times when some of the kids can’t

focus because they don’t have money for food. And

because they didn’t eat well, they don’t sleep well, so they

don’t even get to school on time. So they don’t even get

to eat breakfast. So some of these kids don’t even get to

eat at all at home. They eat at school, but sometimes only

once a day.”

-McKinley County community member

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2019, Tables B22003,

B22005B, B22005C, B22005D, B22005H, and B22005I

FIGURE III

Families of Color in New Mexico are More Likely to Receive SNAP Beneﬁts

Households receiving SNAP by race and ethnicity (2019)

Non-Hispanic

White

Asian/Pacific

Islander

Hispanic/Latinx Black/African

American

Native

American

27%

25%

21%

14%

10%

6 | Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico

Although the full consequences

of the COVID-19 pandemic remain

to be seen, it is already clear that

communities of color have been hit

the hardest.

This public health crisis

and recession are likely to worsen

long-standing disparities in poverty

rates between different racial and

ethnic groups in New Mexico. Before

the pandemic, Native American

children had disproportionately

higher rates of poverty (41%)

compared to non-Hispanic white

children (14%).

This income

inequity contributes to racial and

ethnic disparities in food insecurity. In

2018, 24% of Hispanic households

and 17% of Black households

experienced food insecurity. Native

American households experienced

the highest rate at 27% while non-

Hispanic white households had the

lowest rate at 10%.

In McKinley

County, for example, where the

population is 75% Native American,

37% of children experienced food

insecurity in 2020, almost twice

the national average (20%).

The

high rate of food insecurity among

Native American communities

stems from a multitude of factors

including a long history of structural

inequities, systemic racism, and

the theft of the lands where their

ancestors grew and hunted food

that stripped tribal people of their

food sovereignty. Furthermore, large

COVID-19 outbreaks in counties

with majority Native American

populations have exacerbated food

insecurity in many communities that

already experienced high rates.

The COVID-19 pandemic has

resulted in a dramatic increase

in demand for emergency food

support from organizations such as

food banks,

and upwards of 14%

of New Mexican households with

children report needing help securing

food.

This increased demand

has strained the emergency food

system, particularly in rural areas

and food deserts, which already face

numerous difficulties in food access.

Nearly 30% of New Mexicans live in

a food desert,

meaning they live

either 1 mile (in urban settings) or

10 miles (in rural settings) from the

nearest supermarket or large grocery

store (see Figure IV). High-poverty

areas, which are census tracts

where at least 30% of the population

lives at or below the poverty level,

are more likely than higher-income

areas to be food deserts. As with

other indicators, disparities along

racial and ethnic lines are also seen

in areas with high concentrations

of poverty (see Figure V). Limited

access to nutritious food and fresh

produce is a significant barrier to

healthy dietary choices for rural and

frontier communities in particular.

Grocery stores in rural areas often

lack fresh produce and families

end up depending on lower-quality

processed foods and unhealthy junk

foods for subsistence. Additionally,

inadequate rural transportation

infrastructure disproportionately

impacts New Mexico’s Native

American communities. Poorly

maintained roads and the absence

of public transportation can make it

difficult to get to the store and even

impossible during bad weather.

complicate matters more, the lack of

cold storage in these areas severely

limits the ability of the emergency

food support system (e.g. food

banks and school feeding programs)

to provide these communities

with fresh and healthy food.

7Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico |

San Juan

31%

Rio Arriba

53%

Taos

45%

Colfax

51%

Union

27%

Sandoval

44%

Santa

32%

Harding

100%

Catron

100%

De Baca

100%

Lea

15%

Los Alamos

40%

McKinley

55%

Cibola

33%

Valencia

46%

Bernalillo

21%

Torrance

24%

Guadalupe

38%

Mora

33%

San Miguel

31%

Quay

31%

Socorro

34%

Lincoln

40%

Curry

35%

Roosevelt

23%

Chavez

27%

Eddy

36%

Otero

47%

Sierra

44%

Grant

34%

Hidalgo

31%

Luna

29%

Doña Ana

42%

0%-25%

26%-50%

51%-75%

76%-100%

Key

FIGURE IV

Three New Mexico Counties are Complete Food Deserts

Share of the population with low access* to a grocery store by county (2015)

Source: “Food Access Research Atlas Data File,” U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, released August 2015

*Food access indicators for census tracts use 1-mile demarcations to the nearest supermarket for urban areas and 10-mile demarcations

to the nearest supermarket for rural areas.

