Food insecurity is on the rise in Southern Colorado after SNAP benefits came to a halt

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Many families are struggling this month after SNAP benefits were significantly reduced in March.

Food insecurity is on the rise right now in Southern Colorado, and across the country. Local food banks are seeing a huge increase in need in response to this.

This is largely due to SNAP benefit recipients relying on food pantries that didn't have to before.

"There's food insecurity across the country right now, and it starts with the federal government in December 2020 voting to increase the supplemental nutrition assistance program, or SNAP that used to be food stamps to its maximum allotment," Care and Share President and CEO Nate Springer said. "So for about 16-17 months, all Americans who were SNAP recipients were receiving that increased allotment. That ended at the end of February. So in Colorado, the last payment of that was the 19-23 of February. So at the end of March, the average individual lost about $90, and a family of 4 lost between $250-360 based on family income."

Especially with inflation and supply chain backups continuing, it makes it extra hard for families to get by.

"It was a hard time for that federal assistance to go away because food prices are still so historically high," Springer said. "About 10% more expensive this month than a year ago just for your basic groceries. So for so many families to lose that federal assistance, a lot more families and people are relying on food banks."

Care and Share has 293 partner agencies throughout Southern Colorado. All of which have seen a significant increase in need.

"For food banks across the country, we've seen an increase in all our partner agencies across Southern Colorado in need," Springer said. "Initially we thought about 10% and were seeing somewhere between 15-20% increase in need."

Katie Boykin, a single mother, relies on SNAP benefits to assist her in putting food on the table for her and her daughter. The benefits ending recently has caused her to think of other options.

"It does cause people to pick up a second job," Boykin said. "That's something I've had to think about which would suck a lot because I'm a single parent and that would give me no time with my daughter."

She submitted her redetermination paperwork in February but it still hasn't been processed.

"So I didn't receive my food stamps this month and at this point, there's no future food stamps coming," Boykin said. "I may end up falling by the wayside and not see benefits for months."

It's forcing her to look into food pantries and food drives in the area.

"To be able to provide for my daughter has been really difficult," Boykin said. "My income and amount of time I have available to be able to work just isn't sufficient enough."

Care and Share has a 'Find Food' button on their website to help connect people to food pantries in their area.

If you're on the other side and you'd like to help, you can donate either food or funds to Care and Share, or you can volunteer.