Colorado steps up as SNAP funding halts
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The legislative budget committee approved Gov. Jared Polis' plan to spend $10 million from the reserve to help food banks meet increasing demand with the expiration of SNAP benefits tomorrow.
Zoom out: Colorado is one of six states to both boost food bank funding and offer direct financial aid.
Why it matters: Roughly 42 million Americans — including nearly 600,000 Coloradans — are going to struggle to put food on the table.
What he's saying: The money will help "food banks meet record demand and [continue] to fund [Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children] so that no parent or child goes hungry in Colorado because Congress can't get its act together," Polis said yesterday.
Catch up quick: The USDA said last week it can't use contingency funds to cover SNAP during the shutdown — and states won't be reimbursed if they front the costs.