8 | Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico

New Mexico’s immigrant

communities have faced many

threats to food security, in part due

to numerous attacks by the Trump

Administration. The ‘public charge’

rule change penalized the use of

safety net programs including SNAP,

Medicaid, and Section 8 housing

for some non-citizens who have

historically been eligible for them.

Even though the public charge rule

change was reversed, it had already

resulted in serious consequences

for immigrant families. Once the

public charge rule change was

announced, non-citizens, as well

as their citizen family members,

reported avoiding enrolling in SNAP

out of fear of deportation.

This

‘chilling effect,’ coupled with the

exclusion of many immigrants from

federal COVID-19 pandemic relief,

likely worsened food insecurity in

immigrant communities. While no

region-specific data are available on

food insecurity among New Mexico’s

immigrant and refugee communities,

foreign-born Hispanics nationwide

have higher rates of food insecurity

than do U.S.-born Hispanics.

Hunger and food insecurity

among students in higher education

is often overlooked, in part due to

preconceived notions about college

students coming from better-

resourced families. In fact, as of 2018,

26% of undergraduate students

were in households earning incomes

at or below the poverty line.

than 70% of college students were

non-traditional, meaning they are

financially independent from their

parents. Non-traditional students

likely started college late, may be

a caregiver, and may maintain a

job outside of school.

A recent

survey of undergraduate students

at the University of New Mexico

found that 37% of respondents had

experienced food insecurity within

the past 30 days.

Some national

data on college food insecurity during

the pandemic shows that rates are

even higher for community college

students. In addition, Black students

experience food insecurity at rates

19% higher than do white students.

The federal SNAP regulations restrict

college students from accessing

SNAP, based on the assumption

that many are financially dependent

on their parents. There are some

exemptions for this rule including:

students who are parents of young

children, work more than 20 hours a

week, or are enrolled in employment

and training programs. Unfortunately,

up to 18% of New Mexico’s college

students may be eligible for SNAP

but only 6% are enrolled, meaning

the state is missing out on more than

$22 million in federal resources to

help address student hunger.

Non-Hispanic

White

Two or More

Races

Black/African

American

Hispanic/Latinx Native

American

Source: Population Reference Bureau analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey data, 2014-2018

Note: Estimates for other races and ethnicities is not available because the confidence interval around the percentage is greater than or equal to 10

percentage points.

FIGURE V

High-Poverty Areas in New Mexico Have Larger Shares of Children of Color

Children living in high-poverty areas by race and ethnicity (2014-2018)

47%

22%

18%

16%

9Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico |

FOOD INSECURITY AND

POPULATION HEALTH

“[My son] gets a lot of not-great-for-him

foods, just to make sure he’s getting

enough to eat”

-Albuquerque community member

Food insecurity takes many

forms and not everyone who is

food insecure experiences hunger.

Some households report having to

skip meals whereas others depend

on calorie-dense and lower-quality

foods that do not satisfy basic

nutritional requirements. Regardless

of the reason, the consequences

of childhood food insecurity

follow a person over their lifetime.

Children who experience even a

marginal level of household food

insecurity are more likely to develop

behavioral, academic, and emotional

problems.

Parents report that the

frustration, anxiety, and depression

caused by food insecurity negatively

impacts their children’s physical

and mental health, contributing to

behavioral problems at school.

Children in households experiencing

food insecurity are at a higher risk

of impaired cognitive and physical

development than are those in

food-secure households.

Cheaper foods and those

with processed grains, fats, and

sugars are associated with higher

rates of childhood obesity and

diabetes.

29,30

Therefore, children in

food-insecure households are also

at a higher risk of being overweight

and having diabetes, in part due

to overconsumption of calorie-

dense, nutritionally poor foods.

31,32

A recent study found that adults

who experienced food insecurity as

children had higher rates of lifetime

chronic health conditions such

as asthma and depression, and

are more likely to forgo necessary

medical care.

These higher rates

of chronic conditions increase health

care costs, perpetuating the cycle

of poverty by adding a significant

financial burden on families already

experiencing material hardship.

Food insecurity ends up costing, on

average, $1,914 in excess medical

costs each year for an individual.

Obesity is associated with an

increased risk of lifelong chronic

illness management that can amount

to more than $150,000 in excess

medical costs over a lifetime.

10 | Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico

FOOD SPENDING AND FOOD CHOICES

Money and time are both barriers

to families trying to make healthy

food choices. Fresh, nutritious

foods take more time to prepare

and are generally more expensive

than processed foods, which can

make them impractical choices for

low-income families. Those facing

cost constraints purchase less fresh

produce and lean meats. In New

Mexico, 79% of children and 83%

of adults are not eating enough

fruits and vegetables

(Figure VI).

