Colorado officials are working to restore federally funded food assistance “as rapidly as possible” after the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history ended Wednesday.
Roughly 5% of the 600,000 Coloradans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, received their full benefits for November before the Supreme Court blocked a lower court’s ruling mandating the benefits continue during the shutdown.
Now that the shutdown has ended, the remaining 95% will see their full November payments as early as Thursday, according to a news release from Colorado Gov. Jared Polis’ office.
“The federal government is finally reopening, and hardworking Americans will no longer be caught in the middle of Washington’s dysfunction,” Polis said in a statement. “… Keeping people from going hungry should always remain a top priority.”
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a Senate-created package funding federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the SNAP program.
President Donald Trump signed the legislation on Wednesday, just hours after the House passed it. The Senate had passed it on Monday.
While certain federal programs were only funded until January, the package funds the USDA through Sept. 30, 2026, including funding for full SNAP payments for the entire month of November, according to Polis’ office.
“After weeks of uncertainty, Coloradans will finally have critical access to food back,” Colorado Department of Human Services Executive Director Michelle Barnes said in a statement. “No Coloradans should ever have to be in a position where they go hungry or are unsure of where their next meal is coming from.”
All SNAP recipients will receive updates from CDHS about their November benefits in the coming days. State officials encourage people and families who still need resources to reach out to local food banks and community agencies. To find resources in your area, contact:
- Colorado 211: Dial 2-1-1 or 866-760-6489 or visit www.211colorado.org.
- Feeding Colorado Resources at www.feedingcolorado.org/find-food or info@feedingcolorado.org.
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