SALIDA, CO – Food security within our community and ensuring the ability of our local residents and families to nourish their bodies with good food is a major priority for Chaffee County Government leaders. Departments across the County, as well as many community partners, have been actively monitoring the situations potentially affecting food access due to the on-going federal government shutdown and have been developing a local response action plan. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are an important resource that provide food assistance benefits for 1,200 of our local households. Because of the
federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not released the funds that Colorado uses to pay SNAP (food assistance) benefits. Chaffee County Department of Human Services (DHS) wants to alert local residents to
possible interruptions in the SNAP benefits until the federal government restores funding. While the state of Colorado has confirmed that SNAP benefits for October are secure, there is growing concern about November benefits being delayed or withheld if the federal shutdown continues. Chaffee County Government and its many partners are preparing additional local support to support impacted community members.
What Chaffee County Residents Should Know:
● October SNAP benefits are not affected – Colorado has already obligated funding for October SNAP payments, which means recipients will continue to receive their benefits as scheduled this month.
● November and future months’ SNAP benefits are uncertain at this time. If Congress does not act to restore federal funding, distributions in November and beyond could be delayed or suspended.
● Applications and renewals for SNAP will continue. Chaffee County will continue processing new applications and renewals so that when federal funding resumes, eligible households are ready to receive benefits.
● If you are a current SNAP benefits recipient, monitor the DHS page on the Chaffee County website for more information and to access on-going updates at www.chaffeecounty.org/departments/human_services/index.php
● Reach out to 2‑1‑1 Colorado, local food banks, or partner organizations if you need immediate food assistance. A summary of local resources is posted at www.chaffeecommunity.org/safetynet.
What DHS and Chaffee County Is Doing in Response:
● Through coordinated work with the County, community partners, and nonprofit organizations, a coalition is working to activate additional resources to help bridge service gaps due to the federal government shutdown, especially for households at risk of facing food insecurity in the coming weeks.
● The food security coalition is enacting a local emergency assistance plan to provide short-term support to families who may lose SNAP benefits.
● DHS will be issuing daily informational updates via phone messages and through the County website to help residents stay informed. Follow at www.chaffeecounty.org/departments/human_services/index.php
How Can You Help?
● Consider donating to the Chaffee County Community Foundation (CCCF) to the Emergency Response Fund to help address critical food insecurity issues within the community. Learn more on how to help with funding, to volunteer, and provide food product donations for local pantries at www.chaffeecommunity.org/safetynet.
● If you have questions, input, or resources to share with the community, contributions are welcome from community agencies, stakeholder groups, and residents. Reach out to DHS at any time: 719.530.2500 or
● Be understanding and supportive of one another during these challenging times – the federal government shutdown is a complicated and dynamic situation. Many details are still unknown, and Chaffee County’s local plans will have to continuously
adapt in response to new direction from federal and state levels. Chaffee County Department of Human Services is committed to keeping residents informed, proactively supporting households at risk, and working collaboratively with state and local partners to mitigate any disruption to the critical SNAP food access program -and, above all, ensuring local families are supported.