In addition, parents in food-insecure

households may have trouble

affording foods that are culturally

appropriate or that align with dietary

restrictions or food allergies.

Adults not eating the recommended ﬁve or

more fruit and vegetable servings per day

83%

79%

Kids not eating the recommended ﬁve or

more fruit and vegetable servings per day

Source: NM Department of Health, Health Indicator Report - Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, NM-IBIS

FIGURE VI

Most New Mexicans Are Not Eating Enough Fruits and Vegetables

Share of adults and children not eating the recommended ﬁve or six servings of fruit and vegetables per day (2018)

“Just buying the fresh fruits and vegetables is expensive. My

1-year-old daughter loves fresh cherries – they were $1.98 a

pound two weeks ago. Now they are $3.98 a pound. So she

was looking at the cherries and we just had to pass by. And the

poor thing was crying and we can’t change anything. Not with

the money that we have available – we get by with what we

have. Sometimes all we have left is bologna and bread. And they

expect us to eat healthy and we can’t. There is just no way.”

-McKinley County community member

11Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico |

CURRENT PROGRAMS

Federal- and state-level public

assistance programs such as TANF

and SNAP, tax credits, and other

income supports have been shown

to increase spending on food

and decrease food insecurity.

37-39

Food pantries are also a valuable

resource for filling in some of the

meal gaps faced by low-income

families and can help supplement

public assistance programs.

Unfortunately, even accounting for

public assistance and food pantries,

it is estimated that low-income New

Mexicans still miss 13% of their

meals – or three meals a week.

SUPPLEMENTAL

NUTRITION

ASSISTANCE

PROGRAM (SNAP)

SNAP – what used to be called

food stamps – is a highly effective

program aimed at reducing food

insecurity by increasing the recipient’s

spending power on food, which

then indirectly allows for increases

in spending on housing, education,

and transportation, and offsets

other forms of material and financial

hardship that families earning low

incomes face. New Mexico has the

largest share of residents enrolled in

SNAP (21.1%) in the nation.

The benefits of SNAP participation

on the health and well-being of its

recipients are well documented.

SNAP benefits have been shown to

improve math and reading scores

for children in kindergarten through

third grade,

and SNAP enrollment

is associated with not having to

repeat grades.

Early childhood

access to SNAP promotes healthy

developmental and cognitive

outcomes, thereby improving

performance at school, increasing

economic mobility, and decreasing

the risk of chronic disease.

44-46

Unfortunately, SNAP benefit amounts

are often too low to empower

families to make the healthiest food

choices. SNAP benefit amounts are

based on the USDA’s “Thrifty Food

Plan” that expects most meals to

be prepared from scratch, requiring

up to 8 hours more per week

than the average amount of time

families spend preparing meals,

unrealistic expectation for working

families. And, because they are

“supplemental,” SNAP benefits do

not meet a family’s entire food needs.

Typically, 80% of SNAP benefits are

used up within the first half of the

month

(see Figure VII). Towards

the end of the benefit cycle, SNAP-

receiving families are often forced to

make a choice between food and

other basic necessities meaning they

eat less, have a lower quality of diet,

and experience more food insecurity

and hunger.

More than 60% of

New Mexico families with low food

security report having to make the

choice between paying utilities and

buying food

(see Figure VIII).

As part of the federal Families

First Coronavirus Response Act,

New Mexico was able to increase

benefit amounts for all SNAP

recipients up to the maximum

amount available based on the

size of their household.

While this

move helped many low-income

households who were receiving less

than the maximum amount of SNAP

benefits, it did nothing to help the

lowest-income households already

receiving the maximum amounts.

FOOD BANKS

There is a network of five food

banks that provide emergency food

relief for families throughout New

12 | Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico

0% 25% 40% 60% 80% 100%

75%

61%

48%

59%

Purchase inexpensive, unhealthy food in order to have

at least some food at home to eat

Choose between paying utilities or

buying food

Choose between paying for medicine

or medical care or buying food

Choose between paying their

rent or mortgage or buying food

Sources: NM Association of Food Banks Survey and Map the Meal Gap, 2014

0% 25% 40% 60% 80% 100%

First day of

the month

7th day

14th day

21st day

Last day of

the month

21%

59%

79%

90%

97%

Source: “Benefit Redemption Patterns in SNAP,” USDA, 2011

FIGURE VII

Most SNAP Beneﬁts are Exhausted by the Middle of the Month

Share of SNAP beneﬁts that have been used by week (2011)

FIGURE VIII

New Mexicans with Low Food Security Must Make Tradeos in Order to Get By

Share of New Mexicans with low food security making tradeos by type of choice (2014)

13Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico |

Mexico. Many food-insecure New

Mexico families do not qualify for

federal nutrition programs, which

can be due to factors such as

immigration status or household

income, so they depend on local

food banks for support. Food banks

have always had an important role

in improving food security. Before

the pandemic, the largest food

bank in the state, Roadrunner Food

Bank, provided food for 70,000

New Mexicans each week.

