Coronavirus Update: Leaders Urge Coloradans To Wait A Few Days To Shop For Groceries

DENVER (CBS4) - In this difficult time an appeal is being made to hold back on your shopping to allow those on food assistance to have a chance to get to the stores before the shelves are emptied. Many groceries have been cleaned out of toilet paper and other necessary items because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It is an important time of the month at grocery stores -- the time when those on food assistance are most likely to go shopping. It's when their SNAP cards otherwise known as food stamps are loaded with their monthly allotment of money. There's another program called WIC, (Women, Infants and Children) who get assistance to buy only certain products.

Alejandra Jimenez with Hunger Free Colorado is enrolled in the program and described some of the nutritional items people can buy.

"Some of the products are like dairy products, cheese... bread, whole grain."

When you look at the prices attached to the shelves. You can tell which items are WIC eligible by the markings with the three letters.

The appeal to avoid these items and postpone shopping until later in the month for others comes from people like State Rep. Jonathan Singer, who used to work as a social worker, including in the food stamp program.

"There are other people out there. This may be the only time they can get to the grocery store, the first 10 days of the month. If those grocery stores are bare, their refrigerators are going to be bare for another month," he said.

At a time where there have been runs on grocery stores, there is now a call for restraint to help those perhaps more in need.

As Jimenez put it, "I know we are going through a rough time, but working together, we'll get through this."

The WIC program is designed to help low-income pregnant women and those with children up to age 5 with their special food needs.

Additional Resources

Visit coloradowic.gov/wic-foods-list for more information. There, the "Alerts" page also has the most recent updates for families including shopping tips.