Senators, Representatives, and Coalition members urge Governor Lamont to include funding for school meals in his upcoming budget. 

[Hartford] State senators, state representatives, and members of the School Meal for All CT coalition gathered at the legislative office building today to call for continued funding for school meals. Last session, the legislature and Governor appropriated $16 million for schools to serve breakfast to their students and for all students who qualify for reduced-price meals to receive them at no cost. Eighty-four organizations signed a letter to Governor Lamont requesting his continued support for the program in the FY 2024 budget. 

“Our schools have a mission that exceeds academic progress – they must foster a sense of well-being and security in students. Making sure children receive the nutrition and care they need is vital,” said Senate President Martin Looney. “I will work with my colleagues and continue to find ways to support this important cause.” 

“After working in school health and parenting 5 children, I can share firsthand the effect hunger can have on a child. Hunger causes fatigue and an inability to focus. It can alter mood and behavior,” said Heather Miller, school nurse consultant. “Every school nurse from every community can share stories of children who come to the health office each day, not due to sickness, but due to hunger. “ 

“In the Children’s Committee my colleagues and I know how important proper nutrition is for children. Children cannot learn when they are hungry.  As you heard from the people speaking today, the programs in our schools this year, with the support of the Governor, are providing food for countless students to begin their day right,” said State Senator Ceci Maher. “I look forward to continuing these efforts this legislative session to benefit every child in Connecticut.” 

“Here in Connecticut, we will always make the education of our children a top priority. Ensuring every student is provided nutritious meals should be paramount to that commitment,” said State Rep. Moira Rader (98th District – Guilford, Branford). “We are fortunate to have widespread support to continue funding of the universal free breakfast and reduced / free lunch program implemented last year. By investing in our students’ health and well-being, we are investing in their ultimate success as learners. “  

“From a public health perspective, school meals are a vital service for the children of our state,” said State Senator Saud Anwar. “They offer important nutrition important for children’s development and our efforts in recent years to expand their availability can have incredible long-term benefits for the students of our state. I will work with my colleagues to continue to support these policies and find ways to continue and expand these important programs.” 

“It is extremely important for us to provide funding for school children to eat breakfast and lunch, we are not just filling their stomachs, but also their potential,” urged State Rep. Anthony Nolan (39th District – New London).  “Let’s ensure every child has the nourishment they need to concentrate on learning, not on hunger pains.” 

Legislators, led by State Rep Gary Turco (27th District – Newington and New Britain) and State Rep. Moira Rader (98th District – Guilford and Branford), are gathering sponsors on a bill to continue funding the program. Students, school employees, and parents in the audience today, along with many advocates who worked to pass the legislation last session were in full and enthusiastic agreement in urging Governor Lamont to continue supporting the meals. 

“We’ve heard directly from teachers that when no-cost school meals are offered to all students, performance is better in the classroom,” said Turco. “Ensuring all children have a nutritious meal is an investment in our children and our educational system, just like a book or classroom supplies.” 

State Representative Rachel Khanna (149 District – Greenwich and Stamford) said, “We can spend all we want on the most up-to-date textbooks, computers, field trips and other enhancements but they’re worth nothing when kids are hungry. Funding so all our kids can eat healthy school breakfasts and making sure students who are eligible for reduced-priced meals can get them at no cost are two actions that will have a huge impact because hungry kids don’t learn.” 

Ashley Carl, representing Connecticut’s School Food Service Directors, said, “The School Nutrition Association of CT would like to remind you how basic school essentials, including Chromebook, transportation, and textbooks, are provided to students regardless of income, yet nutritious meals at no charge is a basic essential that research has proven to decrease absenteeism and bullying, while increasing students preparedness to learn but is not included free of charge.” 

Having recently unveiled the ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed) report, Isabel Almeida, CEO of the United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut, commented, “ There is a  high degree of unseen financial hardship in the state and no-cost school meals provides tangible, financial relief to ALICE households who (even in the perceived-wealthy towns in Fairfield County) struggle to make ends meet and put adequate food on the table.” 