The

pandemic increased the demand

for emergency food relief and from

March through April of 2020, the two

largest food banks in New Mexico

spent $1.65 million purchasing food

for New Mexicans in need.

SCHOOL MEALS

The federal school meals

program is a highly effective option

for ensuring school-age children

have access to nutritious food.

In New Mexico, 75% of students

participate in the free and reduced-

price school lunch program.

Meals

during the school day are essential

for students living in severely food

insecure households and, for some,

may be the only regular meals they

receive. When schools transitioned

to remote learning because of

COVID-19, students participating

in these programs had difficulty

accessing school meals. As a result,

many school districts throughout the

state provided grab-and-go meals,

typically making them available to

all students regardless of school

meal program eligibility. Families

with students who receive free or

reduced-price school meals could

also participate in the Pandemic-

EBT program, where families receive

SNAP benefits as a replacement for

missed school meals.

Continuing

to offer school meals or expanding

access to them if schools go back to

virtual or hybrid classes will require

increasing and maximizing funding

and leveraging the infrastructure

of the school system.

DOUBLE UP FOOD

BUCKS (DUFB)

The state-funded DUFB program,

operated by the New Mexico

Farmers’ Marketing Association,

doubles the spending power for

SNAP recipients by matching SNAP

benefits dollar-for-dollar when spent

on fresh produce grown locally.

The DUFB program is available at

80 locations across New Mexico

including 41 farmers markets, but

also some grocery stores, farm

stands, community-supported

agriculture, and mobile markets,

which makes it easier for New

Mexicans in rural communities to

access healthy food. In 2018, SNAP

recipients in New Mexico spent

more than $1 million in combined

SNAP and DUFB, a nearly three-fold

increase from $354,000 in 2015.

Of the DUFB participants, 75% said

their families are eating more fruits

and vegetables and 57% are eating

less junk food. By incentivizing

SNAP spending on fresh produce at

farmers’ markets, more families have

access to healthy food, making New

Mexico healthier while supporting

small, local growers. As a result of

DUFB, three out of four participating

farmers report making more money

and more than a quarter plan to

hire new staff. Programs like DUFB

connect consumers to a network of

local producers, strengthening the

local food system and economy.

HEAT AND EAT

Federal law allows families who

receive at least $20 a month in energy

assistance an increase in their SNAP

benefits. This is known informally as

the “Heat and Eat” program. States

can provide this energy assistance

through the federally funded Low

Income Home Energy Assistance

Program (LIHEAP). However,

LIHEAP is only available to families

who pay a heating or cooling bill

separately from their rent. This leaves

many New Mexicans whose utilities

are included in their rent ineligible

for the increased SNAP benefits

afforded by Heat and Eat.

CHILD AND ADULT

CARE FOOD PROGRAM

(CACFP)

The CACFP reimburses the

costs of meals for eligible children

in community-based child care

programs including child care

centers, day care homes, Head

Start programs, family child care

homes, after-school care programs,

and emergency shelters. This

funding addresses food insecurity

for young children at a critical time

for brain development, promoting

better cognitive and health

outcomes.

However, New Mexico’s

participation in this program has

fallen dramatically putting us behind

the rest of the country. In 2018,

only 7,890 New Mexico children

participated in CACFP in home child

care settings.

This represents a

40% drop from 2013, compared to

a 9% drop nationally. Among child

care centers, CACFP participation

in New Mexico increased by only

19%, compared to a 36% increase

nationally during this time frame.

TEMPORARY

ASSISTANCE FOR

NEEDY FAMILIES

(TANF)

Federally funded TANF is a critical,

but underutilized and underfunded

anti-poverty program that provides

cash assistance to families with

children who earn very low

incomes or are between jobs. Cash

assistance helps parents afford basic

household needs including diapers,

clothing, and housing, allowing

families to spend more money on

food. Cash assistance is one of the

most effective ways to eliminate

child poverty, according to a recent

National Academies of Science,

Engineering, and Medicine report.

