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The Basics
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps you pay for food; it is Colorado’s part of the federal SNAP program and is managed by the Colorado Department of Human Services.
You may qualify for SNAP if your family has low income. If you get Colorado Works or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you could automatically qualify.
When you get SNAP, you get an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card that looks and works like a debit card. Colorado puts money on the EBT card each month and you use the card to pay for food.
Once approved for SNAP, you can use your EBT card at grocery stores, some restaurants, and farmers markets. The amount of money you get each month depends on your family size and income. With Colorado’s Double Up Food Bucks program, you may be able to get twice the food for the same price at partnering stores and farmers markets.
This article introduces SNAP, explains eligibility rules, and answers frequently asked questions about the program.
If you need help applying for SNAP or have questions about your benefits, you can contact one of Colorado’s SNAP Application Assistance Outreach Partners:
- Benefits in Action online or by phone at 1-720-221-8354 or 1-888-496-4252
- Hunger Free Colorado online or by phone at 1-855-855-4626
- Online at Benefits Launch Express
-
Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado online, by email, or by phone in::
- Alamosa 1-719-888-4955
- Colorado Springs 1-719-528-1247
- Pueblo 1-719-296-6995
Learn more
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI helps people with disabilities and seniors who have low income and resources.
Colorado Works
Colorado Works helps families pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent.
Housing
Section 8, public housing, and other programs help pay for housing.
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Application
You can apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP):
- Online using Colorado PEAK. You can also use Colorado PEAK to check your eligibility for SNAP and other benefits.
- Using the MyCOBenefits app available from Google Play or Apple’s App Store.
- Using a paper application for benefits: print it, fill it out, and then either mail or fax it to your local county human services department. There are application forms in English, Spanish, and large print.
- In person at your local county human services department.
When you apply for SNAP, you may need to provide documentation of:
- Your citizenship status
- Any roommates or family living in your home. Note: If you use personal care attendants, you do not need to include them as members of your household.
- Your disability
- Your income
- Your resources
- Your medical expenses, and
- Housing or shelter costs.
Once you have applied for SNAP, the county human services office may call you for an eligibility or fact-finding interview. Your application is processed within 30 days from the date of your application.
Colorado’s SNAP Application Assistance Outreach Partners can help you learn more about SNAP and how to apply. Some help statewide, while others help in local areas.
Find a SNAP Application Assistance Outreach Partner near you:
- Benefits Launch Express is an online tool that tells you if you qualify for SNAP based on your living situation and income.
- Benefits in Action’s Book a Navigator service lets you meet with a specialist who can help you apply for SNAP. You can also call Benefits in Action at 1-720-221-8354 or 1-888-496-4252, or email them.
- Hunger Free Colorado can tell you more about SNAP and help you apply. You can call them at 1-855-855-4642.
- Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado has offices in Alamosa, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo. You can call them in Alamosa at 1-719-888-4955, in Colorado Springs at 1-719-528-1247, and in Pueblo at 1-719-296-6995. You can also send them questions by email.
Appeals
If your application is denied or you do not agree with a decision that was made, you can contact your county human services department. They might just need more information from you. If you cannot resolve the issue, you can file an appeal.
Reporting Changes in your Life Circumstances
You must tell SNAP when your income, resources, or living situation changes. Always report these changes by the 10th of the month following the change, so that you don’t run into problems with your SNAP benefits. Your local county human services department will give you instructions on how to report changes and you can also report changes online through Colorado PEAK.
Learn more
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI helps people with disabilities and seniors who have low income and resources.
Colorado Works
Colorado Works helps families pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent.
Housing
Section 8, public housing, and other programs help pay for housing.
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Eligibility
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is for people who meet income limits and other requirements to get help paying for their food. When you apply for SNAP, you need to give details about how much money everyone in your household makes. If you make more money than the program allows, you don't qualify for SNAP.
Eligibility may also depend on things like if you (or someone in your household) has a disability or is 60 years old or older. This article focuses on the rules for people with disabilities.
Income and Resources
If you have a disability or are 60 years old or older, the state looks at your income and household composition to decide if you qualify for SNAP.
