State farm bill lauded for SNAP program fixes

BY ERIC GALATAS PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE

Colorado is the eighth most-improved state at ensuring SNAP food assistance reaches its most vulnerable residents, according to new rankings from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Anya Rose, public policy manager for Hunger Free Colorado, said the improvements are largely due to more meaningful bene t levels and cuts to red tape during the pandemic, along with strong outreach work.

She hopes Congress will take such key factors into account as it considers the Farm Bill, which includes the program formerly known as food stamps.

pre-pandemic SNAP work reporting requirements were reinstated, at least half a million Americans are expected to lose food assistance, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. An additional 750,000 are at risk after the debt-ceiling negotiations raised the age cap for reporting requirements to 55.

tape for people to access the basic resources that they need.”

In 2017, SNAP added more than $700 million to local Colorado economies, with an overall economic impact of $1.25 billion, but the state loses more than $230 million each year in grocery sales by not having all eligible residents enrolled. Rose noted back in 2019, just 59% of Coloradans eligible for SNAP got assistance.

“We’re hoping that some of these lessons, of what works for making sure that SNAP has the best impact it can, will be taken up in the Farm Bill,” Rose explained. “To ensure SNAP can feed people as best it can and is accessible to people.” e majority of SNAP participants are children and people with disabilities, and Rose pointed out most people who can work, do. She added having to ll out paperwork documenting at least 20 hours of work or training activities per week does nothing to help people nd or maintain employment, it just makes the program more costly to administer.

Henderson is Hiring and Investing in Colorado!

Hunger Free Colorado works with community partners across the state to get more people who qualify for food assistance enrolled. But after

“Taking away someone’s food does not make it easier to hold down a job, or go to that job interview,” Rose contended. “It just creates more red

“With the 2021 numbers, we’ve jumped up to 73%,” Rose acknowledged. “ at is a great improvement. But there are still 27% of our lowestincome Coloradans not accessing the program, so there is still a lot of room for us to continue this growth.” e Public News Service story via e Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.

Henderson has operated in Colorado since 1976 and is investing nearly $150 million into our operations to enable future production. We are committed to our employees and our community and are currently hiring new employees to join our 360 strong! Further, the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, recently announced more than $300,000 to Henderson Operations Social Investment Grant recipients in 2022. Learn more about the recipients below:

• Clear Creek County: Clear Creek County Health and Wellness Center – $100,000 (second payment of a $500,000 commitment) This will support the building and launch of the first collaborative care center in Clear Creek County.

Henderson is Hiring and Investing in Colorado!

Henderson is Hiring and Investing in Colorado!

Henderson has operated in Colorado since 1976 and is investing nearly $150 million into our operations to enable future production. We are committed to our employees and our community and are currently hiring new employees to join our 360 strong! Further, the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, recently announced more than $300,000 to Henderson Operations Social Investment Grant recipients in 2022. Learn more about the recipients below:

•Clear Creek County: DLD Sub-Area Planning Grant – $60,000 Funding supports a planning process to strategically identify enhanced community, land use and infrastructure proposals to provide new sustainable revenue streams and improved services.

Henderson is Hiring and Investing in Colorado!

Henderson has operated in Colorado since 1976 and is investing nearly $150 million into our operations to enable future production. We are committed to our employees and our community and are currently hiring new employees to join our 360 strong! Further, the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, recently announced more than $300,000 to Henderson Operations Social Investment Grant recipients in 2022. Learn more about the recipients below:

Henderson has operated in Colorado since 1976 and is investing nearly $150 million into our operations to enable future production. We are committed to our employees and our community and are currently hiring new employees to join our 360 strong! Further, the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, recently announced more than $300,000 to Henderson Operations Social Investment Grant recipients in 2022. Learn more about the recipients below:

• Clear Creek County: Clear Creek County Health and Wellness Center – $100,000 (second payment of a $500,000 commitment) This will support the building and launch of the first collaborative care center in Clear Creek County.

•Clear Creek County School District: Career-Connected Learning Project – $10,000 When combined with a $10,000 match of Henderson employee donations through Mile High United Way, it will support increasing opportunities for students to engage in career-connected experiential learning.