14 | Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico

POLICY CHANGES

Progress from

the Regular 2020

Legislative Session

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham

has made ending child food insecurity

a high priority. In working toward this

end, policymakers passed several

pieces of legislation during the 2020

regular legislative session, including:

A State-level “Heat

and Eat” Program was

Created in Statute

By creating a state-funded energy

assistance program during the 2020

regular session, legislators helped

ensure all SNAP-eligible families

could take advantage of the Heat and

Eat benefit, regardless of whether

they pay a separate heating/cooling

bill. With a $1.5 million investment,

the state will be providing energy

assistance to 68,000 SNAP-eligible

households – almost one-third of

all SNAP households, about half of

which have children – making these

families eligible for up to $90 per

month in increased SNAP benefits.

Every SNAP dollar spent generates

$1.70 in economic activity, circulating

tens of millions of dollars through

the local economy. By establishing

this program in law, the state has

ensured it will continue through

successive administrations.

Co-pays were

Eliminated for

Reduced-price School

Breakfast and Lunch

House Bill 10 appropriated

almost $540,000 to the NM Public

Education Department to eliminate

co-pays for almost 12,500 students

living at or below 185% of the

federal poverty level. These small

co-pays add up over the course of

the school year and are a significant

barrier for students’ access to

school breakfast and lunch.

Funding was Increased

for New Mexico Grown

More than $330,000 was

appropriated for the fiscal year 2021

budget. This funding went to the

NM Public Education Department

to expand the New Mexico Grown

Fruits and Vegetables for School

Meals Program, to increase the

availability of fruits and vegetables

for students while supporting local

growers and food systems.

Funding was Increased

for the TANF Transition

Bonus Program

The NM Human Services

Department received an

appropriation of $1.8 million in

federal funding for the TANF

Transition Bonus Program, which

provides $200 per month for up to

18 months for TANF participants

who maintain at least 30 hours in

paid employment per week. This

program is meant to support parents

in low-income families as they

transition back into the workforce.

Unfortunately, using federal funds

makes the program difficult to

administer and will likely result in

a low participation rate due to the

burdensome reporting requirements

associated with federal funding.

15Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico |

Progress from

the Regular 2021

Legislative Session

In response to the pandemic,

New Mexico legislators increased

and expanded two refundable tax

credits, which are an evidence-

based approach for ensuring that

families have more money to spend

on food and other household goods.

This spending also supports local

economies all around the state.

These tax credits also improve health

outcomes for parents, infants, and

children, and children in families that

receive them do better in school,

are more likely to attend college,

and earn more as adults, helping

break the cycle of poverty.

The Working Families

Tax Credit (WFTC)

was Expanded and

Increased

The WFTC is the state version

of the federal Earned Income Tax

Credit (EITC), which has long had

bipartisan support in Congress.

Legislators increased the WFTC

from 17% to 20% of the EITC; ended

the exclusion for tax filers using an

Individual Taxpayer Identification

Number, and ended the exclusion

for young adult workers (ages 18-

25) without children. Refundable

tax credits have been shown to

increase families’ purchases of

healthier food options and they

improve health outcomes, helping

break the cycle of poverty.

The Low-Income

Comprehensive Tax

Rebate (LICTR) was

Increased and

Indexed to Ination

Families and seniors earning

the least money pay a larger share

of their incomes on certain state

and local taxes, such as the gross

receipts tax, than do those earning

more money. LICTR was enacted

to help rectify this. Until 2021,

however, it had not been updated in

more than two decades, meaning it

was helping fewer and fewer of the

people it was designed for, having

lost much of its value due to inflation.

In 2021 lawmakers expanded

eligibility for LICTR and tripled the

amount of the rebate. They also

Indexed LICTR to inflation so it

won’t lose its value over time.

Funding was

Appropriated for Anti-

Hunger Programs

In the budget, $2.72 million was

appropriated to fund several K-12

school nutrition programs including:

New Mexico Grown, which puts

locally grown produce into schools;

breakfast after the bell; and

reducing co-pays for school meals.

Another $100,000 was directed to

initiate a pilot program to address

college hunger. And $275,000 was

appropriated to fund a committee of

stakeholders from the government,

industry, and the nonprofit sector

to strategize how to make our

food system more sustainable

and locally based, with the goal of

eliminating hunger and strengthening

the local economy.

Post-Session

Progress

Improvements were

Made to the Child

Care Assistance (CCA)

Program

Most parents cannot work

without child care and even fewer

can afford high-quality care without

some assistance. The lack of child

care has significantly stalled our

economic recovery, as it keeps

many parents from returning to the

workforce. Earlier this summer, the

state’s Early Childhood Education

and Care Department put federal

American Rescue Plan Act funding to

work by greatly expanding the state’s

CCA program. Among the changes:

eligibility was raised significantly,

meaning most working parents

will qualify for some assistance;

co-payments were reduced;

and reimbursement rates for

providers were increased.