Note: If you use personal care or live-in attendants that help you in your home, they may be considered members of your SNAP household depending on how you are related. Personal care or live-in attendants are considered mandatory members of your SNAP household if they are your spouse, your child under 22 years old, or a child under the age of 18 under your parental care and control.
The Resource Limit
Resources are things you own, like a car, home, or money in the bank. To get SNAP, you must stay below the resource limit by having a limited number of resources. In general, the resource limit for people with disabilities is $4,500. The home you live in and one vehicle are not counted as resources.
Note: If your disability began before you turned 26, you can open an ABLE account where you can save up to $18,000 each year and that money will not be counted as resources by SNAP. Learn more about ABLE accounts.
Gross and Net Income Limits
The SNAP income limits depend on the size of your household. There are two limits and if your household income is below one of them, you may qualify for benefits:
- The gross income limit is 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG). Gross income includes all of your household income, before taxes and deductions.
- The net income limit is 100% of FPG. Net income is your gross income minus the allowable deductions described below.
Deductions
To figure out your net income for SNAP, take your gross household income and subtract the following deductions if they apply to your household:
- 20% of your earned income
- A standard deduction of $198 if three or fewer people live in your home, or $208 if four or more people live in your home
- A dependent care deduction when needed for work, training, or education
- Medical expenses for elderly or disabled members that are more than $35 for the month if they are not paid by insurance or someone else
- Legally owed child support payments
- Depending on your income, you may also deduct utilities, rent, or mortgage payments and interest, and taxes on your home.
See the full list of possible deductions.
Number of people in your household: | |
SNAP guidelines for your household: | |
$15,060 | |
$5,380 | |
$292 | |
$536 | |
$768 | |
$975 | |
$1,158 | |
$1,390 | |
$1,536 | |
$1,756 | |
Gross income limit per month (200% FPG) | |
Net income limit per month (100% FPG) | |
Maximum monthly benefit |
The Benefit Amount
If you qualify for benefits, SNAP calculates how much you get in benefits each month. The amount you get is based on the maximum benefit for a household of your size, your household’s net income, and other factors.
If your household has no monthly net income, SNAP may give the maximum benefit amount for a household of your size. Note: Household size is based on the number of eligible household members; some household members may not be eligible.
If you do have net income, SNAP expects you to spend 30% of it on food. This means that for every $100 in net income, SNAP expects you to spend $30 on food. SNAP gives you the maximum monthly benefit minus the amount they expect you to spend on food.
Tim lives alone and gets income from Social Security benefits and work. His net income is $500. After he deducts his medical expenses and shelter allowance, his benefits amount is calculated like this:
Learn more
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI helps people with disabilities and seniors who have low income and resources.
Colorado Works
Colorado Works helps families pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent.
Housing
Section 8, public housing, and other programs help pay for housing.
SNAP
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How to Use SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) puts your monthly benefit on the Colorado EBT card, which works like a debit card. The Colorado EBT Card can be used wherever you see the “QUEST” logo outside a grocery store or merchant. Many farmers markets also accept SNAP benefits.
You can use SNAP benefits to buy:
-
Foods for the household to eat, such as:
- Breads and cereals
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meats, fish, and poultry
- Dairy products, and
- Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat.
SNAP benefits cannot be used to buy:
- Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco
-
Any nonfood items, such as:
- Pet foods
- Soaps
- Paper products
- Household supplies
- Vitamins and medicines
- Food to be eaten in the store or hot foods, and
- Food in a restaurant.
See the complete rules on how to use the EBT card, including stores where it cannot be used.
The Double Up Food Bucks program doubles the value of SNAP benefits at participating markets and food stores. Double Up Food Bucks can help you get healthy fruits and vegetables while also helping local farmers and businesses. Find a nearby Double Up Food Bucks partner or see the full list of partners.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) gives free food to people with low income, through soup kitchens or food banks. TEFAP gives an extra food box, on top of your SNAP benefits. If you get SNAP, you automatically qualify for TEFAP.
Learn more about TEFAP, including ways you might get it even if you don’t get SNAP.
