Help is just a phone call away for families, seniors and other individuals who are in need of food assistance anywhere in Colorado.
The Hunger Free Hotline is a multilingual toll-free number that connects Coloradans to needed food. It is a free “one-stop” resource that offers geographically-based referrals to both public and private food assistance programs throughout the state.
Our food assistance navigators provide helpful and thorough referrals based on each caller’s need. They not only answer questions but also ensure that callers receive needed information—from directions to applying for public health nutrition programs.
Learn what help is available via the hotline and what to expect when you call.
Call the hotline toll-free at (855) 855-4626. It is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Hunger Free Hotline:
- Screens for all federal nutrition assistance programs
- Keeps all information confidential
- Is open to all individuals, regardless of legal status
What help is available?
We can connect Colorado families and individuals to food pantries, congregate feeding sites, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps), the Summer Food Service Program, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) and many other nutrition programs.
Food assistance navigators can also provide:
- Help applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and answering specific questions about the SNAP application
- Referrals to food pantries and free meals, including distance from home, directions, hours of operations, types of food available, holiday meal times and other pertinent information
- Dates, times and locations of nearby sites participating in the Summer Food Service Program
- Nearby locations where one-on-one assistance is available with the SNAP application process
- Information about food and nutrition resources in Colorado
What happens when I call?
Food assistance navigators ask callers high-level screening questions, so that their recommendations are tailored to each caller’s unique situation in English and Spanish. They provide callers with detailed information about eligibility requirements and help prepare clients to apply for and access the federal nutrition assistance programs, like SNAP.
For more information about the Hunger Free Hotline, please email Enika Stasko, Hotline Lead Navigator.
Thanks to Kaiser Permanente for helping us launch the Hunger Free Hotline in 2011.
