Preview of first page in file.

Field Reports

Strengthening SNAP Outreach: Increasing Funding and Eliminating Barriers to Access

Tenzin Dhakong, Emerson Fellow

Hunger Free Colorado,
Published 2021-2022

Denver, Colorado

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the largest nutrition assistance program in the country, plays a vital role in addressing and alleviating food insecurity in the United States. To ensure that it continues to uplift communities experiencing poverty, we must sure that the SNAP application process is accessible to all who may be eligible. Many states across the country, including Colorado, have a “SNAP Gap”, which refers to the gap between eligible participants and enrolled participants. In order to address this gap and eliminate barriers to access, states have relied on SNAP outreach services. These services include application assistance, hosting community engagement events, debunking misconceptions about the program, and more. This report highlights SNAP outreach in the state of Colorado and showcases Colorado’s commitment to creating equitable access to SNAP. This report concludes that due to the impact of SNAP outreach there must be higher levels of federal investment in program.

Download "Strengthening SNAP Outreach: Increasing Funding and Eliminating Barriers to Access"

Publication tags: Field Reports - Domestic Federal Nutrition Programs, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/Food Stamps

Dhakong headshot

Tenzin Dhakong

Emerson Fellow , [email protected]

Tenzin Dhakong is a 1.5 generation immigrant from Minnesota. She graduated with distinction and Phi Beta Kappa honors from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (UMN). At the UMN, Tenzin was involved in a number of public service-centered programs such as the Public Policy and International Affairs Program, the Urban Scholars Program, and the Capitol Pathways program. She is passionate about educational equity and youth work. Recently, she served as Legislative Assistant for the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Read more about Tenzin Dhakong
headshot

Hunger Free Colorado

Denver, Colorado

Hunger Free Colorado leads efforts to connect families and individuals to food resources and fuel change in systems, policies and social views, so no Coloradan goes hungry.

The nonprofit organization was founded in 2009 from a merger of the Colorado Anti-Hunger Network and the Colorado Food Bank Association, with funding support from The Denver Foundation and Kaiser Permanente. Hunger Free Colorado brings a unified, statewide voice to the issue and solutions surrounding hunger, with a goal to ensure all Coloradans have access to affordable, nutritious food.

Read more about Hunger Free Colorado