Federal food assistance will end Nov. 1 with the government shutdown grinding on. Local food banks in Colorado are trying to get ahead of the curve.
"We're preparing for a significant surge," said Kristina Thomas with Community Food Share in Louisville. Community Food Share runs an on-site food pantry and a mobile truck that sets up at different locations. They've purchased about $200,000 worth of food and are asking the community for donations.
"Last week, we had double the number of applicants coming to our pantry to sign up than we typically would in a single week," Thomas said. "We know that this is the tip of the iceberg for a lot of people, especially as we go further and further into November, if people continue to miss paychecks.
If Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits end, about 22,000 families in Boulder and Broomfield Counties will be affected. Thomas points out that even if the government reopens tomorrow, there will still be a delay in benefits.
In Routt County, funding reserves are covering two weeks of food assistance for more than 400 households. The county is distributing $60,000 in grocery gift cards. If the government shutdown goes deep into November, the county will reassess its options.
"Lift Up is serving 1 in 7 of our neighbors in Routt County - it's a serious issue - I think that the cost of living here contributes greatly to food insecurity," said Sue Fegelein.
Fegelein directs the nonprofit Lift Up, which operates two food pantries in Steamboat Springs and Oak Creek. She says the organization has a plan to serve families in need if benefits aren't restored before the county funding runs out.
"We're very fortunate in Routt County that the county itself has a planned response for the first two weeks of the SNAP deficit," said Fegelein. " We're just entering our busiest season, and with the cuts, we're not really sure what we're going to see in November."
Meanwhile, the state legislature has approved a request from Gov. Polis for $10 million to support food banks across Colorado.