Get more info about TEFAP:
- The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a TEFAP website.
- View a full list of TEFAP distribution partners in Colorado, including when they distribute food boxes.
- Food Bank of the Rockies lets you search for a food bank.
Learn more
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI helps people with disabilities and seniors who have low income and resources.
Colorado Works
Colorado Works helps families pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent.
Housing
Section 8, public housing, and other programs help pay for housing.
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Example
Marcela's Story
Marcela lives with her husband, brother, and two children. She works part-time for a local community center. Her brother was in a car accident several years back and since then, injuries from the accident have limited him to working just a few hours per week.
Even so, Marcela’s family never had trouble making ends meet until Marcela’s husband was laid off from his job. They were still able to pay for rent, but money got tight. Marcela decided that they needed help paying for food.
Her first step was to learn about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at the Colorado Department of Human Services (DHS) SNAP webpage. Next, she called the DHS information line at 1-303-866-5700 to get more info about SNAP.
Applying for SNAP
Marcela applied for SNAP online using Colorado PEAK. On the application, she stated her family’s income, resources, and living situation. The website also gave Marcela a list of documents she may need to give the county human services department, so Marcela gathered her pay stubs, bank records, and other proof of her family’s income and situation in case they needed it.
About a week after turning in the application, Marcela got a letter from her county human services department saying that she may qualify for SNAP, but she had to do an interview first. During the interview, they discussed Marcela’s brother’s disability and so when SNAP figured how much Marcela’s family should get in benefits, they deducted the money Marcela’s family spent on medical care for her brother from their family income. That meant they’d get more SNAP than they otherwise would.
Using SNAP
About two weeks after her phone interview, Marcela got a letter saying that her family had been approved for $400 a month in SNAP benefits. This was the maximum benefit amount for households of five ($1,158), minus the net income that Marcela had from her job. She also got her Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card in the mail, along with instructions about how to use it.
Before she went to the store, Marcela set up her Colorado PEAK account for SNAP using her case information on her approval letter. She then used the MyCOBenefits app on her phone to see how much she had in SNAP benefits on her EBT card. That way, she knew how much she could spend on food at the store.
The first time she went to the store, Marcela looked in the window to make sure it had the “QUEST” logo; that way her EBT Card would work. She picked up some groceries and when she reached the cashier, she pulled out her EBT Card and paid for her food items with her SNAP benefits without any problems.
Then, she went to the local farmers market, which participated in the Double Up Food Bucks program, meaning she could get a great deal on fruits and veggies. She knew it was apple season and some ripe apples would go great with breakfast.
Learn more
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI helps people with disabilities and seniors who have low income and resources.
Colorado Works
Colorado Works helps families pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent.
Housing
Section 8, public housing, and other programs help pay for housing.
Try It
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps you pay for food. It is Colorado’s part of the federal SNAP program. SNAP used to be known as Food Stamps.
Who can get SNAP?
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is for people who can’t afford all their food. Most households have to meet income limits to qualify for the program.
What is the resource limit for SNAP?
For people with disabilities, the SNAP resource limit is $4,500. This does not include your primary car or the home you live in.
If you have a disability that began before you turned 26, you can open an ABLE account where you can save up to $18,000 each year (or more if you work). The money you have in this account will not count for the SNAP resource limit. Learn more about ABLE accounts.
I’m not sure if I’ll meet the income and resource limits for SNAP. Can I still qualify?
If you are not sure if you’ll meet the income and resource limits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), go ahead and apply for SNAP benefits to see if you qualify.
If we qualify, how much SNAP will we get?
The amount you get depends on your household income, what deductions you have, and the number of people in your household.
Learn more about how SNAP decides how much you get in benefits.
How do I apply for SNAP?
You can apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP):
- Online using Colorado PEAK. You can also use Colorado PEAK to see if you are eligible for SNAP and other benefits.
- Using the MyCOBenefits app available from Google Play or Apple’s App Store.
- Using a paper application for benefits: print it, fill it out, and then either mail or fax it to your local county human services department. There are application forms in English, Spanish, and large print.
- In person at your local county human services department.
How do I use SNAP?
