Resources available for neighbors impacted by Aurora Walmart closure

AURORA, Colo. — Over the weekend, the parking lot of the now-closed Walmart Neighborhood Market at Colfax Avenue and Havana Street in Aurora became a resource fair for the community.

"As a supermarket closes, we want to let the community know there's still hope," said Lt. Carl Esquivel, core officer in Aurora for the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army brought 300 boxes of food to give out to families. Since the store closed in June , the organization said they have seen an increase in need.

"The reality is that we have seen a doubling in services," said Esquivel. "They say they used to be able to just walk around the street and be able to go to the store and find food that I can afford."

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With the store now empty, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman is hoping neighbors check out some of the grocery stores that are still in their neighborhood.

"There is a Mexican immigrant grocery store about a block away from here," Coffman said of the Lowe's Mercado across Colfax from the closed store. "I know a lot of the people here aren't used to going there, but they do have a wide variety of produce and meats available there, as well. People shouldn't be turned off by the fact that it has been there primarily for the Hispanic immigrant community."

Lowe's has a full meat and produce selection in addition to aisles of other grocery products. Denver7 compared the cost of a few produce items with prices listed for the same items on Walmart's website:

• Broccoli crowns cost $2.09/lb at Lowe's while Walmart charges $1.74/lb
• A 10lb bag of potatoes costs $5.29 at Lowe's or $4.28 at Walmart
• Gala apples cost $1.53/lb at Lowe's or $1.37/lb at Walmart.

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Regardless of where people want to shop, eligible families are able to get a little relief from the state this summer in two new ways. The first is through Summer EBT benefits, which just launched.

"It gives a one-time lump sum payment of exactly $120 to each student to cover the summer months when they're not able to access food programs through their schools," said Abby McClelland, division director for the Food & Energy Assistance Division at the Colorado Department of Human Services.

Most families who are already participating in the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, SNAP, Colorado Works or other resource programs are automatically enrolled. Those who have questions about their eligibility can call 1-800-536-5298.

Notices to eligible families were sent out last week, with pre-loaded EBT cards expected to be sent out in 30 to 45 days.

A second program that will reimburse SNAP recipients for healthy choices is set to launch on August 1.

"If they buy $20 worth of fruits and vegetables, up to $20 per transaction, they'll receive an immediate one-to-one reimbursement for those dollars, up to $60 per month," said McClelland.

Those reimbursement funds can be spent on any kind of SNAP-eligible food.

The program will initially be rolled out to a limited number of participating locations. The closest participating location to the community with the closed neighborhood market is the Express Mini Market, located at 9660 E Alameda Ave #110 in Denver.

As for the empty neighborhood market store, Mayor Coffman said he's had conversations with the property owner, but nothing is planned for the building just yet.

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