While the stock market may be up and our local economy may seem strong, thousands of families from Parachute to Aspen continue to live paycheck to paycheck, relying on food assistance from nonprofits like LIFT-UP.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” that was signed into law last week will only make life harder for them.
The law makes historic cuts to federal safety net programs, and food banks across the nation are bracing for a steep rise in need for their services in the coming years.
It’s a double whammy for those who are already most at risk of food insecurity:
- Cuts to SNAP: About 1 in 10 Coloradans receive benefits through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which pays a modest food allowance to families with low-paying jobs, low-income older adults, people with disabilities and others. According to Feeding Colorado, 36,000 residents of our state could lose some or all of their SNAP benefits as a result of the law.
- Medicaid cuts: The Urban Institute estimates that between 95,000 and 108,000 Coloradans could lose Medicaid coverage because of this legislation. Those families – most of whom are already food insecure – will have to pay more for their health care, cutting even further into their food budgets.
As the federal government steps back, nonprofits and their compassionate supporters will have to step up to fill the gap.
Food insecurity is likely to rise to levels last seen during the pandemic. Fortunately, this time we can see it coming and prepare. LIFT-UP is actively developing contingency plans to position itself for the looming crisis.
If you have the means to do so, please donate to help put LIFT-UP in a good place to respond quickly and meet the anticipated demand. If you have already given recently, thank you!
