Denver SNAP and Free Food Help: How to Apply and What Changed

2 hours ago

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If you live in Denver and groceries are eating your budget, there are two tracks of help. SNAP puts a monthly food benefit on an EBT card, and you apply through Denver Human Services. Free food from pantries, school meals and youth meal sites needs no application at all. This guide covers how to apply, the federal rule changes Denver is warning about, and the extras SNAP unlocks.

AT A GLANCE

Apply for SNAP: online through Colorado PEAK, by phone help at 720-944-4347, by mail or fax, or in person at a Denver Human Services office.
Decision time: the county has 30 days; some households can get expedited SNAP within 7 days.
Work rule: some adults ages 18 to 64 now need 80 hours a month of work, school or volunteering to keep SNAP.
Extras: Double Up Food Bucks (up to $20 a day match) and the SNAP Produce Bonus (up to $60 a month).
Food now: the Food Resource Hotline at 855-855-4626, or 211.

How to apply for SNAP in Denver

SNAP is a monthly benefit for buying food, loaded on an EBT card. In Colorado it's also called the Colorado Quest Card. The amount depends on your income, resources and the number of people in your household.

Denver Human Services (DHS) handles SNAP for Denver residents. You can apply for food, cash and medical assistance at the same time through Colorado PEAK.

Way to apply	How it works
Online	Colorado PEAK website, with service in Spanish
Mobile app	MyCOBenefits app for iOS and Android
Mail	Denver Human Services, 1200 Federal Blvd., Denver, CO 80204
Fax	(720) 944-3094
In person	Any DHS location listed below
By phone with help	DHS staff can help you apply: 720-944-4DHS (720-944-4347)

The paper application also comes in Spanish, large-print English and large-print Spanish. If you don't have internet or a printer, call DHS and ask them to mail you one.

You can apply for food, cash, and medical assistance at the same time online through Colorado PEAK. (Denver Human Services)

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Denver Human Services offices

The main offices are open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on city holidays. The call center keeps the same hours.

Office	Address	What you can do there
Richard T. Castro Human Services Center	1200 Federal Blvd., Denver, CO 80204 (first-floor entrance)	Food, cash and medical eligibility, EBT card services, document drop-off
Denver Human Services East	3815 Steele St., Denver, CO 80205	Food, cash and medical eligibility, EBT card services, energy assistance
Arie P. Taylor Municipal Center	4685 Peoria St., Denver, CO 80239	Food, cash and medical eligibility, EBT card services
St. Francis Center	2323 Curtis St., Denver, CO 80205	Neighborhood site with limited hours and services; call first

Watch for early closings. DHS offices close at 2 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month, and food, cash and medical services aren't available in person or by phone after that. The remaining 2026 dates are November 18 and December 16. DHS has also posted an 11 a.m. close for food, cash, medical and EBT services on Friday, October 30, 2026.

Getting there

If you live in West Denver, Montbello or Globeville/Elyria-Swansea, the free Denver Connector microtransit service runs weekdays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call (720) 905-4438 to book a ride in English or Spanish. DHS says its document runner program is no longer running, so for other transportation help call 211 or 866-760-6489.

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Documents to gather

The state says a complete application can speed up processing. You may be asked for proof later, and you can upload it to PEAK or MyCOBenefits, bring it to a DHS office, or mail it.

☐ Pay stubs or an employer statement covering the last 30 days of earned income
☐ Bookkeeping records, if you're self-employed
☐ Award letters for Social Security, SSI, VA, unemployment, child support or other unearned income
☐ A photo ID, birth certificate, Social Security card, work or school ID, or voter registration card
☐ Medical bills, a Medicare card showing Part B, or mileage to appointments, if someone in your household is 60 or older or has a disability

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Who qualifies

The Colorado Department of Human Services says you may qualify if your income is below 200% of the federal poverty level. It also lists people who work for low wages, are unemployed or part-time, or already receive assistance like Colorado Works or SSI.

Household size	Gross monthly income limit
1	$2,610
2	$3,526
3	$4,442
4	$5,360
5	$6,276
6	$7,192
7	$8,110
8	$9,026
Each additional person	Add $918

The state notes this table was last updated October 1, 2024. Use it as a rough guide, and run the pre-screening tool on Colorado PEAK for a current answer.