School meals for all also helps families who are under increased stress. “It’s time that CT takes school meals off the shoulders of working parents trying to get their children out the door, and onto these student’s plates, literally, to strengthen our school’s environment for learning success!”  echoed State Rep. Anne Hughes (135th District – Easton, Redding, and Weston). 

About us: End Hunger CT! works statewide to eliminate hunger and promote healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and advocacy. EHC! offers SNAP assistance, nutrition program promotion, doubles SNAP at farmers’ markets, and more to help CT residents in need. To learn more about our services, click here.

Have any questions? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Kimberly Nguyen, at knguyen@endhungerct.org.

Short falling WIC will take food from babies’ mouths 

More than half of babies in the U.S. depend on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) — about 48,000 being here in Connecticut. WIC provides access to supplemental food, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk.  

The current federal funding allotted to WIC falls short of the estimated nationwide demand — putting over 600,000 eligible participants, including 51,000 Connecticut children and mothers — at risk of being turned away from a program they qualify for.  

A new report from the Center on Budget Policies and Priorities (CBPP) estimates that not fully funding WIC will force states to reduce participation by 2 million young children and pregnant/postpartum mothers nationwide by September 2024 and will disproportionately affect Black and Hispanic families. The report includes state-by-state estimates to illustrate the depth of the necessary participation cuts. In CT, participation would have to be reduced by 14,000 households currently receiving WIC.  

Not fully funding WIC unwinds years of advocacy efforts to increase enrollment. WIC has a strong track record of positive impacts on health outcomes which is why there has been a bipartisan commitment for over 25 years to fully fund it — until now. If Congress extends the current funding level for the rest of the fiscal year, WIC will face a $1 billion shortfall in 2024, jeopardizing access for millions nationwide. 

End Hunger CT!, alongside several other advocate groups nationwide, are urgently calling on Congress to fully fund the WIC program NOW. If the next federal budget does not include adequate WIC funding, many children and mothers will be harmed. 

Join us tomorrow for #FundWIC Day of Action and help us share out call to actions on social media. Don’t wait, you can also take action right now and send a pre-written message to your elected officials.

New Resource Alert!

Download and share our ‘Fully Fund WIC’ flyer to your communities and legislators — this handout is full of data on what will really happen to vulnerable Connecticut babies and their families if WIC falls short of being fully funded immediately.

Photo by Liv Bruce on Unsplash

About us: End Hunger CT! works statewide to eliminate hunger and promote healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and advocacy. EHC! offers SNAP assistance, nutrition program promotion, doubles SNAP at farmers’ markets, and more to help CT residents in need. To learn more about our services, click here.

Have any questions? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Kimberly Nguyen, at knguyen@endhungerct.org.

The Honorable Governor Ned Lamont,

State of Connecticut

Dear Governor Lamont,

As a coalition of organizations representing Connecticut’s schools, students, families, physicians, farmers, and businesses, we thank you for supporting healthy school breakfasts for all and giving students who are eligible for reduced-priced meals to get them at no cost. These two actions have a huge impact on our schools, allowing students and teachers the ability to learn and teach without the complications that a hungry child brings.

We ask that you support the program’s continued funding at $16 million for the State Department of Education through the 2024-25 school year.

Hungry kids don’t learn. All the research supports this statement. Also, children who are hungry are not fully prepared to learn, and often create disruptions in the classroom. Research shows us when meals are offered at no cost at school to everyone, there is less absenteeism, less bullying, and kids are more prepared to learn. Even students who eat something at home and get a school breakfast perform better on tests. There’s a reason that schools offer breakfast to their students during testing days.

