SNAP benefits on hold amid shutdown; Colorado families and lawmakers scramble for solutions

COLORADO - Over 600,000 Coloradans rely on SNAP benefits - money loaded by the government onto EBT cards - to buy food and groceries, but those benefits are now on hold indefinitely.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments for November are on hold due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) says that the USDA has not yet released the $120 million used to fund next month's benefits.

State and local governments have no control over when the funds may be released. However, Governor Jared Polis held a press conference on Wednesday to address the lapse in coverage.

CDHS and Governor Polis are directing people to food banks for assistance.

"Check with your local pantry or food bank. Some might up the limit on what you're allowed to take on a visit. Some might say, 'Oh, we're normally a once-a-month, but because there's no SNAP benefits, we're letting you come twice this month,'" said Governor Polis on Wednesday.

KRDO13 spoke with local food pantries, including Salvation Army and Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center in Colorado Springs, who say they’re working overtime to keep up with the exponential demand.

Governor Polis is requesting $10 million in emergency funding from the state's joint budget committee to fill the gap for food banks and pantries. He is also asking for an extension of funding for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program.

According to Governor Polis, the federal initiative subsidizes $120 million in food benefits per month or $1.48 billion per year. Of the 614,911 people who rely on SNAP, 50% are children, 10% are elderly, and 15% have disabilities. 

"The majority of people on SNAP are working hard Americans who don't get paid livable wages," says Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP Director at the Food Research & Action Center. "Their budget is the difference between them being able to pay their rent, being able to pay child care, car insurance, all of those things when people are living paycheck to paycheck."

SNAP recipients are encouraged to continue applying, submitting renewals, and uploading required documents to ensure they receive benefits as soon as they become available. At this time, officials say that Medicaid and cash assistance programs shouldn't be impacted.

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.