After a survey released in late 2019 showed that over 40% of college students in Denver worry about having enough money to afford food, the Colorado Department of Higher Education is encouraging students to sign up for federal food assistance, The Denver Post reports.

The state, universities and nonprofits have been meeting over the past year to develop policies that address student hunger. Last week, Metropolitan State University of Denver held an enrollment event for students applying to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture notes that the food assistance program by design excludes many students from enrolling. To gain benefits, an eligible student must work at least 20 hours per week, have a dependent child, or receive assistance under other federal programs.

In 2018, the Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger found that Colorado had one of the lowest enrollment rates of any state into SNAP and the food assistance program for Women, Infants and Children.

“These programs are two of the largest anti-hunger and nutrition programs in the nation but have been underutilized in Colorado,” the report concluded. “Both SNAP and WIC generate local economic activity from grocery store sales and result in a high return on investment in terms of improved health outcomes and reduced health care costs.”