“We tell our students to make sure they eat a healthy breakfast in the morning so they can do the best they can while they are in school and yet our students are struggling with lack of access to food at home. Not eating can manifest itself in students having headaches, feeling lethargic and irritable and having difficulty focusing in class.” — High School Nurse Supervisor

School meals are the basis on which success is built. Buses, textbooks, computers, and other enhancements that activate young minds have their impact lessened when the students are hungry. Additionally, school meals are often healthier than meals brought from home. But, more importantly, for many families, the ease of mind and ability of a child to eat without creating a debt is massive.

It’s important to note that in Connecticut, a family can earn no more than $55,500 annual gross income to receive meals at no cost.  However, according to the Connecticut United Ways, that same family’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Household Survival Budget was $106,632 in 2021, leaving a large gap in the ability to pay for necessities. 80% of Connecticut towns have at least 1 in 5 households that are ALICE; offering them school meals for all is one tool that assists these households economically and eases a family’s stress.

“We know students across the state are struggling. The data in Connecticut is consistent: one in five children is not confident about their next meal. This legislation transforms childhood experiences and allows for all students to have one less thing to worry about.” — Education Advocate

While school meals for all help our students, school, and families, they are a driver in the economic success of our local businesses, especially farmers.  When school food services can count on income for the meals, they are able to buy more locally produced foods.  Again, school meals not only help economically with our local farms and businesses, but with the overall health of our children by providing healthier options.

“Farmers in this state can provide more to our own citizens if given the opportunity. Direct sales to schools and other institutions provides safe, healthy local food and support our state economy in a virtuous cycle. I hope you can continue and expand this system.” — Chip Beckett, Beckett Farms, Glastonbury 

It’s clear that school meals for all helps our students, our teachers, our parents and families, farmers, and local businesses succeed. Additionally, continuing meals for all students partners naturally with CSDE’s newly announced School Is Better with You campaign to enhance attendance in our schools.

The organizations below recognize the need for school breakfast and offer meals at no cost to those eligible for reduced-priced meals.  We urge you to help our schools and our students by funding the continuation of the current program in the SFY 2024/25 budget. 

Sincerely,

ACLU-CT

Brigaid

Capitol Region Education Council (CREC)

Cathedral of Higher Praise

Center for Food Equity and Economic Development

Charter Oak Communities

Cold Spring Farm

Collaborative Center for Justice

Common Ground Charter High School, Urban Farm and Environmental Education Center

Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE)

Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut

Connecticut Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Connecticut Alliance for Basic Human Needs (CABHN)

Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence

Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Connecticut Food System Alliance

Connecticut Foodshare

Connecticut Legal Services

Connecticut Office of Agudath Israel

Connecticut Oral Health Initiative

Coventry/Andover School Foodservice

Cromwell High School

Cromwell Public Schools

CT Alliance of YMCAs

CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Danbury Farmers Market Community Collaborative

Danbury Hydroponics D.B.A. Joon Gardens

Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, Inc. (DESK)

Easton’s Here to Help

Ellington Farmers Market

End Hunger Connecticut!

Fair Haven Community Health Care

Fairfield County’s Community Foundation

Filling In The Blanks

Food Rescue US

Food Research & Action Center

FoodCorps

Foodshed Network

Fridgeport

Good Trouble Advocates and BLM860

Greater Hartford Legal Aid

Green Village Initiative

Greenwich Community Gardens

Greenwich United Way

Guilford Public Schools

Handel Family Farm

Healing By Growing Farms

Health Equity Solutions

High Ridge Hydroponics LLC

HOPE Family Justice Center BHcare

Indivisible Stamford

Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services

Keys To The Gate

Loaves and Fishes New Haven

Neighbor to Neighbor

New Britain ROOTS

New London Public Schools

Nonprofit Accountability Group

North Branford Schools

Northwest Corner Farm

Positive Vibes Plant Lounge LLC

Region 16 Public Schools

Region 9

Regional District 13

School Nutrition Association of Connecticut

She Leads Justice

Stamford Food Collaborative

Stonington Public Schools

Tabernacle of Grace Church

The Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers Inc.

