View report highlights; how Colorado and all 64 counties are performing; why it matters to Coloradans, communities and our economy; proposed solutions to improve food stamp administration and access; and how you can take action to address hunger in your community and across the state. Access the 2019 county impact reports.
NEW DATA: Food Stamps Administration has Improved in Colorado, but Opportunity for Progress Remains
On March 27th, Hunger Free Colorado released its fourth annual “Food Stamp Impact Reports” for all 64 counties, detailing the efficiency and effectiveness of food stamps in Colorado. Food stamps, federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a state-supervised, county-administered program. The resulting conclusions are informed by examining enrollment, economic impact and performance in each county across the state.
Thanks to the hard work of the state and counties! Our reports show that food stamp access and enrollment are already improving. Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go until all Coloradans have the fuel needed to reach their full potential.
Highlights from the released data include:
- In 2016 and 2017, Colorado was awarded more than $2 million in federal performance bonuses. These awards were for timeliness and accuracy in the Food Stamp Program, meaning clients are getting benefits faster.
- Colorado ranks 43rd in the nation for access to food stamps with only 60 percent of those eligible getting the nutritious food they need. This falls below the national average of 73 percent for enrollment.
- Food stamps are supporting local businesses like grocers, ranches and farms. Food stamp benefits brought more than $700 million to local Colorado economies in 2017 at an amplified economic impact of more than $1.25 billion.
- Colorado leaves millions of federal dollars on the table and loses more than $235 million annually in grocery sales.
We can and must do better. Ensuring all Coloradans have enough to eat is one way that communities take care of their own—and food stamps help make this possible.
How is Your County Performing?
View your county’s impact report and
find out how it ranks compared to the state average.
Each report also includes the food stamp data for the county and state, including participation, performance and economic activity.
The newly released report examine outcomes at a county level, comparing each county’s performance with the state averages for participation and economic impact, as well as national standards for timely and accurate application processing. The analysis follows the same method as the USDA performance measures used to award bonuses to well-performing states.
With this information, we can continue to work together, tailor best practices to overcome local barriers, and move forward a shared vision for improving food stamp enrollment across the state.
Why the Food Stamp Impact Report Matters
Regardless of where you live, we’re all at our best when we have enough to eat. We know that adequate, nutritious food helps babies develop, gives kids the needed energy to excel in school, reduces the risk of chronic diseases in adults, and keeps older adults stable and independent.
Just as constructing a solid house requires a variety of materials, building well-being requires community resources like access to healthy, affordable food. When materials are cheap or not even available, the foundation is not as strong as it could be and soon may develop cracks. Similarly, nutritious food is one of those key materials for all people, and without it, we may have difficulty weathering life’s storms.
Community resources like food stamps, federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, exist to ensure families and individuals can purchase groceries. This public investment provides eligible families and individuals with modest monthly funds—averaging $1.40 per person, per meal—to buy food using a pre-loaded Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card.
Such a public investment not only supports healthier lives, but it also has very tangible economic benefits. Food stamps support local businesses like groceries and farms; these benefits brought more than $700 million to local Colorado economies at an amplified economic impact of more than $1.25 billion in 2017 alone.
What Are the Solutions?
Federal nutrition programs, along with state and local counterparts, play an important role in connecting people of all ages, backgrounds and zip codes to needed food. By supporting people throughout their lives, we can ensure everyone reaches their potential, which benefits all of us.
Based upon all of the available data and research, Hunger Free Colorado recommends the following solutions to benefit all in the state:
- Embrace food stamps as a tool for promoting well-being and economic growth for Colorado families and our state.
- Prioritize full enrollment of families and individuals with limited incomes in Colorado’s Food Assistance Program.
- Increase collaboration between counties to identify and implement best practices, such as extended office hours, investing in outreach or using collaborative workflow management systems.
- Utilize these reports as an advocacy tool for better policies and practices around food stamp enrollment and to better understand opportunities in Colorado communities.
What Can You Do?
Use your voice to help strengthen your community and ensure all Coloradans have access to nutritious food!
With community members and local organizations demonstrating broad support for food assistance, we can demonstrate how much the administration of food stamps matters to Coloradans and why it should be a priority in our state and within our counties.
Here’s how you can take action:
- Contact your state legislators via email or phone to let them know addressing hunger should be a top priority and an efficient, effective food stamp program is one of the primary ways to ensure no one goes hungry across Colorado. Use this online look-up to easily find their contact information.
- Receive our advocacy alerts and updates. Sign-up to be notified when lawmakers are considering bills and proposals that impact those struggling with hunger.
- Amplify your voice online. Use #copolitics and #Hungry4ChangeCO. Tweet to @CO_CDHS.
- Write a letter to the editor, voicing why Colorado and your community needs to make an investment in addressing hunger and ensuring we have a strong, effective food assistance program.
- Attend a community meeting with elected officials in attendance. This is a powerful way to engage with key decision makers. Share what hunger looks like and why food stamps matter in your community; talk about the challenges and successes within the current administration of the program; and discuss possible solutions.
- Discuss the issue of hunger and share your county’s impact report with others. Talk about what hunger looks like, why food stamps matter and what possible solutions exist. (Find out more about the impact of hunger and why nutrition programs like food stamps matter.)
Have any questions about the Food Stamp Impact Reports? Email us!