The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will begin sending January payments to low-income residents in New Mexico in three days.

Food stamps are sent to New Mexicans beginning on the first of the month and ending on the 20th. The exact day SNAP benefits are sent out is based on the last two digits of a recipient's Social Security number.

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Recipients with a Social Security number ending in 11, 31, 51, 71, or 91 will collect benefits on Jan. 1. Those with an SSN ending in 01, 21, 41, 61, or 81 will collect benefits on Jan. 2, and so on. Recipients with an SSN ending in 00, 20, 40, 60, or 80 should collect their payments on Jan. 20.

The maximum payment is $291 for a household of one, $1,155 for a household of five, and $1,751 for a household of eight. For each household member above eight, $219 is added.

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SNAP benefits are loaded onto an electronic benefit transfer card every month, and recipients can use the card at grocery stores to purchase eligible food products such as fruits, vegetables, bread, meat and poultry, and drinks. Recipients are barred from using SNAP benefits for products such as pet food, alcohol, and household items including paper and soap.

Those interested in applying for SNAP can do so through New Mexico's self-service eligibility portal called YesNM. This application is used for public assistance benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid, and the Low-Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program. Households can track their application through the portal or by calling the response line at 1-800-283-4465.