**The Salvation Army Aurora Experiences 200% Increase in Demand Amid SNAP Benefits Halt**
*Aurora, Colo.* — The Salvation Army Aurora has seen a dramatic 200% increase in demand this week as SNAP recipients face the prospect of going without their November benefits due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Denver7 has been closely following community concerns surrounding the uncertainty about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps low-income families purchase food. The program provides food assistance to approximately 600,000 Coloradans each month — half of whom are children.
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### SNAP Benefits on Hold for November
With the government shutdown stalling SNAP benefits for November in Colorado, many families have turned to food banks and pantries to meet their basic needs. Governor Jared Polis has requested $10 million in emergency funding to support food banks during this lapse.
You can read Denver7’s previous coverage here:
– *SNAP benefits now on hold for November in Colorado due to government shutdown, officials say*
– *Gov. Polis requests $10 million to support food banks after lapse in SNAP benefits for the month of November*
– *Coloradans turn to food banks with SNAP benefits on hold for November*
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### Food Pantries Struggle to Keep Up
On Friday, Denver7 visited The Salvation Army Aurora Corps, where normally stocked shelves were noticeably bare.
“It’s insane to see what we’re seeing right now,” said Executive Director Carl Esquivel. “The desperation is real.”
Typically, the pantry serves 60 to 80 families per day, but demand has doubled this week amid the SNAP disruption.
“We are already depleting resources all the way to December,” Esquivel explained. “This is our attempt to get the story out there that food pantries—not just ours, but many smaller food pantries—are struggling to meet the needs of our community.”
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### State Officials Demand Federal Action
As the government shutdown continues, attorneys general across the country, including Colorado’s Attorney General Phil Weiser, have raised urgent concerns.
“There’s a lot on the line,” Weiser said. “We should be doing everything we can to provide food, and that’s not what the Agriculture Department is doing here. They’re doing the opposite.”
Weiser, along with 22 other attorneys general, sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Friday, demanding clarity on how the USDA plans to proceed after notifying states that SNAP funding may lapse soon due to the ongoing shutdown.
Read the full letter [here].
Weiser emphasized that the USDA should utilize its $6 billion contingency fund to cover SNAP benefits for November.
“I’m at a loss,” Weiser told Denver7. “I’m pained by what’s happening. I’m demanding answers.”
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### How You Can Help
The Salvation Army is urgently requesting donations of canned and dry goods to support families in need during this difficult time.
**Donation Drop-off Locations:**
– **Aurora Corps**
Address: 802 Quari Court, Aurora
Donation hours: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday
Pantry hours: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday
– **Denver Citadel Corps**
Address: 4505 W. Alameda Avenue, Denver
Donation hours: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday through Friday
Pantry hours: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday, Thursday, Friday
– **Centennial Corps**
Address: 3900 E. Arapahoe Road, Centennial
Donation hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday and Wednesday
Pantry hours: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday
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### Items Needed:
– Soup
– Corn
– Green beans
– Black beans
– Tuna
– Chili
– Spaghetti
– Rotini
– Macaroni
– Linguine
– Rice
– Cereal
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Your generosity can make a tangible difference for families facing food insecurity this November. For more information or to get involved, please contact The Salvation Army locations listed above.
https://www.denver7.com/news/front-range/aurora/the-salvation-army-aurora-sees-200-increase-in-demand-as-snap-recipients-prepare-to-miss-november-benefits