DENVER — A new report published by the City of Denver revealed that one in three adults reported skipping a meal last year due to financial strain, which is more than double the rate recorded in 2024.
The 2025 Denver Food Insecurity Survey conducted in November 2025 among more than 3,000 residents. There were 33 questions in the survey that used standardized USDA measures.
WATCH: 35% of Denverites reported skipping meals last year because of financial strain
“It means that essentially 35% of Denver people are facing food insecurity," said Paola Babb, the Neighborhood Food Program supervisor at the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE). “It does showcase that people are having to make those financial trade-offs, and they're having to skip meals because there just isn't enough income in their household for food.”
At the time of the survey, the federal government shutdown caused delays to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit disbursement.
"While the timing of the survey may have introduced some response bias, it also underscores a critical finding: one of the most routine aspects of our society, that of food purchasing, is highly sensitive to external economic and policy forces beyond individual or household control," the report reads.
After the data was released, the very first Food Justice Summit was held among community leaders on Friday. The goal of the meeting was to start discussing solutions for food insecurity within Denver.
“For us, it feels important to bring community partners to talk directly to their elected officials, to talk directly to all of the executive leadership of all of the departments, to tell them here is what we need," Babb said. "We are the ones addressing food insecurity on the ground every day. Here are our barriers to scaling tomorrow, and here's how the city needs to support us.”
Denver7 was told that more Food Justice Summits are planned in the future.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.