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Southwest Colorado SNAP RELIEF

On November 1st, over 12,000 residents across Southwest Colorado will not receive their federal SNAP food assistance benefits, amounting to about $2.19 million. Even after the October 31st judicial ruling mandating the federal government release their SNAP contingency funds, those benefits will not reach residents' pockets for several weeks. Many families who rely on this support to put food on the table will face shortages.

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Small, independent grocery stores also stand to lose a significant portion of revenue that comes from SNAP benefits.

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Community organizations, government institutions, and individuals like you are working together to ensure no one goes hungry.  Our coalition is mobilizing emergency food resources, coordinating donations, and advocating for urgent government action.

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​We need everyone — residents, local leaders, and businesses — to step up and help.

 

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More details on this situation here.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FOOD

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  • Hunger Free Colorado Food Resource Hotline: (855) 855-4626

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HOW YOU CAN HELP

This fund equitably distributes rapid, flexible support to emergency food relief work in San Juan, La Plata, Montezuma, Dolores, and Archuleta counties, and the Ute Mtn Ute and Southern Ute Indian Tribes, ensuring that no neighbor goes hungry during this critical time. 

This is a separate fund managed specifically in and for Montezuma and Dolores counties, providing rapid, flexible support to food security organizations to meet urgent food and supply needs during the SNAP funding emergency. 

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Note: food assistance providers are prioritizing requests for monetary donations over food items at this time.

  • Shop at small, independent grocery stores!

    • Independently owned grocers are potentially about to lose a significant portion of their revenue that comes from SNAP benefits.

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  • Advocate:

    • Contact the USDA to demand that they use contingency funding to pay for SNAP benefits while the government is shut down: 

      • Mountain Plains Regional Food & Nutrition Office: 303-844-0300, option 4

    • Contact our congressional representatives to ask that they advocate for reinstated SNAP benefits. Contacts and call script here.

    • ​Share your story of how the government shutdown is impacting you and your family.

Raw Vegetables

donate

southwest Colorado snap relief fund

Our emergency food assistance providers shared that the #1 way to help their efforts is through cash donations. Every $1 you provide enables them to purchase $7 in food.

 

This fund equitably distributes rapid, flexible support to emergency food relief work in San Juan, La Plata, Montezuma, Dolores, and Archuleta counties, and the Ute Mtn Ute and Southern Ute Indian Tribes, ensuring that no neighbor goes hungry during this critical time.  

 

Funds go directly to our network of food assistance providers, such as the 27 food pantries in our region.  Funds will go where the need is greatest, as determined by emergency response groups composed of governmental bodies, community organizations, and experts in each county. 

SNAP Relief More Info

The Suspension of November SNAP Benefits, 
and What We’re Doing About It

During the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) chose not to release contingency funds that would allow states to pay SNAP (food assistance) benefits for November.  On October 31st, two federal judges ruled that the Trump administration must use established funds to pay those SNAP benefits, but the disbursement of funds will take weeks to make their way to consumers’ pockets, and may be further delayed if the US Department of Justice appeals the decision. 

 

This means Colorado is currently unable to issue the approximately $120 million of November SNAP benefits to participants until the federal government restores funding.  In the five counties that make up Southwest Colorado alone, SNAP issues an average of $2.19 million in benefits to 12,000 people and 6,500 households monthly.

 

Community organizations, governing bodies, and individuals are working together to make sure all our neighbors are able to feed their families.  Our coalition is mobilizing emergency food resources, coordinating donations, and advocating for urgent government action.

 

We’re expecting that our local emergency food assistance programs (like food pantries and soup kitchens) are about to see a considerable increase in demand. We’ll need significant resources to meet these needs, donate to the relief fund here. 

 

We also expect that our small, independent grocery stores are about to see a meaningful decrease in sales.  These pillars are essential in feeding rural communities, and we’re working to make sure they stay open, resourced, and supported.  Shop at small, independent grocery stores to help them stay open!

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 Important things to know: 

 

  • Coloradans should continue applying for benefits and can continue using their food benefits to buy food. Retailers are required to continue accepting EBT cards.*

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  • October benefits for nutrition programs–including SNAP and WIC–are NOT impacted.

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  • Colorado public school students can continue to access free meals at school.

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  • WIC, Double Up Food Bucks, and Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus continue to operate as usual.

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*If you encounter a situation where that is no longer the case, please contact Lauren Ames at

foodsecurity@goodfoodcollective.org so we can help the retailer get back online and accept cards.

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Questions?  Want to get involved?  Email info@goodfoodcollective.org

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We appreciate you!!​
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