New Mexico SUN Bucks provides $120 per eligible school-age child for summer grocery purchases. The program is administered jointly by the New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) and the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED). Most children in SNAP, TANF, or specific Medicaid categories are automatically enrolled. Others may apply through NMPED by August 22, 2026.
New Mexico has a distinctive eligibility rule: not all Medicaid programs qualify for automatic enrollment — only specific MAGI-Children’s Medicaid categories (401, 403, MA-SSI, DDW, or Foster Medicaid 066) trigger auto-enrollment. Families with other Medicaid coverage may need to apply.
New Mexico SUN Bucks 2026 — Key Facts
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Benefit amount | $120 per eligible child (one-time payment) |
| Lead agencies | NM Health Care Authority (HCA) + NM Public Education Dept. (NMPED) |
| HCA SUN Bucks page | hca.nm.gov/lookingforassistance/sun-bucks/ |
| Apply / eligibility check | YES.NM.GOV or download paper application from hca.nm.gov |
| Paper application email | summer.ebt@ped.nm.gov |
| Application deadline | August 22, 2026 |
| Address update | yes.nm.gov, call (800) 283-4465, fax 1-855-804-8960, or mail to: Central ASPEN Scanning Area (CASA), PO Box 830, Bernalillo, NM 87004 |
| EBT card replacement | Call (800) 283-4465 or use ebtEDGE app |
| Card delivery | Prior recipients: existing SUN Bucks card reloaded; new recipients: new card mailed |
| Benefits expire | 122 days from issue date |
| McKinney-Vento contact | Contact school district’s Homeless Liaison if no letter by May 29, 2026 |
| NM SNAP called | SNAP; administered by HCA’s Income Support Division (ISD) |
New Mexico’s Dual-Agency Administration: HCA and NMPED
New Mexico’s SUN Bucks program is administered jointly:
- New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) — formerly the Human Services Department (HSD); manages SNAP, Medicaid, and benefits enrollment; also the official SUN Bucks information hub at hca.nm.gov
- New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) — processes SUN Bucks applications, manages school eligibility data, and issues eligibility determinations; paper applications are mailed to NMPED
Applications that arrive at a local Income Support Division (ISD) office are forwarded to NMPED via email. NMPED issues all eligibility decisions.
Who Qualifies for New Mexico SUN Bucks
Automatically Eligible — No Application Needed
Your child is automatically enrolled and will receive a notice of eligibility if they meet the following criteria during the 2025–2026 school year:
Ages 5–18 and received any of the following:
- SNAP (food benefits)
- TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
- MAGI-Children’s Medicaid — but only these specific categories: 401, 403, MA-SSI, DDW, or Foster Medicaid 066
This Medicaid specificity is important. Other Medicaid categories — including standard MAGI Medicaid at higher income levels, Medicaid for adults (Medicaid Expansion), and other Children’s Medicaid categories — do not automatically qualify.
Also automatically eligible:
- Children whose school reported them as homeless, a migrant, or in foster care
- Children who were approved for free or reduced-price school meals through an NSLP/SBP school application
Parents will be sent a notice to inform them of their child’s automatic eligibility.
Homeless Students — McKinney-Vento Coordinator
New Mexico has a specific process for students experiencing homelessness: If your student is experiencing homelessness and you do not receive an eligibility letter by May 29, 2026, contact your school district’s McKinney-Vento Coordinator (Homeless Liaison) to confirm eligibility and receive assistance with the SUN Bucks program.
Must Apply — CEP Schools and Non-Auto-Enrolled Families
CEP school families without qualifying programs: If your child attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school and your household does not receive SNAP, TANF, or qualifying MAGI-Children’s Medicaid, and your child was not individually certified for free or reduced-price meals through an NSLP application, you must apply.
BIE and private schools: Some Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and private schools do not participate in the NSLP or SBP — students at these schools are not eligible for SUN Bucks, even if they meet income requirements.
Apply at YES.NM.GOV or download a paper application (English and Spanish) from hca.nm.gov and mail to NMPED or email to summer.ebt@ped.nm.gov by August 22, 2026.
New Mexico SUN Bucks Income Limits 2026
For families applying based on income:
| Household Size | Monthly Gross Income Limit | Annual Gross Income Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,248 | $26,973 |
| 2 | $3,041 | $36,482 |
| 3 | $3,834 | $46,006 |
| 4 | $4,628 | $55,530 |
| 5 | $5,421 | $65,052 |
| 6 | $6,214 | $74,574 |
| 7 | $7,008 | $84,098 |
| 8 | $7,801 | $93,608 |
| Each additional | +$794/month | +$9,524/year |
Based on 185% FPL. Confirm thresholds at hca.nm.gov.
How to Apply for New Mexico SUN Bucks
Step 1 — Check Eligibility First
It is encouraged that you check eligibility online at YES.NM.GOV before downloading a paper application. The eligibility checker helps confirm whether your child is auto-enrolled.
Step 2 — Apply Online at YES.NM.GOV or by Paper
Online: Apply or check eligibility at yes.nm.gov
Paper (English): Download from hca.nm.gov and mail to NMPED, OR drop off at your local Income Support Division office (ISD staff will forward to NMPED)
Paper (Spanish): Also available at hca.nm.gov — New Mexico’s large Spanish-speaking population is served through bilingual materials
By email: Send completed paper applications to summer.ebt@ped.nm.gov
Step 3 — What You’ll Need
- Child’s name, date of birth, and New Mexico school
- Confirmation that the school participates in NSLP/SBP (required)
- Household size and monthly gross income
- SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid case number if applicable
- Mailing address for the SUN Bucks card
Step 4 — Deadline
August 22, 2026 — applications must be received by this date. Applications after August 22 are not accepted for summer 2026.
