Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

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Colorado program

Grocery money on a card (Food Assistance)

Colorado Food Assistance provides monthly grocery money on an EBT card.

What it is

Colorado Food Assistance provides monthly grocery money on an EBT card.

Food Assistance can help with groceries when income and expenses change during treatment. The county checks this month's income against the screen, then takes rent, utilities and child care off before setting the amount. If you already get it, this is about updating the case after a pay drop.

Eligibility rules
  • For October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, Colorado's broad categorical route uses a gross monthly income screen of 200% of poverty and has no asset limit. For three people, the gross screen is $4,442.
  • Outside that route, the ordinary three-person gross screen is $2,888 and the net screen is $2,221. Elderly or disabled household members can change which tests apply. Colorado residency and other eligibility requirements still matter.
  • The county takes 20% off wages and a standard $209, then rent and utilities above half of what is left (up to $744 more), before setting the amount.
  • The medical-expense deduction requires SNAP's elderly-or-disabled status. A cancer diagnosis alone does not establish that status.
What you get
  • Monthly money for eligible groceries on an EBT card.
What the help includes
  • For October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, the maximum three-person benefit is $785 a month. Your actual amount depends on income, deductions and other rules.
  • Food Assistance pays for eligible groceries rather than unrestricted cash expenses.
If you decide to apply
  1. Talk with your social worker about Food Assistance or an existing case review and what records the county would need.
  2. Have current income information and household expense records ready, including any recent pay change.

PEAK or county human-services office · Official page ↗

After you ask
  • Ordinary processing is generally within 30 days. Households meeting an expedited financial test can receive service within seven days.
  • Expedited tests include monthly gross income below $150 with liquid resources no more than $100, or gross income plus liquid resources below shelter and utility costs. Separate tests cover specified destitute migrant or seasonal farmworker households.
Good to know

The first screen is 200% of poverty, higher than most states. SNAP counts the household differently from Medicaid, so being over or under the Medicaid line says nothing here.

Other details
  • A drop in pay may change an existing Food Assistance amount. Your social worker can help ask the county about reporting the change and when a new amount would start. Required reports follow the rules in your case notice.
  • These income, deduction and benefit amounts cover federal fiscal year 2026, ending September 30, 2026. The county uses the table effective for the month under review.

Federal background: SNAP, called Food Assistance in Colorado.

Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Could Food Assistance help with groceries during treatment, and what paperwork or reporting would we need to keep up with? Would you recommend applying or updating an existing case, and could you help?”

Why I’m asking: I want enough room in our budget for food when treatment changes work and household expenses.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

A pay drop may change the monthly amount. The county confirms how to report it, when a new amount would start and the mandatory reporting rules in the case notice.

Your social worker

The county works out the monthly amount.

The care team

Nothing.

Who decides
The county human-services office.
Ask your social worker
“Can you help us apply for Food Assistance, and tell the county our pay has just dropped?”

How to apply

First step: Apply on PEAK at co.gov/peak or at the county office.

  1. Apply the month income drops.
  2. If you already get it, report the drop within ten days.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: Apply on PEAK at co.gov/peak or at the county office.

What to gather

  • This month's income for everyone in the home
  • Rent and utility costs

How long: Unknown. Colorado's expedited-service rules were not published where they could be read.

What a yes looks like

A card and a monthly amount.

What a no looks like, and the next move

Ask the county which income figure they used and whether they counted this month or last.

Watch out

  • Colorado's own income line was not published where we could read it, so the county works yours out.
  • A pay drop may change the monthly amount. The county confirms how to report it, when a new amount would start and the mandatory reporting rules in the case notice.

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.

What it is worth

Monthly grocery benefits based on the food household, income and deductions. Colorado's FY2026 categorical gross-income screen is 200% FPL.

Covers: A monthly benefit on a card for groceries

Legal protection: A pay drop may change an existing award; reporting obligations and effective dates depend on the case notice and reporting group.

What it costs the family: Nothing to apply.

The eligibility facts, as published

Income
For October 1, 2025–September 30, 2026, Colorado's broad categorical gross screen is 200% FPL ($4,442 monthly for three people), with no asset limit for that route. Other routes, exceptions and the benefit calculation require separate checks.
Residency
Colorado

The trap: A pay drop may change the monthly amount. The county confirms how to report it, when a new amount would start and the mandatory reporting rules in the case notice.

Where I read this

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