Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program

The act creates the food pantry assistance grant program (grant program) to aid Colorado food pantries and food banks in the purchase of foods to meet the needs of their clientele, which has expanded significantly as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency. A secondary purpose of the grant program is to create new market opportunities for Colorado's agricultural producers. Food purchased by a grant recipient using grant money from the grant program must be designated as a Colorado agricultural product.

The department of human services (department) is directed to administer and monitor the grant program. The act repeals the grant program, effective June 30, 2022.

The act authorizes an allocation of money from the "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act" (CARES Act) subfund in the general fund to the department for the grant program to meet expenses not approved as of March 27, 2020, and are necessary to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The appropriations must be expended on or before December 30, 2020.

For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, $500,000 is appropriated to the department of human services from the care subfund in the general fund. The department of human services may use this appropriation for the food pantry assistance grant program. Any money appropriated not expended prior to July 1, 2020, is further appropriated to the department of human services for the period from July 1, 2020, through December 30, 2020, for the same purpose.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)