Los Alamos County social services and local nonprofit partners organized an emergency food-distribution this week after a state emergency authorization reduced November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments to roughly one‑third of the usual amount.

"I am Jessica Strong. I'm the social services manager," Jessica Strong said, describing a rapid response coordinated with LA Cares, Self Help and the United Way of Northern New Mexico. "We put together a very quick call to action, and we just spent the morning putting the food bags together." She said staff and volunteers assembled 125 food bags, each containing about nine to 10 items, and identified about 10 pickup locations across Los Alamos and White Rock.

The kits were intended as a stopgap to help households bridge to the next scheduled community distribution. Strong said LA Cares holds a regular distribution on the second Friday of the month and the Santa Fe Food Depot is scheduled to distribute in Los Alamos on Nov. 21; organizers created a printed calendar and a short pamphlet with pickup-site addresses and other resources for Los Alamos, White Rock and nearby Rio Arriba County.

The distribution came after an emergency action at the state level reduced payments for many previously approved SNAP recipients to about a third of their usual benefit for November. Strong illustrated the change with a sample family that previously received $200 a month: the November payment would be roughly $67. "So 200 was already not enough," she said, noting the smaller payment increased demand for immediate food assistance.

Social services staff emphasized that the emergency bags are a temporary measure. "We didn't know how much we would get in donations," Strong said, explaining the effort was designed to be repeatable if necessary. She said LA Cares anticipates its regular distributions could double this month because of furloughs and uncertainty tied to the federal government shutdown.

School food programs and other community supports were discussed as part of the response. A community member reported about 175 individual students in local schools are eligible for SNAP; officials said all students currently receive free breakfast and lunch at school so they do not have to stand in a separate line. Community members and volunteers also offered complementary assistance: a local troop leader offered split firewood for households needing heat, and grocery stores and donors have been asked to direct surplus or donations to local food partners.

Social services described logistics intended to ease access: libraries and community sites were designated as pickup points (libraries will begin distribution Saturday because they are closed Friday for staff development), and outreach materials list additional resources such as free pantries. Strong said the food bags are being distributed immediately to sites and that media and email lists will publicize the pickup locations.

Officials also warned that the SNAP reduction is only one of several pressures. Strong noted the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is paused this season and that utility-assistance programs and other nonprofit supports will be important if reduced benefits persist past November. She asked community members who can donate to continue to do so and said social services is monitoring needs and donations closely.

No formal county action or appropriation was taken at the meeting. Organizers said all items used to prepare the kits were donated; when asked about the "anti‑donation clause," Strong stated the kits and funds for the effort were 100% donated and no county general funds were used.

Community groups planning or publicizing upcoming events related to food security include LA Cares, the Santa Fe Food Depot, Family Strengths Network, the United Way of Northern New Mexico and a Rotary food-packing event planned the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Social services said it will continue to coordinate with these partners and expects distribution activity will continue into December if current funding pauses persist.

Residents seeking assistance were told to consult the published pickup-site list and to contact social services for additional referral help. County staff suggested that people concerned about mortgage or loan payments contact their banks proactively to arrange paperwork or relief options before falling behind.

(Reporting note: quotations and logistical details come from remarks by Jessica Strong, social services manager; community descriptions and counts were provided during staff and member reports.)