The Foodshed Network

The National Conference for Community and Justice

Thy Neighbors Farm

Torrington Public Schools

Unite Us

United Way of Central and Northeastern CT

United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut

United Way of Connecticut

United Way of Greater New Haven

United Way of Naugatuck & Beacon Falls

United Way of Southeastern Connecticut

Valley United Way, Inc.

Watertown Food Services

Witnesses To Hunger NH

About us: End Hunger CT! works statewide to eliminate hunger and promote healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and advocacy. EHC! offers SNAP assistance, nutrition program promotion, doubles SNAP at farmers’ markets, and more to help CT residents in need. To learn more about our services, click here.

Have any questions? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Kimberly Nguyen, at knguyen@endhungerct.org.

For many Connecticut families, the holiday season amplifies challenges of hunger and food insecurity. Now, more than ever, we need the support of our communities to meet the growing needs of those who are struggling.  Your gift is a catalyst, propelling our collective efforts to address hunger through a multi-faceted approach, encompassing resource mobilization, programming, and advocacy. Here is how your support translates into real, tangible outcomes: 

• Expanding Essential Programs, A Lifeline for Vulnerable Populations: Your contribution directly fuels the expansion of crucial programs that serve as a lifeline for individuals and families facing food insecurity.  
• Equipping Communities for Universal Food Assistance: Beyond immediate relief, your support empowers communities to provide universal food assistance to Connecticut families and children.  
• Advancing Bold Policy Changes, Strengthening the Foundation for Long-Term Impact: Your generosity enables us to advance our capacity to make bold and impactful policy changes. By advocating for systemic reforms, we aim to create a more just and equitable food system that addresses the root causes of hunger. 

• Funding Research and Advocacy, Building an Equitable Food System: By investing in understanding underlying, root cause issues of hunger and advocating for sustainable solutions, we work towards creating a future where hunger is not just alleviated but eradicated. 

Every contribution you make is an investment in the very fabric of a community that stands together, cares deeply, and refuses to let any of its members go hungry. And here is an exciting opportunity: thanks to a very generous donor, this month your donation will be doubled – up to $10,000 – multiplying the impact of your support. Want to make your contribution even more impactful? Consider setting up a monthly or yearly recurring donation.  Your generosity during this holiday season will not only make an immediate difference in the lives of those in need, but also contribute to building stronger, more resilient communities for the future. Thank you for being a vital part of our collective efforts to nourish and uplift Connecticut families.  Give the gift of a hunger-free Connecticut here.    Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash 

About us: End Hunger CT! works statewide to eliminate hunger and promote healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and advocacy. EHC! offers SNAP assistance, nutrition program promotion, doubles SNAP at farmers’ markets, and more to help CT residents in need. To learn more about our services, click here.

Have any questions? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Kimberly Nguyen, at knguyen@endhungerct.org.

The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is a federal tax benefit for American taxpayers with children under the age of 17 that provides a tax refund to parents per each qualifying child. The refundable amount each family is entitled to is determined by numerous eligibility factors, including household income. 

In 2021, tens of millions of households with children received an enhanced federal CTC. As a direct result of the enhanced CTC, food insufficiency dropped by 25 percent and poverty dropped by 46 percent among households with children nationwide. After the end of the expanded CTC and other pandemic-era relief provisions, child poverty and food insufficiency among households with children skyrocketed.   

Overwhelmingly, data shows that families spend their CTC dollars on necessities, like food. During the temporary CTC expansion in 2021, data showed that 68% of Connecticut families spent at least some of their CTC funds on food, with 56% stating they spent all their CTC funds on food. 

Congress must pass an expanded CTC by means of an end of year tax or spending package, or other legislative vehicle to help lift Americans out of hunger and poverty. 

Alongside several of our fellow advocates, including the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), we are calling on Congress to fight hunger and poverty and pass an expanded and inclusive refundable Child Tax Credit that focuses on including the 19 million children currently left out of the full credit. Any tax package needs to include support for families that have been left behind, not just corporations. This refundable tax credit is vital to helping families put food on the table. “82% of voters favor a Child Tax Credit that is fully available for all low- and middle-income families,” according to recent voter polling conducted by Hart Research Associates. 

