Governor Polis Partners with Governors in Urging White House to Stop Disruption to SNAP, Prevent Hunger for Millions of American Families

DENVER - Today, Governor Jared Polis partnered with a group of governors in a letter calling on the Trump Administration to prevent disruption to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the federal government shutdown. SNAP food access helps feed 42 million people, including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, and 4 million people with disabilities. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) instructed states to stop issuing SNAP benefits for November.

Last week, Gov. Polis's Office submitted two requests to the Joint Budget Committee: one to consider approval for up to $10 million in General Fund revenue to support food banks and pantries, and another to extend previously approved funding for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition access through November. WIC supports food access for nearly 100,000 women and children in Colorado.

"SNAP lifts families out of poverty by allowing them to spend money that would otherwise have been used for food on rent, heat, or health care," said governors in the letter to the White House. "We know that infants and children in families who receive SNAP are more likely to see a doctor for periodic check-ups. Additionally, older adults using SNAP are more likely to take the full dosage of the prescriptions they need because they have enough money to afford both food and medicine. No one should have to make those impossible choices."

SNAP's Impact: SNAP provides a lifeline to American families, allowing 42 million Americans to buy groceries and put food on the table for their families. When SNAP funding is in jeopardy, families must decide whether to pay for food, rent, heat, or health care. SNAP also supports nearly 388,000 jobs nationwide and more than $20 billion in direct wages. Overall, SNAP results in over $4.5 billion in state and federal tax revenue.

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 initiative distributes approximately $120 million in federal food access resources each month, supporting local grocers, farmers, and nearly 10,000 grocery workers statewide. On average, every dollar in SNAP benefits generates about $1.50 in local economic activity, strengthening small businesses and rural economies alike.

The state recently announced a new philanthropic initiative through Feeding Colorado that invites individuals and businesses to help meet the growing demand for food assistance by donating, and launched a map to show where Coloradans rely most on SNAP support.

• This week, Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera visited Arapahoe Ridge Elementary School to meet with students, educators, and local leaders, highlighting the continued availability of school meals for children amid the ongoing federal government shutdown and looming SNAP funding lapse.
• Last week, Governor Jared Polis, Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera, and community leaders announced new steps to protect Coloradans as the federal government's shutdown threatens to halt funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food access to more than 600,000 Coloradans - half of whom are children.
• In August, Gov. Polis signed a new law, Healthy School Meals For All.
• In June, Governor Polis led a coalition of organizations committed to food access and security to urge Congress not to cut Coloradans off from critical SNAP support.
• Also in June, Governor Jared Polis joined North Carolina Governor Josh Stein and 22 fellow Governors in calling on Congress not to gut critical SNAP funding and shift funding responsibility onto the states.

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