2 days ago
Colorado food security advocates decry proposed changes to food stamp requirements and benefits
Proposed changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- often referred to as SNAP or food stamps -- benefits have raised concerns among those who work to end hunger throughout Colorado.
About 40 million tax-paying Americans rely on SNAP to buy groceries. New proposals would require states to cover at least 5% of benefit costs and tighten eligibility rules. Food security advocates worry that this could leave many families struggling, especially after federal cuts earlier this year.
"It's real food -- no corn syrups, no dyes, things like that," said Elena Salinas, who runs A Fresh Move Colorado, a community store that prioritizes local and fresh food.
Salinas, who accepts Electronic Benefit Transfer or "EBT" payments at her store, said she was once a SNAP recipient herself.
"It really helped my family get through some really hard times," she said.
Supporters of the proposed cuts say they would help reduce fraud. But Salinas argues there's a misconception that recipients are freeloading or lazy. Nearly half of the children who benefit from SNAP live in single-mother households.
"That's the last thing you want — your children to go hungry," she said.
In 2024, more than half a million Coloradans received SNAP benefits. Erika Cervantes with Hunger Free Colorado said the impact of further cuts would ripple through the economy.
"This impact wouldn't just be felt by families," Cervantes said. "It'd be felt by our local economy, and especially our farmers who are growing some of that food."
With less to spend, families may turn to food banks. But some federal grants that helped run those programs have already ended, leaving pantries stretched thin.
"I can only imagine this would further put them at capacity," Cervantes said.
Beyond selling groceries, Salinas teaches customers how to stretch their food budgets.
"Storing your own food properly, making it stretch," she said.
But she worries the cuts will force even more people into hunger.
"People don't know the need unless they know what hunger really is," she said.
Hunger Free Colorado is urging residents to call their local representatives and explain why SNAP is important to their communities. They're also encouraging donations to local food banks, regardless of whether the bill passes.
