When We Hear the Word “Crisis”
This past week I have taken part in several discussions regarding the government shutdown and how it will affect families in our community and across the country. Friends, it is overwhelming.
This November, families across Colorado — including thousands right here in Adams County — are facing an unimaginable challenge. SNAP benefits will not be issued this month, leaving many households without the critical support they rely on to feed their families. For the 30,300 children in Adams County who depend on these benefits to eat most days, this isn’t just a policy delay — it’s an empty pantry, an anxious parent, and a child going to bed hungry.
The timing for this funding gap could not be more difficult. As we move into the holiday season, a time meant for warmth, family, and gratitude, many of our neighbors are wondering how they’ll put food on the table. The week of Thanksgiving will be especially hard for families already struggling to make ends meet. With schools closed and kids at home, students will be without the free breakfast and lunch they receive each day.
At Food for Hope, we believe no child should ever wonder where they are getting their next meal. Through our school-based food programs, including 9 in-school food pantries, we’re working to fill the gap left by this sudden SNAP interruption. But we can’t do it alone. We need our community — neighbors helping neighbors, families supporting families — to step forward in this moment of need. Every donation, every hour volunteered, and every word shared makes a difference.
To respond to this crisis, we’ve created a SNAP Benefits Emergency Fund — providing extra support for families hit hardest by this pause. Any contribution amount will help, as we seek to stock extra food in our pantries, distribute food-use only gift cards for fresh items, and distribute extra food bags over the next month. If you aren’t able to give, then please share this initiative. Whether it's Food for Hope or another organization in your neighborhood, every local pantry is being stretched by this need and can use your help!
This November, as we gather around our own tables, let’s remember those whose tables are empty — and let’s fill them together. Because when one family struggles, our entire community feels it. And when we come together, hope grows.
Support the SNAP Benefits Emergency Fund today — and give hope to families who need it most.
