A Lifeline for Low-Income Families
Colorado Summer EBT Program Provides Grocery Assistance
According to the report of CHALKBEAT, Colorado is gearing up to help lots of low-income families during the summer. They starting something called the Summer EBT program. This is a way to give families some extra money for groceries when school meals are available. Each child in these families will get $120 to spend on food. The state passed a law last November to join this program which is mostly paid for by the government with a little help from the state.
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Bridging the Gap in Childhood Hunger Relief
This new program builds on what Colorado has already been doing to fight hunger in kids. They started a plan in 2022 where most students can get free meals at school no matter how much money their family makes. Families can get these Summer EBT cards if they already get help from programs like SNAP Medicaid or Colorado Works. If their kids usually get free or reduced price meals at school they can get these cards too. Families will get letters in May telling them about the Summer EBT program. After that they all get cards in the mail with the money already on them. To use the money families just need to set up a PIN number. If a family thinks they eligible for the program but did not get a letter they can call for help. Even though families will have these cards kids can still go to local schools or other places to get free meals during the summer. This is all part of Colorado effort to make sure no kid goes hungry when school is out.