How New Mexico Delivers SUN Bucks
Prior recipients: If your child received SUN Bucks in a prior year, benefits are added to the same existing SUN Bucks card. Do not discard it.
New recipients: A new SUN Bucks EBT card will be mailed to your address on file.
Address update: Update at yes.nm.gov, call (800) 283-4465, fax to 1-855-804-8960, or mail to:
Central ASPEN Scanning Area (CASA) PO Box 830 Bernalillo, NM 87004
New Mexico is one of the few states that provides a full P.O. Box address for mail-in address updates. Update your address through all applicable channels — especially if you’ve moved since last summer — because cards go to the address on file with YES.NM.GOV.
Card replacement: Call (800) 283-4465 or use the ebtEDGE app.
For activation instructions, see activating a SUN Bucks EBT card.
Bureau of Indian Education Schools — Ineligibility Note
New Mexico has a significant Native American student population, with many students attending Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools or tribal schools. Some BIE and private schools do not participate in the NSLP or SBP — and students at these schools are not eligible for SUN Bucks regardless of household income.
If your child attends a BIE or tribal school, confirm with the school whether it participates in the NSLP/SBP before assuming eligibility. Contact the school’s food service coordinator or the McKinney-Vento Coordinator to understand available pathways.
Tribal families in SNAP may qualify through the SNAP pathway (ages 5–18) regardless of school type, as long as SNAP is an active benefit during the school year.
New Mexico SNAP Context
New Mexico’s SNAP program is administered by the Health Care Authority (formerly HSD) through the Income Support Division (ISD) — the same network of offices that handles benefit questions for SUN Bucks. Apply at yes.nm.gov or visit your local ISD office.
New Mexico also participates in Double Up Food Bucks — matching SNAP spending on fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers’ markets — up to $20 per visit. This program is available at farmers’ markets in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and many other communities.
Check New Mexico SNAP income limits and see how to apply for SNAP in New Mexico.
Where to Use New Mexico SUN Bucks
New Mexico SUN Bucks work at any authorized SNAP retailer statewide:
- Major grocery chains — Walmart, Smith’s (Kroger’s New Mexico banner), Sprouts, Whole Foods, El Super, Lowe’s Markets (NM regional chain), Albertsons
- Farmers’ markets that accept SNAP/EBT — active Double Up Food Bucks participation across New Mexico
- Convenience stores with SNAP authorization
- Online grocery ordering at Walmart and Amazon Fresh where EBT is accepted (especially valuable for rural NM and tribal communities where the nearest store may be far)
New Mexico SUN Bucks follow SNAP food rules — eligible for most groceries; not for hot food, alcohol, tobacco, vitamins, or non-food items. See what food you can buy with SNAP benefits for the complete guide.
Additional Resources for New Mexico Families
New Mexico SNAP: Apply at yes.nm.gov or call (800) 283-4465. Check New Mexico SNAP income limits and see applying for New Mexico food benefits.
WIC: For families with a pregnant woman, breastfeeding mother, or child under 5. Check New Mexico WIC eligibility.
SUN Meals / SFSP: Free hot meals for all children 18 and under at community sites — including “SUN Meals To-Go” for rural communities. Dial 211 or visit fns.usda.gov/meals/find-sites.
LIHEAP: New Mexico SNAP households automatically meet LIHEAP income requirements. See applying for energy assistance in New Mexico.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for New Mexico SUN Bucks?
Children ages 5–18 in households receiving SNAP, TANF, or specific MAGI-Children’s Medicaid categories (401, 403, MA-SSI, DDW, or Foster Medicaid 066) are automatically enrolled. Children reported as homeless, migrant, or in foster care, or approved for free/reduced school meals at NSLP schools, are also auto-enrolled. CEP school families and income-eligible families at NSLP schools may apply at yes.nm.gov or summer.ebt@ped.nm.gov by August 22.
Which Medicaid categories qualify for automatic New Mexico SUN Bucks enrollment?
Only MAGI-Children’s Medicaid categories 401, 403, MA-SSI, DDW, and Foster Medicaid 066 automatically qualify. Other Medicaid programs — including adult Medicaid Expansion and other Children’s Medicaid categories — do not automatically qualify. Apply through NMPED if your child has Medicaid but doesn’t receive automatic enrollment.
Do BIE school students qualify for New Mexico SUN Bucks?
Not automatically through school meal certification — some BIE and private schools don’t participate in the NSLP/SBP. However, children in these schools who receive SNAP (ages 5–18) qualify through the SNAP pathway regardless of school type.
My homeless student didn’t get a letter by May 29 — what should I do?
Contact your school district’s McKinney-Vento Coordinator (Homeless Liaison). This is New Mexico’s specific process for ensuring homeless students receive their benefits.
How do I apply for New Mexico SUN Bucks?
Check eligibility first at yes.nm.gov. If you need to apply, complete a paper application (English or Spanish from hca.nm.gov) and email it to summer.ebt@ped.nm.gov, drop it at a local ISD office, or mail it to NMPED. The deadline is August 22, 2026.
For the complete Summer EBT national overview, see the SUN Bucks program guide. To check your New Mexico SNAP eligibility, use the food assistance eligibility tool.