SNAP application deadline less than 24 hours away in Pueblo County

The government shutdown impact on local communities is continuing to grow as people in southern Colorado with food assistance benefits face a strict deadline if they’re up for renewal.

In Pueblo County, hundreds of people could be without food assistance next month if they don’t reapply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by 4 p.m. Tuesday. The longer you hold onto your documents, the less likely it will be processed.

If the request was turned in any time before Monday, or via the dropbox after office hours, the application will be processed, according to the Department of Social Services in Pueblo County.

Usually, applicants don’t need to turn in their paperwork until the fifth of the month, but with the government shutdown, things are changing quickly.

“Due to the government shutdown, our bank account closes on January 31,” said Tammy Torres, the Deputy Director of the Department of Social Services. “So when our system pings that bank account, there will be no money to be issued. Therefore we have to issue it early. So people can get their February benefits.”

Torres says Social Services has been working hard since they learned last Thursday to inform people of the changes. Employees came in on the weekends to make phone calls to recipients.

On Thursday, there were 1,300 active Food Service users who still haven’t applied for the February food assistance. Torres says that number is down by a few hundred, not counting today.

“I found out the night before last that I needed to get down here,” said Duffi Frazier, a food assistance recipient. She says there has been a lot of confusion as to when the deadline will be, and she found out that she needed to reapply early on social media from a friend.

Frazier and her family have been on the SNAP Assistance Program for years. Losing food assistance would greatly hurt her and her twins, who are in 8th grade.

“I don’t get much but it covers things like milk, bread, and bananas, things that are essential that people run out of quite often,” said Frazier.

Hundreds could be without stamps come February. However, if the shutdown persists, March could be much worse.

“Whether your recertification is due or not, it will be the last time, the last allotment issued until the shutdown is over,” said Torres.

That means around 35,000 people that rely on the SNAP program in Pueblo County could lose out.
Sadly, this is something Frazier saw coming when the shutdown began.

“It’s something you can’t depend on, you know. I’ve told my kids — even my youngest, they are thirteen — you can’t rely on anything but yourself,” said Frazier.

If you drop off an application for February assistance at the drop box outside of the Social Services Department on 8th Street before Tuesday, Social Services says the application will be processed.

You can turn in your documents in Tuesday before 4 p.m., but Social Services also has a deadline of 5 p.m. on Tuesday night. So they may not be able to process every application.

If you would like to reapply online, you can do so via PEAK.