RELATED: EHC! Commends Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro’s (CT-03) Commitment to Expanding the Child Tax Credit 

Families are facing many challenges that make it difficult to make ends meet such as inadequate wages and benefits, inequitable economic growth, and lack of job supports such as access to child care. These obstacles — often driven by racial and systemic barriers — increase hunger and poverty rates. Federal tax credits provide critical support for millions of families and individuals every year, supplementing low wages or economic hardships.  

Send a letter to your Representative to urge them to support enhancing the Child Tax Credit now by clicking here. 

End Hunger CT! adapted some language for this post from CTC action alerts provided by Feeding America and the Food Research and Action Center. 

Feature Image by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash

About us: End Hunger CT! works statewide to eliminate hunger and promote healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and advocacy. EHC! offers SNAP assistance, nutrition program promotion, doubles SNAP at farmers’ markets, and more to help CT residents in need. To learn more about our services, click here.

Have any questions? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Kimberly Nguyen, at knguyen@endhungerct.org.

Card skimming is becoming an increasingly widespread problem across the country. “Skimming” refers to a process in which scammers install small devices designed to collect personal information from cards onto store checkout machines so they can steal funds. This issue is defrauding Americans of millions of critical food assistance dollars nationwide.

Luckily, the federal government has recognized this problem and passed legislation allowing states to replace funds to victims of stolen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

RELATED: End Hunger Connecticut! urges Congress to prioritize updating EBT cards with enhanced security aligned with today’s modern credit card technology to protect SNAP participants

How to protect your benefits

If you are receiving SNAP benefits, there are precautions you can take to protect yourself against skimming. According to information from the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), here are some actions you should take:

• Avoid simple PIN numbers. Choose more complicated number patterns for your PIN. Number combinations such as 1111, 1234 or 9876 may be easy for scammers to guess. Call DSS EBT Customer Service at 1-888-328-2666 to change your current PIN.
• Keep your PIN number and card number secret. Do not share your PIN or card number with anyone outside of your household. Cover the keypad when you enter your PIN on a card reader at checkout.
• Beware of phishing. Phishing typically involves a call or text disguised as an authority figure asking for personal information or making it seem like immediate action is required. These scams can look and seem frighteningly real. Remember that DSS and EBT customer service will never call or text to ask for your PIN or card number. If you are unsure about whether a request you have received is legitimate, contact DSS EBT Customer Service at 1-888-328-2666 to verify the request before taking any action.
• Change your PIN number often. Change your PIN at least once a month, right before your benefits are added to your card. Call DSS EBT Customer Service at 1-888-328-2666 to change your current PIN.
• Check your EBT account regularly for unauthorized charges. If you see any charges on your account that you do not recognize, change your PIN number right away to stop the thief from making new purchases and report suspicious activity to DSS.
• A new EBT card can be requested. If you feel your benefits have been stolen, or your identity has been compromised, you can request a replacement EBT card. Call DSS EBT Customer Service at 1-888-328-2666 to request a replacement card.

What to do if your benefits are stolen

If you think your benefits have been stolen, you should act as soon as you suspect fraud has occurred. According to information from the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), here are the steps you should take:

• First and foremost, change your PIN number immediately. This will ensure that the thief will not be able to make more fraudulent purchases using your account. Additionally, DSS will require you to update your PIN number before they can replace your stolen benefits. Call DSS EBT Customer Service at 1-888-328-2666 to change your current PIN.
• Within 30 days of realizing the fraud, use the DSS Replacement Benefits Application to apply for replacement benefits. According to DSS, the State of Connecticut can replace SNAP benefits that were electronically stolen, as long as you apply for replacement benefits within 30 days of realizing money was stolen. DSS can replace up to two months’ worth of stolen SNAP benefits up to two times in a federal fiscal year (October – September). APPLY HERE: www.dss-replacementbenefits.ct.gov.
• Check your mail often for a letter from DSS. Your application must be reviewed and approved by DSS before replacement benefits can be issued. DSS will send a letter in the mail within 30 calendar days of your application notifying you of whether your application has been approved or denied.

