For some Coloradans things may be stabilizing while others may just now be feeling the strain that coronavirus has had on our lives and economy.
Hunger Free Colorado has food assistance programs specifically for Older Adults.
Across the U.S. there’s a major demographic shift as “baby boomers” reach their 60s and beyond. This also means that more older adults will be at risk of hunger, facing times when there may not be enough money to purchase needed food.
Colorado is not an exception. It’s estimated that 1 in 30 Colorado older adults have, at times, been unsure when or where they will get their next meal. After a lifetime of working, more older Coloradans are left to fend for themselves. Food insecurity forces seniors to make choices between food, nutrition, heat or medicine. Some just do not have the resources to access or prepare food due to lack of transportation, functional limitations or health concerns.
By working together, we can address the needs of older Coloradans and ensure that all have access to nutritious, affordable food.
Contact the Food Resource Hotline at (855) 855-4626 or (720) 382-2920 in the Denver Metro area to learn more.
What support is available for those who work with older adults?
Hunger Free Colorado works with community organizations and agencies to find solutions that overcome barriers to access, whether due to health considerations, dietary restrictions, limited mobility or limited transportation.
To increase access to existing programs, we provide training, tools, and support to groups interested in SNAP/food stamp eligibility screening and application assistance. We also build awareness around senior nutrition and hunger through presentations and other outreach efforts in communities across Colorado.
Our mobile outreach team can:
Provide SNAP/food stamps eligibility screening and application assistance on-site at your location
Training your organization’s staff and volunteers in providing on-site SNAP/food stamps eligibility screening and application assistance for clients
Give presentations about older adult nutrition and hunger
Share nutrition outreach materials for distribution
Offer older Coloradans and others with one-on-one assistance in navigating nutrition programs, as well as completing necessary applications and forms
What food assistance is available?
A number of nutrition assistance programs exist to end hunger in Colorado, and some have been designed specifically to meet the needs of older Coloradans.
They include:
Food stamps, federally known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Child and Adult Care Food Program for Seniors (CACFP)
Commodity Supplemental Food Program for Seniors (CSFP)
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
Home-delivered meals (like Meals on Wheels)
Congregate feeding programs
Adult day and residential care programs
Food banks and food pantries
You can find out more about available options by calling our bilingual, statewide, toll-free Food Resource Hotline at (855) 855-4626 or in the Denver Metro area at (720) 382-2920.
The Food Resource Hotline food assistance navigators also can help Coloradans determine eligibility for federal and charitable nutrition programs, answer questions about nutrition assistance programs, as well as assist with completing any needed applications or forms.