Reduced Food Stamp Benefits Will ‘Likely Lead to More Homelessness,’ Says Advocate

As Colorado scrambles to assist food banks that are struggling to keep their shelves stocked in the wake of federal reductions in SNAP benefits, advocates warn that the state’s actions primarily help recipients who have housing, leaving those on the streets especially vulnerable.

There are more than 52,000 unhoused individuals across the state, and SNAP acts as a lifeline for many of them. The government shutdown has led to delays and reductions in SNAP benefits, with the Trump administration promising yesterday to pay for only a portion of the program’s cost while the government is closed.

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH), a housing, healthcare, and advocacy organization, estimates that at least half of its 20,000 annual clients receive SNAP benefits, commonly known as food stamps.

“People experiencing or at risk of homelessness are already struggling to afford housing and health care in the face of rising prices and cuts to federal programs,” said Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy officer for CCH, in a press release on Tuesday. “With delayed, reduced, and potentially altogether missing SNAP payments, those already struggling are likely to either forgo eating or be forced to spend limited resources on food instead of housing and healthcare, which will likely lead to more homelessness.”

The Colorado Legislature’s approval of $10 million in emergency funding for food banks, along with additional support for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition access, will be of limited value to unhoused people, states the CCH release. 

Addressing food insecurity in unhoused communities poses unique challenges, as many individuals lack the means to cook nutritious meals from the raw ingredients often provided by food banks.

The SNAP program is well-suited to serving the unhoused, as it enables them to purchase prepared and heated foods.

The coalition has created a list of resources for its clients to turn to, including hot food locations and other organizations serving the unhoused community.