New Data: 12,598 Colorado Kids Have Already Lost SNAP Benefits

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Report shows 33,681 Coloradans, including 12,598 kids, have already lost SNAP benefits due to HR1 WASHINGTON – New analysis from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities shows that 33,681 total Coloradans, including 12,598 kids, have already lost SNAP benefits under President Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Act. The data, which covers the period between the law’s enactment in July 2025 and June 2026, shows that a total 1.5 million U.S. children have lost access to affordable food through SNAP. “There’s nothing more cruel than a wealthy nation that lets its children go hungry, especially as grocery prices keep climbing,” said Hickenlooper. “ President Trump took away food assistance from over 12,000 Colorado kids. And for what? So he could hand billionaires another tax break.” The Trump administration and congressional Republicans enacted the deepest cuts to federal nutrition programs in history by slashing federal funding for SNAP and imposing those costs onto states. In the last year, they slashed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $186 billion, imposed harsh new bureaucratic requirements that stripped food assistance from millions of Americans, and refused to fund SNAP during the federal government shutdown in fall 2025. An estimated 40% of SNAP recipients are children. Hickenlooper has led the charge against new provisions that require states to spend more of their state budgets to cover SNAP benefits and administrative costs associated with them. On average, states will be forced to spend two to three times of their previous SNAP budget on the program. In Colorado, SNAP cost-share will rise from $94 million to $272 million, a 188% increase. In response to these cuts, Hickenlooper introduced the Universal Meals Program Act, which would provide free school breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack to all school children, regardless of where they live or their family’s ability to pay. ###