On January 14, Colorado lawmakers return to the State Capitol to begin the 2026 Legislative Session. Over the next 120 days, lawmakers’ decisions will shape whether families across Colorado can continue to count on reliable access to food at school, at the grocery store, and in their communities. Hunger Free Colorado is focused on two policy priorities that directly impact families’ ability to access food: fully implementing Healthy School Meals for All and keeping SNAP strong.
From the Ballot Box to the Lunchroom: Sustaining Healthy School Meals for All
This past November, Colorado voters made their values clear: protect healthy food access for children and families. By passing Propositions LL and MM, voters secured the future of Healthy School Meals for All—ensuring access to free, healthy school meals continues for every public-school student, and all components of the program can be fully implemented.
This session, Hunger Free Colorado will be focused on making sure Healthy School Meals for All continues to reach students across the state through the state budget process. That means ensuring schools have the resources they need to provide meals and build a strong, stable program for the future, including funding to:
- Continue offering free school meals for all public-school students
- Increase purchases from local Colorado farmers and producers
- Provide training and support for schools to cook more meals from scratch
- Support parent and student advisory committees so families have a voice
- Raise wages for school nutrition professionals who prepare and serve meals
- Build a reserve fund to keep the program stable when costs or revenue fluctuate
From Federal Cuts to State Action: Keeping SNAP Strong
Once Healthy School Meals for All is fully funded, more than $60 million in remaining Proposition MM funds are expected to be available to help keep SNAP strong as federal cuts and cost shifts take effect.
As food costs rise and federal support declines, more Colorado families are struggling to afford groceries. SNAP is a critical lifeline and one of the most effective anti-hunger tools we have, helping more than 600,000 Coloradans put food on the table each month.
But SNAP works best when the full system is strong—when families can get help applying and renewing, benefits are processed quickly and accurately, and people have support to stretch their food dollars. Starting this coming year, the federal government is requiring states to pay a larger share of SNAP costs, with those costs rising even further in future years, while many of the supports that make the program accessible are at risk or have already been cut.
This session, Hunger Free Colorado and our partners are advocating to use Proposition MM funds to:
- Support SNAP administration, so families receive timely benefits through reliable state and county staffing, systems, and operations
- Invest in SNAP outreach and community-based nutrition education, so families can get connected to the program, stretch their food dollars, and cook healthy meals on a budget
- Build a reserve to help cover rising SNAP costs in future years as federal support continues to decline
Alongside our partners at Nourish Colorado, Provecho Collective, and Feeding Colorado, Hunger Free Colorado will be pushing to protect the full system because a strong SNAP is a strong Colorado.
From Community Power to Action
Progress on food access comes from us showing up, organizing in community, and making our voices heard. We won Propositions LL and MM by building collective power and now it’s time to bring that power to the State Capitol.
As lawmakers make decisions that will shape food access across Colorado, we need your voice at the table. Sign up for action alerts and policy updates to stay informed and take action this session.