Food Assistance (SNAP) and Free Food Resources

You are eligible for Summer EBT if:

• You qualify for free or reduced-price meals while attending a school participating in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program.
• You are receiving other assistance benefits, including SNAP and Colorado Works. You may qualify through Medicaid if your income is within the National School Lunch guidelines.

Many families will automatically receive Summer EBT if their student qualifies for free or reduced-price school meals or if they participate in SNAP, Medicaid or Colorado Works. An EBT card will be mailed to each eligible student.

Summer EBT ent benefit cards, pre-loaded with a one-time lump sum payment of $120, to eligible families in late July 2024.

The benefit cards were sent out in late July 2024 via the U.S. Postal Service. If you did not receive an eligibility notice and/or a benefit card and think your students are eligible for 2024 Summer EBT benefits, connect with the Summer EBT support center:

• By Phone: (800) 536-5298
• By Text: (720) 741-0550
• By Email: cdhs_sebt_supportcenter@state.co.us

All DPS students have access to free, healthy, nutritious school meals at breakfast and lunch, thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All program approved by Colorado voters.

It is important for families to complete the You Benefit! form on MySchoolApps. This will help make sure DPS gets full access to available federal funding. You may qualify for discounted school fees, class materials, bus passes, utilities support and more! All household income information provided through this form is strictly confidential, and protected by law. Only one form is required for all children in the household.

Learn More from Denver Public Schools

Denver youth ages 5-18 can get FREE after-school meals at several Denver Parks and Recreation locations. No ID or registration required, just show up and eat. And yes, you can bring a friend, or two, or three, or more!

For hours and locations, visit the Tasty Food program page.

The Denver Food Rescue has a list of free / no cost grocery programs. These are places where you can get fresh groceries for free. You don't need to bring ID or share personal information, either. All are welcome:

Public No Cost Grocery Programs in Denver

The first step in ensuring your children have enough healthy food to eat is to apply for food assistance (SNAP).

After enrolling, we can introduce you to community partners and resources to show you how to stretch your food dollars. They can also help you discover how to prepare quick and healthy meals and snacks for the family.

Community partner Cooking Matters helps people shop smarter, use nutrition information to make healthier choices, and cook delicious and affordable kid-approved meals.

The Tasty Food for Denver's Kids program hosted by the Office of Children's Affairs provides free meals to Denver youths.

Hunger Free Colorado serves the City and County of Denver and the entire state of Colorado. You can apply for food assistance through its services and connect with food pantries and free meal sites in your area. HFC's operators can also give you directions, share food availability, help you find holiday mealtimes, and other beneficial information about those pantries and sites. Contact the food resource hotline at (720) 382-2920 for Denver and (855) 855-4626 statewide for more information.

Nourish Colorado's Double Up Food Bucks Colorado helps SNAP recipients save money at community grocery stores, farmer's markets, and farm stands. The program also posts easy, step-by-step, family-friendly cooking videos on their YouTube channel.

All Denver Public Schools (DPS) students have access to free, healthy, nutritious school meals at breakfast and lunch, thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All program approved by Colorado voters. It is important for families to complete the You Benefit! form on MySchoolApps. This will help make sure DPS gets full access to available federal funding. Families may qualify for discounted school fees, class materials, bus passes, utilities support and more! All household income information provided through this form is strictly confidential, and protected by law. Only one form is required for all children in the household.

In addition to food funds, SNAP recipients may also access a number of Denver’s premiere museums and cultural centers through the Explorer Pass program, which provides discount general admission to select venues for as low as $1 per person, up to 10 people.

With the Double Up Food Bucks Colorado program, SNAP users also receive a discount on the food they buy at participating locations using their SNAP EBT (electronic benefit transfer – the card that manages food assistance dollars) cards.

Children 18 and younger can access free meals during summer months thanks to the Free Summer Meals program.

The Aging and Disability Resources for Colorado Office is a trusted source for information on long-term services and support options available to older adults. Older Coloradans who need help getting access to nutritious food can call 1-844-COL-ADRC (+1 844 265-2372) for more information.

Another helpful resource is, Meals On Wheels. This well-known program delivers daily meals and provides in-home visits to home-bound seniors. For more information, call (303) 297-0408.

Access-a-Ride Grocery Delivery Services:

Access-a-Ride is RTD's ADA complementary paratransit service. The service provides a food bank and grocery delivery service from participating food bank and grocery store locations. Customers interested in having food delivered to them by Access-a-Ride must either call the food bank directly or visit the grocery store’s website in order to set up an account and place an order.

Learn more about how to make a grocery delivery using Access-a-Ride on the RTD website:

Access-a-Ride Grocery Delivery Services