Latest news with #ColoradoDepartmentofHumanServices
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Colorado SNAP benefits to cover up to $60 for qualifying fruits, vegetables
DENVER (KDVR) — Coloradans who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits have the opportunity to be reimbursed up to $60 a month when purchasing qualifying fruits and vegetables, according to a press release from the Colorado Department of Human Services. The Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus program provides an immediate credit for the fruits and vegetables from participating locations to the shopper's EBT card. Ball Arena owner buys River Mile development area including Meow Wolf, Elitch Gardens The program stems from a collaboration with Nourish Colorado, which co-piloted the electronic healthy incentive program in an effort to make healthy food more affordable for families. Since the launch of the program, the redemption rate for the bonus has been more than 99%, according to the release. 'The Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus program helps families stretch their food budget and access fruits and vegetables that they may not have bought without this incentive program,' said Abby McClelland, director of CDHS's Food and Energy Assistance Division, in the press release. 'This is especially important with the increase in grocery prices that we have seen recently.' The program said that it has three easy steps, including: Buy eligible fruits and vegetables at a participating retailer Get a dollar-for-dollar match automatically added to your EBT card to use at any SNAP location. Get up to $60 reimbursed per month Spend your bonus on any SNAP-eligible items at any SNAP-authorized retailer 'Most people that come in know about the program and are stoked and then just keep coming back,' said Emma Kottenstette, founder of Farm Runners, a retailer that sells local produce on the Western Slope. 'Once they find out about the program one time, it's like they don't need any convincing.' More than 30 locations participate in the program across Colorado. For more information on the program, visit the Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Colorado Department of Human Services launches new pilot project
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) – Recently, the Colorado Department of Human Services has launched a program in SNAP for Coloradoans to receive a bonus when buying healthy foods. Abby McClelland, the director of the Food and Energy Assistance Division at the Colorado Department of Human Services, states, 'This is a pilot program that we're really excited to be a part of in Colorado. We're one of three states administering this program. So we're really excited that it's available to Colorado SNAP participants.' There is a benefit to eating greens, and there is going to be more green coming to the SNAP program here in the Centennial State. The Colorado Department of Human Services has announced a new pilot project in which Coloradans on the SNAP program can go to participating retailers and buy fruits and vegetables. With and automatically, they will receive a full rebate, up to $60 a month on their SNAP cards, that they can use for any SNAP-eligible food. And the best part is it doesn't require an application or any vouchers. It's all done electronically. McClelland states, 'So I would urge folks to check the retailer list, because we're adding retailers all the time. So far, our focus has been on smaller retailers like farmers market vendors or smaller brick-and-mortar stores in more rural areas in order to keep the benefits feeding the local economy as well, but we're looking to expand to even more retailers over the next year or so. Officials from the CDHS say there are more than 30 locations here in Colorado. WesternSlopeNow was able to see there are three locations on the Western Slope. One in Grand Junction that is only open on Saturdays and two in Hotchkiss. There is another program that is also helping Coloradans with SNAP benefits. 'There's another similar program called Double Up Box, which […] is available at farmers markets, which runs concurrently. So there are multiple ways that people can get these reimbursements for buying produce. That's a program where you do get a paper voucher,' McClelland said. McClelland says Louisiana and Washington State are also among the three states that launched this program. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
06-06-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
SNAP Benefits Bonus Available For 580,000 Americans
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. SNAP recipients in Colorado can get extra benefits this summer providing they make healthy purchases, state officials have announced. Why It Matters Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, commonly known as food stamps, are provided to low- and no-income families across the U.S. to help them with the cost of groceries. Colorado has around 584,000 SNAP recipients —10 percent of its population — all of whom are eligible for the boost. SNAP recipients in Colorado can get extra benefits this summer providing they make healthy purchases, state officials have said. SNAP recipients in Colorado can get extra benefits this summer providing they make healthy purchases, state officials have said. GETTY What To Know SNAP participants can get up to $60 per month via a dollar-for-dollar match on fruits and vegetables bought from participating retailers as part of the Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus program. Last summer, the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), in collaboration with Nourish Colorado, launched a pilot of the electronic Healthy Incentive Program to make nutritious food more affordable for families. Since its debut, more than 99 percent of the bonus benefits have been successfully redeemed. To participate, SNAP users just need to purchase eligible fruits and vegetables at a participating retailer. They will automatically receive a dollar-for-dollar match added to their electronic benefit transfer card, which can be used at any SNAP-authorized location. You can earn up to $60 in bonus funds each month, which can then be spent on any SNAP-eligible items at any authorized retailer. There are around 30 retailers participating in the program, with some in populous areas like Boulder, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Loveland, as well as smaller towns like Mancos and Hotchkiss. Bricks and mortar retailers are not the only businesses participating, with farm stands and markets in numerous locations also taking part. What People Are Saying Abby McClelland, director of CDHS's Food and Energy Assistance Division, said in a statement: "The Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus program helps families stretch their food budget and access fruits and vegetables that they may not have bought without this incentive program. This is especially important with the increase in grocery prices that we have seen recently." Emma Kottenstette, founder of retailer Farm Runners, said: "Most people that come in know about the program and are stoked and then just keep coming back. Once they find out about the program one time, it's like they don't need any convincing." What Happens Next The program comes at a time when various states have succeeded in limiting SNAP purchases for unhealthy foods like soda and candy, with more expected to have waivers approved in the coming weeks and months. Nebraska, Iowa and Indiana have recently had waivers approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which funds the program, to eliminate certain purchases being made with SNAP benefits in a push to promote healthy eating.