When you get SNAP, you get an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card that looks and works like a debit card. Colorado puts money on the EBT card each month and you use the card to pay for food. You can use your EBT card at grocery stores, some restaurants, and farmers markets.
Do I need to tell the county human services department if there are changes to my household situation?
To avoid problems with your SNAP benefits, report any changes in your household by the 10th of the month following the month that the change occurred. When you start getting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, you get instructions on how to report changes in your household and what to report, including how to report changes online or to your county human services department.
I remember a program called Food Stamps. Is SNAP like it?
SNAP is the same program as what you knew as Food Stamps. It got its name from giving paper “stamps” to buy food. Now, SNAP uses an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Card.
Learn more
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI helps people with disabilities and seniors who have low income and resources.
Colorado Works
Colorado Works helps families pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent.
Housing
Section 8, public housing, and other programs help pay for housing.
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Frequent Pitfalls
Not applying because you think you won’t get SNAP
Tens of millions of people use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to get healthy food each day. If you apply for SNAP and are approved, you get money for groceries and other healthy food. If you apply and are denied, nothing will change in your life (you can also choose to appeal the decision). So there’s no harm in applying and a lot of potential benefits if you are approved.
Not attending your phone or in-office interview
After you apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the county human services department may call you for an interview. This is to make sure they understand your needs. The interview may be done by phone or in person.
Be sure to attend your interview or to contact your local county human services department to reschedule it if you miss it. SNAP may deny your application if you don’t complete a required interview.
Not reporting changes to your income or living situation
When you start getting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, you get instructions on how to report changes in your household and what to report, including on how to report changes online. To avoid problems with your SNAP benefits, report any changes by the 10th of the month following the month that the change occurred.
Going to a store or restaurant that does not accept SNAP
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is used to buy food for the household to eat and should be used at stores with the “QUEST” logo. You are not allowed to use SNAP at restaurants, places licensed to sell liquor, places where you can gamble, places that sell medical or retail marijuana or marijuana products, adult entertainment venues, and places whose primary business is the sale of firearms. SNAP cannot be used to purchase hot prepared foods in grocery stores either.
For more information on how to use your EBT Card, look at the “How to Use Your Colorado EBT Card” fact sheet.
Learn more
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI helps people with disabilities and seniors who have low income and resources.
Colorado Works
Colorado Works helps families pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent.
Housing
Section 8, public housing, and other programs help pay for housing.
Try It
Next Steps
Learn More
The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) has general information on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has an overview of the federal SNAP program. Note: Colorado’s SNAP program uses options and waivers that make it different in some ways than the federal SNAP rules.
Apply for SNAP
You can apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits:
- Online using Colorado PEAK. Colorado PEAK will also tell you if you are eligible for SNAP.
- Using the MyCOBenefits app available from Google Play or Apple’s App Store.
- Using a paper application for benefits: print it, fill it out, and then either mail or fax it to your local county human services department. There are application forms in English, Spanish, and large print.
- In person at your local county human services department.
Places to Spend SNAP
- Call or visit your local businesses to see if they take SNAP benefits. If a store has the “QUEST” logo on the window, you can use your benefits on food and other items approved by SNAP.
- Find a nearby partner for Double Up Food Bucks. You can also get a PDF list.
Get Expert Help
If you have questions about your SNAP benefits, contact one of Colorado’s Application Assistance Outreach Partners:
- Benefits in Action online or by phone at 1-720-221-8354 or 1-888-496-4252
- Hunger Free Colorado online or by phone at 1-855-855-4626
- Online at Benefits Launch Express
-
Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado online, by email, or by phone in:
- Alamosa 1-719-888-4955
- Colorado Springs 1-719-528-1247
- Pueblo 1-719-296-6995
Ticket to Work
Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program helps people with disabilities who get Social Security benefits re-enter the workforce and become more independent. The Ticket to Work Program offers free access to employment-related services, such as training, transportation, and vocational rehabilitation. You can call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI helps people with disabilities and seniors who have low income and resources.
Colorado Works
Colorado Works helps families pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent.
Housing
Section 8, public housing, and other programs help pay for housing.