$10 million in food bank support and continued WIC funding authority will help protect access to food for families and children across Colorado.

DENVER — Today, Governor Jared Polis and Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera celebrated the Joint Budget Committee's (JBC) approval of two emergency requests to ensure Coloradans continue to have access to food and nutrition support while the federal shutdown disrupts funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and other federal initiatives.

"Colorado is stepping up to make sure families have access to healthy food as the Republican-controlled Federal Government remains shut down. With the JBC's approval, we are getting $10 million out the door, as the federal shutdown continues, to help food banks meet record demand and continuing to fund WIC so that no parent or child goes hungry in Colorado because Congress can't get its act together. It's also important for families with school-aged children to know that students can still receive two free meals a day at school, ensuring kids have the nutrition needed to learn and thrive," said Governor Jared Polis.

"Access to healthy food is essential to healthy families and communities. These emergency actions will help ensure that parents, children, older Coloradans, and Coloradans with disabilities continue to have access to the meals and nutrition they need, even as federal programs are disrupted. Colorado is stepping up to fill the gap — from supporting food banks and WIC clinics to making sure every child can still count on two free meals a day at school. Together, we're making sure no Coloradan is left behind," said Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera.

The approved measures include:

ES-01: $10 million in emergency General Fund support to expand grants for food banks and pantries statewide, helping meet record demand caused by the federal suspension of November SNAP benefits.

ES-04: Continued authority for up to $7.5 million in previously approved WIC funding to maintain nutrition benefits and local operations for nearly 100,000 women, infants, and children through November.

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"The Republican shutdown is hurting Colorado families," said JBC Chair Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County. "Regardless of what's happening in Washington, Colorado is stepping up to keep families fed and kids healthy. This is what responsible budgeting looks like. Focusing on results, not rhetoric, and doing what's right for the people we represent. For the sake of families across our state and nation, I wish DC would act a bit more like Colorado."

"While Congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration play political games with Coloradans' health care, hundreds of thousands of people in our state are now at risk of losing their SNAP benefits as a result," said JBC Vice Chair Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. "Today, Colorado Democrats stepped up to fill the gap and ensure that hardworking families in our communities receive the support they need to put food on the table. Half of the 600,000 Coloradans who benefit from SNAP are children; this emergency budget request pushes past the dysfunction in Washington to help families access food pantries and food banks."

"The JBC's approval of an additional $10 million to food banks and pantries, plus an extension of funding for WIC, was a no-brainer," said JBC Member Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. "We're talking about hundreds of thousands of children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities who have lost their lifeline to afford groceries this month because of chaos in Washington. Regardless of your circumstance, everyone should have the basic right to feed themselves and their families."

"The federal SNAP program keeps children from going hungry, which is why we're stepping up to protect hardworking families from the GOP Congress and Trump Administration's cuts," said JBC Member Emily Sirota, D-Denver. "We are boosting funding for our food pantries and food banks as well as extending WIC because with SNAP benefits ending, families are depending on us. Unfortunately, kids in our communities are suffering from the fallout of the Congressional Republicans' government shutdown. In Colorado, we're acting now to ensure families can put dinner on the table."

Under the plan approved by the JBC, the $10 million emergency funding will be distributed through the Community Food Assistance Grant Program, administered by the Trailhead Institute, which allows the State to get resources directly to food banks and pantries quickly. To ensure stability and sustained support if federal SNAP funding remains delayed, funding will be released in three installments: on November 1, November 15, and December 1.

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The extended WIC authority ensures that the State can continue providing healthy foods, breastfeeding support, and local services for WIC families even as federal funds remain frozen. Only $775,000 of the original $7.5 million allocation was used in October; the remaining authority will now ensure coverage for November benefits and local WIC agency operations. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) will repay the state funds once the federal government resumes normal operations.

The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) administers SNAP, which provides grocery benefits to more than 600,000 Coloradans across 330,000 households — half of whom are children, with 10% elderly and 15% living with disabilities. The program distributes approximately $120 million in benefits each month, supporting local grocers, farmers, and nearly 10,000 grocery workers statewide. On October 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture directed all states to pause November SNAP benefits until Congress passes a federal budget.

On Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Primavera visited Arapahoe Ridge Elementary School to highlight the continued availability of free school meals for children amid the ongoing federal SNAP and WIC disruption. Joined by state, county, and school district leaders, the Lt. Gov. shared breakfast with students and emphasized that every Colorado student can continue receiving free breakfast and lunch at school. The visit to Adams County, which serves as one of the highest concentration of SNAP clients in the Denver-metro area,  underscored the Polis-Primavera Administration's commitment to ensuring children have access to nutritious food, both at school and through statewide efforts to support food banks, extend WIC benefits, and protect families during the federal shutdown.

Coloradans seeking food resources can contact:

Colorado 2-1-1: Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211Colorado.org.

Feeding Colorado: FeedingColorado.org/find-food or email info@feedingcolorado.org.

Colorado PEAK: co.gov/PEAK for benefit information and updates.

Those able to help are encouraged to donate to local food banks. While canned goods are welcome, financial donations go further, with every dollar helping food banks purchase and distribute more meals statewide. Donations can be made at FeedingColorado.org/donate.

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