The Hill
31-05-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Which states are looking to ban soda, snack purchases for SNAP recipients?
(NEXSTAR) – On May 19, Nebraska became the first state in the country to obtain a waiver from the USDA to ban residents from purchasing sugary drinks with benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). By the end of the week, the USDA had granted similar exemptions for Iowa and Indiana. Not all waivers were seeking the same restrictions, however. Nebraska's waiver will effectively prohibit the purchases of soda and energy drinks with SNAP benefits. Iowa's will ban nearly all 'taxable' food items, as defined by Iowa law. And in Illinois, SNAP recipients won't be able to buy soda or candy under the new restrictions. The benefits or consequences of such restrictions have yet to be seen, as they won't go into effect until Jan. 1, 2026. But governors in a handful of other states have already submitted requests for their own SNAP waivers, with the intention of restricting certain foods or drinks — or, in a few cases, easing restrictions — within their own food-assistance programs. In April, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) submitted a waiver seeking permission to exclude 'soft drinks and candy' from permitted SNAP purchases. Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) also filed for waivers in May, requesting exemptions to ban 'soft drinks and candy' and 'sweetened drinks and candy,' respectively. And making its way through the Utah state legislature is a bill seeking to restrict soft drink purchases under SNAP. West Virginia Gov. Patrick West Morrisey, meanwhile, has submitted a waiver to request that soda is 'no longer an entitlement' to those receiving assistance. But he also indicated that he was asking to expand access to hot foods — which are generally not permitted to be purchased with SNAP benefits. Joining him in these efforts is Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), whose waiver seeks to make sweetened beverages unavailable for purchase with food stamps, but 'permit SNAP participants to buy a full range of hot prepared foods from grocery stores, including rotisserie chickens,' a representative for the Colorado Department of Human Services confirmed to Nexstar. It's likely that many of these requests will ultimately be approved (in their current form or otherwise) by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, who approved Nebraska, Iowa, and Indiana's requests. Rollins, like many of the Republican governors who supported the idea of these waivers, credited President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy (and his 'Make America Healthy Again' initiative) with her decisions. 'President Trump has given our nation a once in a generation opportunity to change the health trajectory for our entire country,' Rollins, who was sworn in this past February, was quoted as saying in a press release last Friday. 'I look forward to signing even more waivers in the days ahead as we continue to restore the health of America,' she said. In her statement, Rollins had also included Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) among a list of governors who 'stepped up' to request a waiver. But Kelly, who was initially supportive of a waiver, has since retracted her support for any state-mandated restrictions to SNAP purchases. Kelly ultimately vetoed a bill approving a waiver request, claiming the SNAP restrictions would hurt businesses. She also said the definition of allowable foods was 'nonsensical,' as it allegedly allowed the purchases of candy bars but not protein bars or trail mix. 'I support the idea that Kansans should eat healthier. However, changes to the SNAP food assistance program should be made at the federal level, not on a patchwork, state-by-state basis,' Kelly said. Anti-hunger advocates have criticized the waivers, too, saying they add costs, boost administrative burdens, and increase stigma for people already facing food insecurity. Gina Plata-Nino, a deputy director at the nonprofit advocacy group Food Research & Action Center, had argued that Nebraska's waiver 'ignores decades of evidence showing that incentive-based approaches — not punitive restrictions — are the most effective, dignified path to improving nutrition and reducing hunger.' Until this month, the USDA had also rejected the waivers, saying there were no clear standards to define certain foods as good or bad. In addition, the agency had said restrictions would be difficult to implement, complicated and costly, and would not necessarily change recipients' food purchases or reduce health problems such as obesity. Under Rollins, though, the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) now appears much more willing to approve — and even refine — the waivers. 'FNS continues to collaborate extensively with each state on their proposals, which includes holding near daily technical assistance calls with each submitting state,' a spokesperson for the USDA told Nexstar. 'There is no perfect timeline as each State is approaching this differently.' The Associated Press contributed to this report.
CBS News
13-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Five Colorado families honored by state Department of Human Services for dedication to foster care
Five Colorado families honored by state Department of Human Services for dedication to foster care Five Colorado families honored by state Department of Human Services for dedication to foster care Five Colorado families honored by state Department of Human Services for dedication to foster care Over the weekend, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science was filled with joy and celebration. The Colorado Department of Human Services continued its annual celebration of National Foster Care Month to encourage more Coloradans to become foster parents. The Colorado Department of Human Services celebrated National Foster Care Month. Colorado Department of Human Services Five incredible families were honored for their incredible dedication to nurturing youth in our state by becoming foster parents. On average, eight children and youth enter foster care each day in Colorado. Today, there are 3,407 children and youth living with Colorado's 2,034 certified kinship and foster families. Foster parents help families thrive by providing support for children and youth in foster care while their biological parents take the time they need to learn skills to become the parents their children need. The Colorado Department of Human Services celebrated National Foster Care Month at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Cora Kemp "When families step up, it means children and youth have a chance to feel safe and supported in a loving home," said Joe Homlar, director of the Division of Child Welfare for CDHS. "These families don't just care for kids — they actively help reduce trauma and, whenever possible, help prepare children to reunite with their biological families. That kind of commitment changes lives." The five families honored include: CBS News Colorado Anchor Mekialaya White was honored to emcee the event, as a foster care advocate with weekly Wednesday's Child reports.
