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Graphic reads SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in bold text over a stylized grocery bag of food items (milk carton, carrot, eggs, bread, and an apple). Background is a blurred image of food such as berries, vegetables and grains.

November 2025

What is Happening?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally funded program that helps low-income Americans buy groceries. Each month, SNAP recipients receive financial assistance that they can use to buy food via an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. This card can be used similarly to a debit card, but only for buying food products at specific locations. 

Because the federal government has halted funding during the shutdown, states have been directed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to pause the release of November SNAP benefits, leaving families uncertain about how they’ll afford food. An estimated 42 million Americans – or roughly 20 million households – will be impacted by these changes in November. 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (also known as WIC) is also at risk of running out of funding due to the current government shutdown. WIC is a federal nutrition program that provides food, education and counseling to at-risk children under 5 years old, as well as pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding individuals.

The Governor of Colorado requested emergency funding from the state’s Joint Budget Committee. This funding will allocate $3.3 million every two weeks to support food banks through mid-December, in order to help fill the federal funding gaps. This $10 million represents a fraction of the $120 million in SNAP benefits normally distributed monthly in Colorado. The governor also requested extended funding for the WIC program, which serves nearly 100,000 women and children in Colorado.

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. Feeding America receives federal funding as well as donations and has access to purchase food in bulk at lower costs. Each state has its own network of food banks. In Colorado, Feeding Colorado does logistics and helps coordinate for five partner food banks. Those include Care and Share Food Bank for southern Colorado, Community Food Share in Broomfield and Boulder County, Weld Food Bank, Food Bank for Larimer County, and in Denver, Food Bank of the Rockies.

Who Will This Impact?

The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) oversees the SNAP and WIC programs in Colorado. In 2025, more than 600,000 Coloradans (across 330,000 households) rely on SNAP for food assistance each month. 

Of the Coloradans enrolled in SNAP:

    • Approximately half are children (under the age of 18)

    • 10% are older adults (over the age of 60) 

    • 15% are adults of working age (18-60) with disabilities.

The loss of SNAP funding in November 2025 will significantly impact thousands of children (and their parents), elderly adults, and people with disabilities in Colorado. Hundreds of thousands of SNAP recipients in Colorado live in rural counties, as well, where external community supports and resources, such as food banks, may be limited. 

To learn more about who uses SNAP in Colorado and where they live, please visit this site. 

The loss of SNAP funding will also have a significant financial impact on Colorado. CDHS oversees the distribution of nearly $120 million in federal resources each month. These funds not only support Coloradans with food support, they also support local grocers, farmers, and nearly 10,000 grocery workers statewide. According to the Colorado Department of Human Services, every dollar in SNAP benefits spent in Colorado generates around $1.50 in local economic activity. SNAP is a key strength to Colorado’s local economies, and its loss this month will have widespread consequences. 

To learn more about the full impact of this issue on Coloradans please read this (continuously updated) report from Colorado’s leading food assistance organizations. 

Where Can I Go For Help?

If you are a SNAP recipient in need of assistance, please contact: 

    1. Colorado 211: Dial 2-1-1 or (866)760-6489 or visit www.211colorado.org

    1. Feeding Colorado Resources as www.feedingcolorado.org/find-food or email info@feedingcolorado.org

When the shutdown ends, there will be more information to share about the future of SNAP benefits. More up-to-date information can be found on the Colorado PEAK website: https://co.gov/peak

Those able to help are encouraged to donate to local food banks. While canned goods are welcomed, financial donations go further — every dollar helps food banks purchase and distribute more meals statewide. Donations can be made at feedingcolorado.org/donate

Additional Resources:

    • DoorDash –  For SNAP recipients, DoorDash is also waiving delivery and service fees for 300,000 grocery orders in November. The offer applies to participating grocers, including Sprouts, Dollar General, Food Lion, Giant, Stop & Shop, Hy-Vee and Wegmans. Customers must link their SNAP/EBT card in the DoorDash app to qualify.

    • Gopuff –  offering up to $50 in SNAP-eligible groceries for free during November, split into two $25 credits. Users must link their SNAP EBT card to their Gopuff account and use promo code SNAPRELIEF1 between Nov. 1 – 15 and SNAPRELIEF2 between Nov. 16 – 30 to receive the discount and free delivery. The offer is limited to 200,000 users per wave. 

Apps free to use and help save money on food: Need to download 

    • Flipp – Shop Grocery Deals – Enter zip code and find the best price on specific food items.

    • FlashFood Grocery Deals – Heavily discounted food in stores based on your location.

    • Too Good To Go –  Heavily discounted food from restaurants based on your location. 

How Can I Support My Community?

    • Donate Food: The emergency food system is seeing a surge in demand for food as federal workers and others go without paychecks and as Coloradans experience disruptions in their food benefits. This is at a time when food banks are already stretched due to sustained high need. Ask your local food pantry what donations they need the most.

    • Donate Money: Financial donations to food banks and food assistance organizations often have a stronger impact than physical donations, as food banks can purchase food items they need the most at lower-than-market prices.