•Clear Creek County: Clear Creek County Health and Wellness Center – $100,000 (second payment of a $500,000 commitment) This will support the building and launch of the first collaborative care center in Clear Creek County.

• Clear Creek County: Clear Creek County Health and Wellness Center – $100,000 (second payment of a $500,000 commitment) This will support the building and launch of the first collaborative care center in Clear Creek County.

•Clear Creek County: DLD Sub-Area Planning Grant – $60,000 Funding supports a planning process to strategically identify enhanced community, land use and infrastructure proposals to provide new sustainable revenue streams and improved services.

•Grand County Rural Health Network: Grand County Multisector Resource Hub – $25,000 Funding will support a collaborative planning process around the development of a multisector resource hub that would provide a one-stop resource for marginalized community members of Grand County.

•Clear Creek County: DLD Sub-Area Planning Grant – $60,000 Funding supports a planning process to strategically identify enhanced community, land use and infrastructure proposals to provide new sustainable revenue streams and improved services.

• Clear Creek County: DLD Sub-Area Planning Grant – $60,000 Funding supports a planning process to strategically identify enhanced community, land use and infrastructure proposals to provide new sustainable revenue streams and improved services.

•Clear Creek County School District: Career-Connected Learning Project – $10,000 When combined with a $10,000 match of Henderson employee donations through Mile High United Way, it will support increasing opportunities for students to engage in career-connected experiential learning.

•Grand County Rural Health Network: Grand County Multisector Resource Hub – $25,000 Funding will support a collaborative planning process around the development of a multisector resource hub that would provide a one-stop resource for marginalized community members of Grand County.

•Clear Creek County School District: Career-Connected Learning Project – $10,000 When combined with a $10,000 match of Henderson employee donations through Mile High United Way, it will support increasing opportunities for students to engage in career-connected experiential learning.

•Clear Creek County School District: Career-Connected Learning Project – $10,000 When combined with a $10,000 match of Henderson employee donations through Mile High United Way, it will support increasing opportunities for students to engage in career-connected experiential learning.

•Grand County Search and Rescue: Mission Control Vehicle – $46,000 The vehicle will replace an inoperable multipurpose avalanche response, complex mission and command truck for Grand County.

•Grand County Rural Health Network: Grand County Multisector Resource Hub – $25,000 Funding will support a collaborative planning process around the development of a multisector resource hub that would provide a one-stop resource for marginalized community members of Grand County.

•Grand County Rural Health Network: Grand County Multisector Resource Hub – $25,000 Funding will support a collaborative planning process around the development of a multisector resource hub that would provide a one-stop resource for marginalized community members of Grand County.

•Grand County Search and Rescue: Mission Control Vehicle – $46,000 The vehicle will replace an inoperable multipurpose avalanche response, complex mission and command truck for Grand County.

•Middle Park Medical Foundation: Kremmling Wellness Center Gym – $75,000 Funding supports the development of a modern community recreation space with a goal of improving the overall health of the community by creating more opportunities to engage in recreational activities.

•Grand County Search and Rescue: Mission Control Vehicle – $46,000 The vehicle will replace an inoperable multipurpose avalanche response, complex mission and command truck for Grand County.

•Grand County Search and Rescue: Mission Control Vehicle – $46,000 The vehicle will replace an inoperable multipurpose avalanche response, complex mission and command truck for Grand County.

•Middle Park Medical Foundation: Kremmling Wellness Center Gym – $75,000 Funding supports the development of a modern community recreation space with a goal of improving the overall health of the community by creating more opportunities to engage in recreational activities.

•Middle Park Medical Foundation: Kremmling Wellness Center Gym – $75,000 Funding supports the development of a modern community recreation space with a goal of improving the overall health of the community by creating more opportunities to engage in recreational activities.

Congratulations to the recipients!

•Middle Park Medical Foundation: Kremmling Wellness Center Gym – $75,000 Funding supports the development of a modern community recreation space with a goal of improving the overall health of the community by creating more opportunities to engage in recreational activities.

Congratulations to the recipients!

Congratulations to the recipients!

Since 2012, more than $1.6 million has been invested through the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation in Clear Creek and Grand counties. The funds have been awarded to programs and projects that build community resilience and capacity.

Congratulations to the recipients!