• If the letter says “Approved” – your EBT account will receive the replacement amount noted on the approval letter and no further action is required on your end.
• If the letter says “Denied” or you disagree with the replacement amount – you have the right to a Fair Hearing if you disagree with the decision and/or the amount of replacement benefits you are issued. If you think a mistake was made, you may request a hearing within 90 days of the date on the letter by calling 1-800-462-0134, or by written request faxed to (860) 424-5729 or mailed to: Department of Social Services, Office of Legal Counsel, Regulations, and Administrative Hearings, 55 Farmington Ave., Hartford, CT, 06105.
• Continue to protect yourself against future skimming. Even after receiving replacement benefits, you could still be susceptible to future fraud. Be sure to use the precautions listed in the beginning of this article to continue protecting yourself from stolen benefits.

The State of Connecticut has approved hundreds of claims of stolen benefits and issued tens of thousands of dollars in replacement benefits to approved households so far. To learn more about applying for replacement benefits, visit the DSS website.

Questions about SNAP or need assistance? We can help. Contact End Hunger CT!’s SNAP Call Center at 866-974-SNAP (7627) or visit us at www.endhungerct.org/SNAP.

Feature Image by Qihao Wang on Unsplash

About us: End Hunger CT! works statewide to eliminate hunger and promote healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and advocacy. EHC! offers SNAP assistance, nutrition program promotion, doubles SNAP at farmers’ markets, and more to help CT residents in need. To learn more about our services, click here.

Have any questions? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Kimberly Nguyen, at knguyen@endhungerct.org.

Congress Passes (Another) Continuing Resolution; Final Action on Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Looms Ahead in the New Year

This week, the Senate (87–11) and House (336–95) passed a continuing resolution (CR), H.R. 6363, that averted a government shutdown – signed by the President on Thursday, November 16th. Included in the relatively “clean” CR was an extension of the 2018 Farm Bill through September 30, 2024.

The bill fails to include any additional funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) (or the Child Tax Credit and child care). Congress continued to include authority for states to spend their current federal WIC dollars faster to allow for increased participation in fiscal year (FY) 2024 without any interruption of benefits and services.

Connecticut has 48,000 children 5 and under, pregnant and postpartum mothers currently participating.  That number represents only half of those eligible. End Hunger Connectiut! will continue to work with out national partners for full funding of the program in the final FY 2024 spending bill.

House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa Delauro (D-CT) issued a statement after the House bill passed, urging productive talks to start immediately to address America’s needs.

Source: FRAC

About us: End Hunger CT! works statewide to eliminate hunger and promote healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and advocacy. EHC! offers SNAP assistance, nutrition program promotion, doubles SNAP at farmers’ markets, and more to help CT residents in need. To learn more about our services, click here.

Have any questions? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Kimberly Nguyen, at knguyen@endhungerct.org.

A government shutdown might begin soon if Congress does not make a decision by this Friday, November 17, potentially creating a stressful holiday time for many families in our state and across the country. We implore Congress to pass a budget decision before the extension expires, fully fund WIC projections, and oppose harmful changes to SNAP to maintain the supports that so many friends and neighbors in CT and across the country depend on to survive. We urge Congress to:

Reach a budget deal and keep the U.S. Government open

A government shutdown would cause confusion about program access and cut off critical and specifically nutritious foods from babies, young children, pregnant and post-partum women, and the elderly. American families, including the over 420,000 Connecticut residents who rely on federal nutrition programs in order to live and work, are on pins and needles wondering if they will have to worry about losing vital nutrition benefits or their jobs past the 45-day extension – right as we enter the holiday season.

