Amid the ongoing government shutdown, payments to recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, have been placed on hold. SNAP issues food benefits in the form of monthly supplements to grocery budgets of low-income families.
88,645 clients in El Paso County, CO, receive SNAP benefits, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.
On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the White House said it would partially fund SNAP benefits in compliance with a court order, hours after President Donald Trump threatened to withhold funding until the end of the government shutdown, according to the New York Times.
“Schools are trying to determine what’s the best way to proceed, and it’s a pretty fluid situation,” said Keri Lindaman, principal of Mann Middle School, a school in District 11 receiving additional federal funding under Title I due to its high percentage of students from low-income families.
“(We are) being very cautious and watching the landscape,” Lindaman said. “We will do what we need to do to take care of our kids and provide the resources that we need to based on […] the kids that walk in our door.”
Following the notice that SNAP benefits would be delayed, District 11 sent an email to staff, students and subscribing community members with school support and community resources they can access during this time of “stress and uncertainty.”
This included bringing attention to school Care Closets and food pantries, as well as directing families to Colorado 211, Feeding Colorado, Hunger Free Colorado Food Resource Hotline and Care & Share Food Bank for food assistance.
According to the Colorado Department of Education, as of the 2024-2025 school year, 58.2% of students in District 11 qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. To qualify, the students’ families must receive assistance from SNAP, TANF, FDPIR, or Medicaid, according to District 11.
Of the 60 schools in District 11, 31 are listed as Title I schools, meaning they receive federal supplemental funding to support children from low-income families in an effort to close the education gap and provide additional support, teachers, and programs to at-risk schools. According to the District 11 website, poverty rates of District 11 Title I schools range from 55.83% to 85.28% for the 2025-2026 academic year.
District 11 participates in the Healthy School Meals for All program, allowing public schools across Colorado to participate in National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, which provide free lunches and free breakfast at schools across the district. Future funding for this program was assured after the Nov. 4 passage of Propositions LL and MM.
Around 75% of Mann Middle School students and families could be impacted by SNAP delays, according to Lindaman.
“That can have an impact on performance, that can have an impact on emotional regulation, that can also have an impact on attendance, as families grapple with making decisions about maybe putting gas in the car, or buying food and so forth,” said Lindaman.
Mann Middle School’s community liaison maintains a supply room of clothing, pencils, paper, and other school resources for students in need and provides families with additional resources, including city bus passes, transportation for students experiencing homelessness, and gift cards for families in emergent situations. Schools in District 11 are partnering to run drives for food and other resources for families, including Mann’s annual Thanksgiving meal giveaway.
Daniel Riecks, an eighth-grade English teacher at Russell Middle School, is the sponsor of the National Junior Honor Society, which worked last year to raise around 7,500 pounds of canned food for Care and Share, a Colorado organization that works to gather, sort and distribute food to local food pantries and other community partners and programs.
With delays in SNAP benefits, Russell Middle School is continuing its canned food drive and fundraising efforts from mid-November through the end of the school year, supporting Thanksgiving meals and Christmas presents and connecting families to resources like gift cards.
Staff at Russell Middle School, including Riecks, are also working to establish a more formal food pantry for students, families, and community members to access, called Russell Cares. They hope to eliminate the stigma around seeking help, as many families are too proud to reach out or take advantage of resources. Their efforts include making the pantry accessible outside of normal school hours so that families and students can take advantage of the resources without prying eyes or shame, according to Riecks.
“This is definitely a badge of pride within our community,” said Riecks of engagement in fundraising and donation efforts, which also incorporate fun events like spirit week and staff-student games. “It is one of the things that makes me proud to be a District 11 teacher, and I’m always impressed by all the giving that our staff does, as well as our students, who really, really embrace that. I think it does show an element of their faith and pride in their communities.”
At Eastlake High School, a Title I school with a student body of primarily low-income and at-risk youth, 54 of the 64 enrolled students are expected to be impacted by SNAP delays, according to community liaison Phoebe Schwab.
“It causes a lot of anxiety and stress on them…especially when there is not much food at home or clothing or even shelter,” said Yaa Sakyi, a school counselor. “They worry about it, and so they come to school feeling anxious. They get triggered easily with anger.”
The school has a food pantry and community closet open to students, families and the local community. It also works to give gift cards to students and families for gas, bus passes and care supplies and food for student-parents. They connect students to outside resources, including Operation School Bell for gift cards and support during the holiday season, provide students with additional resources for food pantries near their homes and typically offer applications for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, though the CCCAP is indefinitely frozen at present.
The Eastlake High School National Honor Society announced a food drive on Nov. 1 to collect nonperishable food items to support those experiencing food insecurity.