Colorado lawmakers face deadline to get children in need food benefits next summer

As Gov. Jared Polis called the Colorado Legislature back into special session Thursday over property tax relief, added on was another matter of business that Colorado may need to complete to start a program for families with school children to get food benefits next summer.

"This is the first year that Colorado can take advantage of this program, and by getting to work now we make sure that we have the time that we need to get everything in place and make it a success," said Ellie Agar, director of communications for Hunger Free Colorado.

The program is entitled Summer EBT. It could help more than 300,000 children in the state by offering families with low incomes $40 per month per child in the summer. Hunger Free Colorado says that is a time when child hunger typically strikes. That is partly because many of the children get meals during the school year. It would mean families with school-aged children eligible for free or reduced price school meals would be eligible.

"Kids are eating a lot more and the price of food is getting a lot more expensive. So that would be a lot more helpful," said Jessica, a mother of five, including a 4 month old, as she emerged from a grocery store.

She has had other benefits that have helped feed her family. They will continue. WIC benefits are focused on pregnant and post-partum mothers and children. SNAP benefits are for the entire family.

There was food relief for families during the pandemic, but those benefits have ended. This program would be similar.

"I have seven of them so I definitely know and we're on a tight, tight budget and meal planning and all that is very wise for me. Otherwise, we wouldn't know where we get our next meal from," said Rhonda Myles outside the store.

Myles also has a 4 month old among her children. Her husband is retired. She works for Amazon. Benefits during the pandemic helped put good food on the table.

"During the summertime when they were on break and everything like that it really, really helped us through."

Agar noted that hunger is also about the quality of food that can be helped with the ability to purchase healthier meals. "Yes you can get cheap calories, but you might not really be able to be productive, or you might have brain fog or different things, you're just not eating the right foods."

The program approved at the end of 2022 was part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. There are deadlines to meet in early 2024 to get the program set up so it can start in the summer of 2024. While Congress provided funding, likely to be about $35 million for Colorado, the state and federal government will share the cost of administering the program.