Nutrition programs have a vast economic impact on our local communities. Farmers and producers, farmers’ markets, and grocers rely on WIC and FMNP Coupons – in Connecticut alone, that is about $4 million per month in spending that keeps many residents securely employed at local grocery stores and food retailers. Congress has a responsibility to reach a sound budget deal that supports vulnerable Americans and keep the government running so programs continue and people can keep working and feeding their families.

Protect and strengthen SNAP in the Farm Bill

Congress must pass a bipartisan Farm Bill that supports – not slashes – the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and improves program access, benefit adequacy, and customer service/technology integrations. Priorities should include lifting barriers such as expanding SNAP eligibility for college students, repealing the arbitrary three-month time limit for ABAWD persons, eliminating the ban on SNAP for individuals with prior drug felony convictions, and eliminating discriminatory bans for immigrant persons.

Other priorities should include lifting the unfair ban on hot and prepared foods – which would enable SNAP participants who do not have the means or ability to prepare their own food access a nutritious diet – and expanding online SNAP delivery. Efforts should also be made to equip EBT cards with enhanced security aligned with today’s modern credit card technology to protect SNAP participants from benefit skimming and instill processes to recoup stolen benefits to affected clients.

SNAP stimulates the economy and reduces poverty, food insecurity, health care expenditures, and the risk of chronic conditions. Connecticut’s poverty rate fell by 12% following the 2021 re-evaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan; cutting SNAP in the Farm Bill would be a step backwards, pushing people back into poverty.

Fully fund the WIC Program

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides access to supplemental food, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. The current funding allotted to WIC falls short of the estimated nationwide demand – putting over 600,000 eligible participants, including 51,000 Connecticut children and mothers – at risk of being turned away from a program they qualify for. This disproportionally harms black and Hispanic families.

Further, more than half of babies in the US depend on WIC, and in Connecticut alone, nearly 48,000 children and their mothers would have their much-needed prescription food ripped away from them in a government shutdown.

Data Sources: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Food Research & Action Center, United States Department of Agriculture,  State of Connecticut

To view more of EHC!’s advocacy efforts, click here. 

Photo by Andy Feliciotti on Unsplash.

About us: End Hunger CT! works statewide to eliminate hunger and promote healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and advocacy. EHC! offers SNAP assistance, nutrition program promotion, doubles SNAP at farmers’ markets, and more to help CT residents in need. To learn more about our services, click here.

Have any questions? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Kimberly Nguyen, at knguyen@endhungerct.org.

Some policymakers have put quite a few devastating cuts on the table between the government’s budget and Farm Bill negotiations that would be detrimental to millions of families across the country. While we are relieved that Congress voted NOT to shut down the government and extend budget negotiations for a total of 45 more days, the possibility of a shutdown still remains should those 45 days run out without a decision, putting critical food assistance benefits and jobs at risk right before the holiday season.

We implore Congress to pass a budget decision before the extension expires, fully fund WIC projections, and oppose harmful changes to SNAP to maintain the supports that so many friends and neighbors in CT and across the country depend on to survive. We urge Congress to:

Reach a budget deal and keep the U.S. Government open

A government shutdown would cause confusion about program access and cut off critical and specifically nutritious foods from babies, young children, pregnant and post-partum women, and the elderly. American families, including the over 420,000 Connecticut residents who rely on federal nutrition programs in order to live and work, are on pins and needles wondering if they will have to worry about losing vital nutrition benefits or their jobs past the 45-day extension – right as we enter the holiday season.

Nutrition programs have a vast economic impact on our local communities. Farmers and producers, farmers’ markets, and grocers rely on WIC and FMNP Coupons – in Connecticut alone, that is about $4 million per month in spending that keeps many residents securely employed at local grocery stores and food retailers. Congress has a responsibility to reach a sound budget deal that supports vulnerable Americans and keep the government running so programs continue and people can keep working and feeding their families.