Since 2012, more than $1.6 million has been invested through the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation in Clear Creek and Grand counties. The funds have been awarded to programs and projects that build community resilience and capacity.

Since 2012, more than $1.6 million has been invested through the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation in Clear Creek and Grand counties. The funds have been awarded to programs and projects that build community resilience and capacity.

For more information on hiring visit www.moly.jobs and for more information on community investment grants visit FreeportInMyCommunity.com

Since 2012, more than $1.6 million has been invested through the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation in Clear Creek and Grand counties. The funds have been awarded to programs and projects that build community resilience and capacity.

For more information on hiring visit www.moly.jobs and for more information on community investment grants visit FreeportInMyCommunity.com

For more information on hiring visit www.moly.jobs and for more information on community investment grants visit FreeportInMyCommunity.com

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For those who haven’t stopped by their local library in recent years, it’s not just a place to pick up and drop o books anymore.

In the post-pandemic era, libraries have become meeting places, remote work spaces, play areas and more. Rather than the repositories of books and other print media they once were, libraries are taking on more of a community center role, sta members at Denverarea library districts explained.

“ ey’ve always had that role,” said Holly Grant of the Clear Creek County Library District. “But now, it’s about … not just seeing (a library) as a storehouse of knowledge and scholarship.”

To that end, libraries have diversi ed the items and programs they o er to address community needs. Depending on the district, patrons can check out everything from camping equipment to virtual reality headsets. Additionally, patrons can access video- and audiobook-streaming services for free with their library cards.

Plus, along with children’s storytime and book clubs, library events and programs can range from puppy yoga to snowshoe hikes.

“It’s a very di erent library than what many of us grew up with,” Holly Whelan of Arapahoe Libraries said. “ … We have everything, everything, everything.”

Items and resources aplenty

Whelan’s words aren’t an exaggeration, as sta members from multiple districts said their libraries o er so much it’s hard for them to remember everything. So, before buying, renting or downloading something, check the library rst.

Along with books, movies and comics, districts have nontraditional items for check-out. Many o er laptops, iPads, Kindles, mobile WiFi hotspots, passes to local museums, cookware, GoPro cameras and science kits.

Mark Fink, executive director of Anythink Libraries — which has branches from ornton to Bennett — said his district’s TryIts collection includes musical instruments for various experience levels; lawn games; outdoor gear like snowshoes and backpacks; 3-D printers; sewing machines and crafting kits; and microscopes.

People have borrowed them for weekend barbecues, camping trips, one-o projects, or to see whether they’d want to buy their own. Fink said the TryIts collection has been so popular, Anythink Libraries has “expanded the level of items we provide.”

O ering items like these saves patrons money and helps the environment too, Grant pointed out, as people aren’t buying things they might only use once.

Along with physical items, districts have several online resources patrons can access with their library cards. rough these apps and online services, patrons can download e-books and audiobooks, stream movies and TV shows, and access tutoring services and online classes — all for free.

Lizzie Gall of Je erson County Public Library said patrons who used to spend money on Audible and Net ix have saved money by nding their items through the library instead.

In-person services are also crucial, whether it’s answering technological questions or notarizing documents. Grant said Clear Creek patrons have asked for help setting up their Kindles and reviewing their emails, and tourists often stop into the Idaho Springs and Georgetown branches to ask questions about local sites and museums.

As Whelan summarized it: “If you think the library isn’t for you, or we don’t have anything to o er, think again. … We have something for everybody.”

Unique programs, events

Beyond summer reading and book clubs, libraries have expanded the type of events and programs they o er — ranging from outdoor and out-of-library adventures, to arts and culture, to physical and mental health.

Almost all are free and open to everyone, including out-of-district attendees. Some may require preregistration and/or tickets to cover event costs.

Clear Creek has hosted everything from snowshoe hikes to American Sign Language classes. It also has free present-wrapping stations in December, which are immensely popular, Grant said.

Both Je erson County and Arapahoe libraries have hosted after-hours laser tag for teens, which are well-attended and sometimes have fun themes like “Star Wars.” Gall highlighted other teen events, like this August’s Teen Iron Chef and the ongoing Coding Camp, which has expanded to include preteens.

Summertime outdoor concert series are a seed library at one of its