16 | Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

Even in light of these victories,

much more work needs to be done –

particularly in the wake of the COVID

delta surge, which hit after the 2021

regular session was over. Among our

policy recommendations, we urge

policymakers to:

ENACT A STATE-LEVEL

CHILD TAX CREDIT

(CTC)

Increases in the federal CTC,

which will benefit most families with

children, coupled with the advance

payments that began earlier this

summer, are expected to dramatically

reduce child poverty over the next

year. New Mexico should also

consider enacting a state-level CTC

in order to help more families with

children afford basic expenses like

food, housing, and child care.

INCREASE THE WFTC

FOR FAMILIES WITH

YOUNG CHILDREN

While improvements were made

to the WFTC in 2021, more could be

done to help parents with children

younger than 6 years. Parents with

young children are generally young

themselves, meaning they are just

starting out and have not yet reached

their peak earning years. Meanwhile,

preschool-age children have specific

needs – such as diapers, strollers,

and other safety-related products –

that are costly but that older children

have out-grown. Boosting the credit

amount for parents whose children

are ages 0 to 5 would help ensure

these families can better afford

basic necessities.

FULLY FUND FOOD

BANKS, PANTRIES,

AND SCHOOL MEAL

PROGRAMS

More than ever, New Mexicans

are depending on food assistance

programs to meet their nutritional

needs. This increased demand

during the pandemic has put

significant strain on these systems,

which have had to adapt in order

to provide critical food support for

more New Mexicans. The state can

help strengthen the food assistance

system and promote food

security throughout the pandemic

and after by ensuring that food

banks, food pantries, and school

meal programs are fully funded.

EXPAND DOUBLE UP

FOOD BUCKS

Increasing funding for DUFB

would expand these benefits for

eligible New Mexicans while further

developing New Mexico’s local food

and farming systems. Increased

funding could also support

outreach in rural areas to build

more awareness of the program,

attract local producers to sell at

retail outlets, and be used to hire

staff to help relieve the administrative

burden of the smaller markets that

participate in DUFB. In addition to

funding, SNAP recipient participation

in DUFB could be further incentivized

by including more grocery stores

in the DUFB program. This would

support a more extensive network

of outlets for DUFB participants

to choose from and allow families

17Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico |

to take advantage of the program

when farmers markets are not

open or are out of season.

INCREASE THE

VISIBILITY OF SNAP

AMONG COLLEGE

STUDENTS

Many college students aren’t

aware that they may be SNAP-

eligible. Increasing awareness

through outreach would help

normalize and reduce the stigma of

SNAP recipiency for students in both

2- and 4-year degree programs.

Institutions can do this by making

materials and resources for enrolling

in food and nutrition programs

available to students during

orientation and use information from

the Free Application for Federal

Student Aid forms to inform students

about SNAP eligibility. States can

also let school enrollment count

towards SNAP work requirements,

remove work requirements for full-

time students, and develop criteria

for institutions to be designated

“hunger-free campuses.” Other steps

include allowing SNAP purchases at

on-campus retailers, and expanding

on-campus food pantries, food

recovery programs, or dining center

meal donation programs.

REMOVE WORK

REQUIREMENTS

FOR TANF

TANF participation has

dropped in large part due to work

requirements enacted during the last

recession. Unless work requirements

are paired with programs that help

families increase their skills and

education, they ultimately do not

improve workforce participation

rates and instead are associated

with increases in deep poverty.

New Mexico should remove the

work requirements enacted in

2011, giving families more flexibility

in accessing TANF benefits.

INCREASE TANF

BENEFITS

As the primary cash assistance

program for families living in poverty,

the purpose of TANF is to help families

meet basic needs. Unfortunately,

TANF benefits are insufficient for

accomplishing this purpose. In New

Mexico, benefits amount to only

$447 per month for a family of three,

which equals a household income at

26% of the federal poverty level. The

state’s TANF benefit has not been

increased since 1996, therefore

increasing the benefit amount and

indexing it to inflation would make

TANF benefits more impactful for its

recipients. The state can also use

TANF to provide diaper stipends

for families with young children.

Families spend $70 to $80 a month

on diapers for each child, and state

funding of $3 million would provide

the almost 3,300 families on TANF

with children ages 0 to 3 with a

diaper stipend,

helping offset an

unavoidable expense of raising

children. Another update to TANF

that would make the program more

impactful includes implementing

a full pass-through policy, which

allows TANF recipients to retain

100% of the child support payments

that the state collects on their behalf.

