Colorado families are facing challenges in affording food due to the reduction in SNAP benefits that took place in March. At the end of February, Coloradans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program received their financial emergency benefits that were distributed in response to increased financial hardships at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, SNAP benefits returned to their regular pre-pandemic levels and are once again income based. Families across Colorado are experiencing a $95 reduction in their benefits. Participants are not able to appeal the reduction since it is a result of the Omnibus Bill passed in Congress. However, recipients may request an appeal if they believe that their base benefits have been miscalculated. If Coloradans have questions about their benefits, they may contact their local county human services office.

Resources and Additional Assistance

The reduction in SNAP benefits is a challenge for many families, especially since food prices have been consistently increasing. There are some actions families can take if they are concerned about food insecurity. First, Coloradans are encouraged to log onto their Colorado Peak account to determine if they are eligible for additional services such as WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) and TANF (Colorado Works). In addition, families can roll over unused SNAP benefits to the next month to mitigate the impact of the benefit reduction. The unused benefits can remain on EBT cards for a maximum of nine months. Families can also explore tips on stocking up on nonperishables, freezing produce, stretching ingredients, and comparing prices of items at Colorado’s Department of Human Services’ website. Lastly, Coloradans can use this food pantry finder website to locate food banks near them. If you are a client at Savio in need of food assistance, ask your Savio worker about our food pantry!

How You Can Help

Food banks are experiencing an increase in demand for their services due to the SNAP benefit reduction. If you are interested in supporting families that have been impacted by this change, consider donating to your local food bank. Food banks have greater buying power, so they are able to provide three meals for every dollar given. In addition, food banks can use monetary donations to purchase fresh food that is difficult to donate. For this reason, many food banks may prefer that your donation be monetary rather than goods. You can find food banks to donate to in Colorado through Feeding Colorado’s website.