Protect and strengthen SNAP in the Farm Bill

Congress must pass a bipartisan Farm Bill that supports – not slashes – the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and improves program access, benefit adequacy, and customer service/technology integrations. Priorities should include lifting barriers such as expanding SNAP eligibility for college students, repealing the arbitrary three-month time limit for ABAWD persons, eliminating the ban on SNAP for individuals with prior drug felony convictions, and eliminating discriminatory bans for immigrant persons.

Other priorities should include lifting the unfair ban on hot and prepared foods – which would enable SNAP participants who do not have the means or ability to prepare their own food access a nutritious diet – and expanding online SNAP delivery. Efforts should also be made to equip EBT cards with enhanced security aligned with today’s modern credit card technology to protect SNAP participants from benefit skimming and instill processes to recoup stolen benefits to affected clients.

SNAP stimulates the economy and reduces poverty, food insecurity, health care expenditures, and the risk of chronic conditions. Connecticut’s poverty rate fell by 12% following the 2021 re-evaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan; cutting SNAP in the Farm Bill would be a step backwards, pushing people back into poverty.

Fully fund the WIC Program

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides access to supplemental food, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. The current funding allotted to WIC falls short of the estimated nationwide demand – putting over 600,000 eligible participants, including 51,000 Connecticut children and mothers – at risk of being turned away from a program they qualify for. This disproportionally harms black and Hispanic families.

Further, more than half of babies in the US depend on WIC, and in Connecticut alone, nearly 48,000 children and their mothers would have their much-needed prescription food ripped away from them in a government shutdown.

Data Sources: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Food Research & Action Center, United States Department of Agriculture,  State of Connecticut

To view more of EHC!’s advocacy efforts, click here. 

Photo by Elijah Mears on Unsplash.

About us: End Hunger CT! works statewide to eliminate hunger and promote healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and advocacy. EHC! offers SNAP assistance, nutrition program promotion, doubles SNAP at farmers’ markets, and more to help CT residents in need. To learn more about our services, click here.

Have any questions? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Kimberly Nguyen, at knguyen@endhungerct.org.

End Hunger Connecticut! (EHC!) is excited to announce the arrival of Liliana Serrano, an Encore Program Fellow as part of the University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Public Policy. She brings her strategic marketer and fundraising expertise to our organization over an 8 week period. Get to know Liliana in our rapid-fire Q&A session:

I am a strategic marketer and fundraising expert who is enthusiastic, high-energy, and creative. As a marketer, consultant, and business owner, I have had the opportunity to work in various fields and on projects in both the public and private sectors. Some notable experiences included the participation of my home country at the Climate Change Convention COP15, contributing to the development of the Marketing Strategy for the Yasmin ITT initiative, and creating multiple strategies and marketing campaigns to promote Ecuadorian Tourism.

Since I moved to the USA seven years ago and established my own marketing company, I have been actively involved in supporting my community through various volunteer initiatives. I have also served on different Boards of Directors, currently holding the position of Vice President at the South Windsor Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, I am coproducing the documentary “Invisibles No More” in collaboration with Dr. Saud Anwar and Hartford Bags of Love.

I hope to learn more about the great work that EHC! does to support our communities in the fight against food insecurity and to share my experiences in creating a [strategy] that can assist the efforts of this amazing team of professionals.

Why EHC! ?

In past years I had the opportunity to be part of the South Windsor Hunger Action Team (HAT), and through them, I learned about the food insecurity issues in our state. Also, as a Latina, it’s disheartening to see that our Latino community is one of the ones at higher risk of experiencing food insecurity. I fully share and support the EHC! mission and their hard work.

About us: End Hunger CT! works statewide to eliminate hunger and promote healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and advocacy. EHC! offers SNAP assistance, nutrition program promotion, doubles SNAP at farmers’ markets, and more to help CT residents in need. To learn more about our services, click here.

Have any questions? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Kimberly Nguyen, at knguyen@endhungerct.org.