Furthermore, eliminating TANF time

limits will give families a better chance

at having the support they need

to achieve economic security.

MAKE THE

IMPROVEMENTS

TO CHILD CARE

ASSISTANCE (CCA)

PERMANENT

In New Mexico, single-parent

families spent roughly 40% of their

monthly income on child care

before changes were made to

CCA. New Mexico should make

the improvements in child care

permanent in order to continue to

give families access to safe, healthy

environments for their kids to grow

and learn in while parents work.

SUPPORT FOOD

SOVEREIGNTY FOR

TRIBAL COMMUNITIES

Policymakers should consult,

learn from, and work directly

with tribal governments and

organizations – such as the Notah

Begay III (NB3) Foundation and the

Native American Food Sovereignty

Alliance – that promote food

sovereignty for tribal communities.

These groups have the most

qualified experts on restoring New

Mexico’s Native food systems with

culturally appropriate, place-based

food practices, natural resource

management, and sustainable

economic and infrastructural

development. They need to be at

the forefront of developing the policy

solutions that will most effectively

address food insecurity and food

sovereignty in Native communities.

KEEP FOOD TAX-FREE

Taxing food is a regressive

policy that would worsen inequities

in food access by further straining

the household budgets of food-

insecure families. This policy would

have broad consequences for

public health by compromising

financial security for many

low-income New Mexicans.

Derek Lin, MPH, is a research and

policy analyst with New Mexico

Voices for Children

18 | Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico

ENDNOTES

1 Definitions of Food Security, USDA ERS, 2020

2 Ibid

3 USDA Food Access Research Atlas, USDA, 2017

4 “The Impact of Coronavirus on Food Insecurity,” Feeding America, 2020

5 Definitions of Food Security, USDA ERS, 2020

6 “State of the States: Profiles of Hunger, Poverty, and Federal Nutrition

Programs,” Food Research & Action Center, 2020

7 “Profile of Infants and Toddlers in New Mexico Hunger, Poverty, Health,

and the Federal Nutrition Programs,” Food Research and Action Center,

2019

8 Consumer Expenditures Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019

9 “Inequity and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of

color in the United States: The need for a trauma-informed social justice

response,” Psychological Trauma, 12, 443–445, 2020

10 One-Year Estimates, 2019, American Community Survey Demographics

and Housing Estimates, US Census Bureau, 2020

11 Ibid

12 Food Insecurity Health Indicator Report, NM-IBIS, NM Department of

Health, 2019

13 “COVID-19 and Indigenous Peoples: An imperative for action,” Journal of

Clinical Nursing, 29, 2737–2741, 2020

14 “New Mexico food banks see surge in demand during pandemic,” KRQE

TV, 2020

15 Week 18 Household Pulse Survey: Oct. 28 – Nov. 9, US Census Bureau,

2020

16 USDA Food Access Research Atlas, USDA, 2017

17 “The Navajo Nation’s horrendous roads keep killing people and holding

students hostage, but nothing changes,” Center for Health Journalism,

2019

18 “One in Seven Adults in Immigrant Families Reported Avoiding Public

Benefit Programs in 2018,” Urban Institute, 2019

19 Essential but Excluded: How COVID-19 Relief has Bypassed Immigrant

Communities in New Mexico, NM Voices for Children (NMVC), 2020

20 “Food Security Among Hispanic Adults in the United States,” USDA,

2011-2014, 2016

21 Demographics and Housing Estimates, US Census Bureau, One-Year

Estimates, 2019, American Community Survey, 2020

22 “Better Information Could Help Eligible College Students Access Federal

Food Assistance Benefits,” U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2018

23 Basic Needs Security at UNM: 2020 Research Report, UNM Basic Needs

Project, 2020

24 #RealCollege During the Pandemic: New Evidence on Basic Needs

Insecurity and Student Well-Being, Boise State University, 2020

25 Rethinking SNAP Benets for College Students, Young Invincibles, 2018

26 “Association of Food Insecurity with Children’s Behavioral, Emotional, and

Academic Outcomes: A Systematic Review,” Journal of Developmental

and Behavioral Pediatrics, 38, 135–150, 2017

27 “Food insecurity and the risks of depression and anxiety in mothers and

behavior problems in their preschool-aged children,” Pediatrics, 118,

e859–68, 2006

28 “Household food insecurity: associations with at-risk infant and toddler

development,” Pediatrics, 121, 65–72, 2008

29 “Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Obesity among Children and

Adolescents: A Review of Systematic Literature Reviews,” Childhood

Obesity, 11, 338–346, 2015

30 “A cost constraint alone has adverse effects on food selection and

nutrient density: an analysis of human diets by linear programming,”

