Youth and families march together to raise awareness for free healthy school meals and SNAP protections.

When Colorado voters overwhelmingly approved Propositions LL and MM in November 2025, they did far more than pass two ballot measures. They safeguarded a lifeline, one that families across the state have relied on during years of rising costs, food inflation and federal uncertainty.

“This victory ensures every child in Colorado can continue to get a healthy meal at school and supports SNAP so that families can continue to have food on their tables at home,” said Anya Rose, policy director at Hunger Free Colorado. “It’s a win for parents, students, schools, farmers and ranchers, and school workers.”

For Rose the win culminated from years of organizing, coalition building and listening to what families say they need most.

“It was incredibly exciting for our team and coalition partners to watch the results come in so definitively in support of funding healthy school meals for all and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),” Rose said. “For many of us, we’ve been working on this program and securing its sustainability for Colorado kids and families for years, so it was both a moment of immense celebration and relief.”

The new funding will:

  • Maintain free school breakfast and lunch for all public school students

  • Support schools in buying more Colorado produce, keeping food dollars local and strengthening rural communities

  • Protect SNAP access for households with low incomes

Advocates rally on the steps of a public building in support of Propositions LL and MM.

A Program That Worked – and Became Essential

Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program launched statewide in the 2023–2024 school year, and demand surged beyond all expectations.

“Since Coloradans voted to create the Healthy School Meals for All program, on average 100,000 more children are eating school lunch and about 50,000 more children are eating breakfast each day,” Rose explained. “The program has been a lifeline, ensuring that kids can get a healthy meal at school, regardless of their home situation.”

But success came with challenges. Higher participation, combined with food inflation and changes in federal reimbursement, created a funding gap that threatened to stall several planned components such as in-school cooking grants supporting Colorado farmers and ranchers, and wage boosts for school nutrition professionals.

“Ultimately, the program’s popularity and rising food costs meant we needed additional revenue to sustain it,” Rose said. “And in Colorado, that means going to the voters.”

Community members gather outdoors to show support for Colorado’s healthy school meals initiatives.

Why SNAP Was Added to the Ballot Effort

As the coalition prepared for the ballot campaign in the summer of 2025, news from Washington, D.C. changed everything.

“When the federal budget bill passed in July, it changed the likely revenue available through Propositions LL and MM while also imposing significant new costs on states by cutting SNAP and Medicaid,” Rose said.

Recognizing that school meals and SNAP are deeply interconnected, both helping ensure children are nourished at school and at home, the coalition worked quickly.

“Our coalition decided to work with the governor’s office and the state legislature to adjust Proposition MM during a special session,” she said. “That allowed any remaining revenue after fully funding healthy school meals for all to also support SNAP and help ensure continued access for Coloradans in the face of harmful federal cuts.”

Community leaders and families join a press event highlighting the need for nourishing meals in schools.

A Message for the Nation 

Colorado is now one of the country’s most visible leaders on healthy school meals for all, and Rose hopes the momentum spreads.

“Colorado voters have now three times demonstrated their strong support for this program and their willingness to invest in it,” she said. “Healthy school meals for all is incredibly popular and impactful. Urban, suburban, rural – every community sees the value.”

Behind this win was early, sustained support from Voices for Healthy Kids, which provided funding, strategic guidance, and ongoing technical assistance as the campaign took shape. Beginning in 2022, the organization helped Colorado advocates launch a community-led effort by offering not only financial resources but also communications support, messaging development, policy analysis, and the creation of outreach materials used by coalition partners across the state.

“Voices for Healthy Kids has been a key supporter,” Rose said. “Their early investment gave us the resources needed to bring together a broad and diverse coalition. That foundation made this success possible.”

Lori Fresina, the executive director and vice president of Voices for Healthy Kids, said the outcome reflects the power of strong, well-supported partnerships:

“Colorado’s success shows what’s possible when community-rooted coalitions have the support and stability they need to lead,” said Fresina. "When local leaders, families, and partners work together over time, you don’t just get a policy win - you build lasting change that strengthens communities for years to come.”

With Props LL and MM secured, Colorado families can count on strong school meals and a strengthened SNAP program - even in the face of federal uncertainty.

And for Rose and the coalition that fought for this moment, the win is both a celebration and a promise: Colorado will keep showing the nation what’s possible when a community invests in every child.