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DENVER (KDVR) — The Colorado Joint Budget Committee on Thursday approved two emergency requests aimed at aiding recipients of federal benefits during the federal government shutdown.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera announced in a joint press release that the committee has approved the two measures before the suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on Nov. 1, due to the government shutdown.
The approved measures, which include up to $10 million to support food banks and pantries, come after Polis previously submitted the requested measures to the committee on Oct. 22.
The $10 million approved measure will come from General Fund revenue, expanding grants for food banks and pantries across the state in order to meet demand due to the pause of SNAP benefits.
According to the Colorado Governor’s Office, SNAP provides food access to 330,00 households across the state and benefits more than 600,000 Coloradans, half of whom are children.
The second measure will provide up to $7.5 million of previously approved funding for women, infants and children nutrition access, also during November. WIC supports access for nearly 100,000 women and children in the state, according to the press release.
“With the JBC’s approval, we are getting $10 million out the door, as the federal shutdown continues, to help food banks meet record demand and continuing to fund WIC so that no parent or child goes hungry in Colorado because Congress can’t get its act together,” Polis said. “It’s also important for families with school-aged children to know that students can still receive two free meals a day at school, ensuring kids have the nutrition needed to learn and thrive.”
How the funding will be distributed
According to the press release, the $10 million emergency funding will be distributed through the Community Food Assistance Grant Program and administered by the Trailhead Institute. The emergency funding will be released in three installments on Nov. 1, Nov. 15, and Dec. 1.
In October, only $775,000 of the original $7.5 million allocated funding for the WIC had been used. The press release said the remaining funds will now go to coverage for November benefits and local WIC agency operations. Once the federal government resumes normal operations, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will repay the state funds.
Governors nationwide urge Trump Administration
On Thursday, Polis, along with over a dozen governors across the country, urged the Trump Administration to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to “prevent a disruption to SNAP.” The letter comes after the USDA posted a notice on its website earlier this week that federal benefits would not be dispersed on Nov. 1.
“The USDA’s decision to delay SNAP assistance is unacceptable, and we urge your Administration to provide the necessary funding to deliver full benefits to vulnerable Americans in need, especially with Thanksgiving just a few weeks away,” reads the letter posted on X.
The letter also cited that the suspension of SNAP benefits will impact millions of Americans at risk of food insecurity and poverty. According to the letter, SNAP benefits also support around 388,000 jobs nationwide and over $20 billion in direct wages, which results in more than $4.5 billion in state and federal tax revenue.
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Parker Gordon
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