Journal of Nutrition, 132, 3764–3771, 2002

31 “The association of child and household food insecurity with childhood

overweight status,” Pediatrics, 118, e1406–13, 2006

32 “The Intersection between Food Insecurity and Diabetes: A Review,”

Current Nutrition Reports, 3, 324–332, 2014

33 “Food Insecurity and Child Health,” Pediatrics, 144, 2019

34 “Food Insecurity and Health Care Expenditures in the United States,

2011-2013,” Health Services Research, 53, 1600–1620, 2018

35 “The lifetime costs of overweight and obesity in childhood and

adolescence: a systematic review: Lifetime costs of childhood obesity,”

Obesity Reviews, 19, 452–463, 2018

36 “Fruit and Vegetable Consumption,” Health Indicator Report, NM

Department of Health, 2018

37 Ibid

38 Improving Tax Credits for a Stronger and Healthier New Mexico, NMVC,

2019

39 A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty, Committee on Building an

Agenda to Reduce the Number of Children in Poverty by Half in 10

Years, National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine

(NASEM), 2019

40 “Missing Meals in New Mexico,” NM Association of Food Banks, 2010

41 Interactive Map: SNAP Rose in States to Meet Needs but Participation

Has Fallen as Economy Recovered,” Center on Budget and Policy

Priorities (CBPP), 2019

42 “Food Stamp Program participation is associated with better academic

learning among school children,” Journal of Nutrition, 136, 1077–1080,

2006

43 “Protective Association between SNAP Participation and Educational

Outcomes Among Children of Economically Strained Households,”

Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, 12, 181–192, 2017

44 “The effect of food stamps on children’s health: Evidence from

immigrants’ changing eligibility,” Journal of Human Resources,

0916–8197R2, 2018

45 “Food assistance programs and child health,” The Future of Children,

25, 91–109, 2015

46 “SNAP is linked with improved nutritional outcomes and lower health

care costs,” CBPP, 2018

47 Ibid

48 “New Mexico Should NOT Tax Food,” NMVC, 2018

49 More Adequate SNAP Benefits Would Help Millions of Participants

Better Afford Food, CBPP, 2019

50 “New Mexico Should NOT Tax Food,” NMVC, 2018

51 “How the Federal COVID-19 Response Impacts New Mexico: Food

Assistance,” NMVC, 2020

52 The Roadrunner Roundup, Roadrunner Food Bank, 2019

53 Reports from Roadrunner Food Bank and The Food Depot, 2020

54 Percentage Students Eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Meals, NM

Public Education Department, Custom data requests, 2019

55 “How the Federal COVID-19 Response Impacts New Mexico: Food

Assistance,” NMVC, 2020

56 NM Farmers’ Marketing Association, 2019

57 “Association of Food Insecurity with Children’s Behavioral, Emotional,

and Academic Outcomes: A Systematic Review,” Journal of

Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 38, 135–150, 2017

58 Prole of Infants and Toddlers in New Mexico Hunger, Poverty, Health,

and the Federal Nutrition Programs, Food Research and Action Center,

2019

59 A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty, NASEM, 2019

60 Improving Tax Credits for a Stronger and Healthier New Mexico, New

Mexico Voices for Children, 2019

61 A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty, NASEM, 2019

62 “2018 State Diaper Facts New Mexico,” National Diaper Bank Network,

2018

63 “The US and the High Cost of Child Care,” ChildCare Aware of America,

2018

This report is available for download and use with proper

citation at www.nmvoices.org

19Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico |

NM Voices for Children is a proud member of the following net-

New Mexico Voices for Children

James Jimenez, MPA, Executive Director

Amber Wallin, MPA, Deputy Director

Farah Council, MA, Development Director

Bill Jordan, MA, Senior Policy Advisor and Government

Relations Officer

Sharon Kayne, Communications Director

Paige Knight, MPP, Research and Policy Analyst

Derek Lin, MPH, Research and Policy Analyst

Alex McCausland, Graphics and Social Media Manager

Barbara Mike, Operations Support Clerk

Lydia Ninham, JD, MSW, State Tribal Policy Fellow

Javier Rojo, MPA, Research and Policy Analyst

Brian Urban, Office Manager

Jacob Vigil, MSW, Research and Policy Analyst

Emily Wildau, Research and Policy Analyst and KIDS

COUNT Coordinator

625 Silver Ave, SW, Suite 195

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102

505.244.9505

www.nmvoices.org

@NMVoicesforChildren

@NMVoices

NMVoicesforChildren

@NMVoices

nmvoices

20 | Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico