ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –  As the government shutdown continues, the federal government announced they will not be sending out November food stamps, leaving nearly half a million New Mexicans in limbo. Now local restaurants are stepping up to help.

Urban Hot Dog Company has been serving across the metro for over 14 years. The owner said the decision to offer a hand up to families, was a no-brainer.

“I mean, to me, that’s what being a New Mexican is, about being ABQ born and bred, is you’re kind of raised to give back and help each other out. And being a small business doesn’t mean you can’t have a big heart,” explained Matthew Bernabe. “We’ve been lucky enough and blessed enough to be able to do that in the past with COVID, with free meals for students when schools went out. So this was just kind of those opportunities when we heard you kind of look for opportunities to help. You can’t have a big heart.”

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Bernabe says that starting on November 1, they are giving out free hot dogs to any child, no questions asked. The only requirement is that a child has to be accompanied by an adult.

Other businesses across the state are offering similar deals, whether it’s free children’s meals, free pizza, or free breakfast sandwiches to make sure no child goes hungry.

“We thought this would be a great way to just kind of support the community and make sure that kids don’t go without the most important meal of the day,” emphasized Nicole Kapnison, owner of Meraki Coffee and Market. “All they have to do is come in with their kids. And we will, no questions asked, give them a breakfast sandwich.”

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Approximately 460,000 residents in New Mexico use the federal SNAP program, which translates to roughly one out of every five New Mexicans, the highest participation rate in the nation.

Local restaurants and even chains like Chicken Salad Chick say they will provide free meals
until benefits are restored.