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What happens after you apply

DHS has 30 days to decide. You may get expedited SNAP within 7 days if any of these apply:

You have less than $100 in cash and less than $150 in monthly earnings
Your housing costs are more than your monthly income
You're a migrant or seasonal farm worker

You may need a phone interview. You can ask for an in-person interview instead. If the county can't reach you, it will mail a notice with your interview date and how to reschedule.

DHS calls about renewals and interviews from 720-944-4347, and the caller ID may show "DNVR Human SVC." Pick up, because a missed interview can delay your case.

If you're denied or disagree

Ask DHS to explain the decision, either informally or at a Dispute Resolution Conference. If you still disagree, you can request a Fair Hearing at your county office out loud, in writing or on the state's SNAP hearing request form.

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Federal rule changes Denver is warning about

Denver updated its benefits-changes page on October 19, 2026. It explains changes from H.R. 1, the federal law passed in July 2025.

SNAP work requirements

Some adults ages 18 to 64 must now do 80 hours a month of work, school or volunteering to stay eligible. DHS says you likely don't need to meet this rule if you are:

A child under 18, or an adult 65 or older
A parent or caregiver of a child 13 or younger, or caring for someone who is ill or has a disability
Pregnant, or a person with a disability
A member of an American Indian tribe or nation
Applying for or receiving unemployment benefits

Exemptions no longer apply to veterans, people experiencing homelessness or former foster youth. The state's Work Rules SNAP Screener can tell you whether the rule applies to you.

Immigrant eligibility

SNAP eligibility ended in April 2026 for refugees, asylees and parolees. Green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants and citizens of Compact of Free Association nations are still eligible. Denver keeps an Immigrant Support Toolkit with referrals to food banks, shelter and legal services.

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Extras that come with SNAP

Program	What you get	How to use it
Double Up Food Bucks	Up to a $20 a day match on SNAP purchases	Automatic with an EBT card at participating locations
Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus	Dollar-for-dollar match on eligible fruits and vegetables, up to $60 a month	Automatic at participating retailers; the bonus works at any SNAP store
Explorer Pass	Discounted admission at museums and cultural venues, as low as $1 a person for up to 10 people	Show your EBT card at participating venues

Need a new or replacement EBT card? DHS has EBT e-lockers at the Welcome Center, 2929 W. 10th Ave. Cards are loaded the day after you ask, and mail can take three to five days. Call 720-944-4347 to get started.

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Free food without an application

Food Resource Hotline: Hunger Free Colorado, 855-855-4626, Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It can screen you for programs and help you apply for SNAP by phone. For Denver, the City also lists (720) 382-2920.
Mobile food pantries: Food Bank of the Rockies runs free monthly Mobile Food Pantry events around the city. Search by ZIP code on its "Free Food" page.
Free school meals: all Denver Public Schools students get free breakfast and lunch. Families should still fill out the You Benefit! form on MySchoolApps, which may also qualify them for discounted fees and bus passes.
Tasty Food: free after-school meals for youth ages 3 to 18 at many Denver Parks and Recreation centers, with no ID or registration.
No-cost groceries: Denver Food Rescue lists free grocery programs that don't ask for ID.
Ages 60 and up: Everyday Eats offers a monthly box of food staples to qualifying older adults. Meals on Wheels is at 303-294-0111.
Grocery delivery: RTD's Access-a-Ride riders can set up food bank and grocery deliveries.

If you don't qualify for SNAP, the DHS GIVE Center (720-944-1250) can connect you with document fee waivers, clothing referrals and hygiene items.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK

Run the Colorado PEAK pre-screener, and the SNAP work rules screener if you're 18 to 64.
Apply on PEAK or MyCOBenefits, or call 720-944-4347 for help applying by phone.
Gather 30 days of pay stubs and an ID, and upload them as soon as you're asked.
If you need food before approval, call 855-855-4626 or find a Food Bank of the Rockies mobile pantry.

More help in Denver

All Denver financial help guides

Related guides

Official sources

This guide is general information, not legal or benefits advice. Denver Human Services makes the final decision on your case.

Last checked: October 23, 2026 (Denver Human Services SNAP, locations and federal-changes pages, and the CDHS SNAP page). The state's income table is dated October 1, 2024, so confirm your eligibility on PEAK.