CT’s SNAP response is not enough

“I would starve without SNAP,” Margaret, an 85-year-old woman from Meriden, told us on Wednesday. Tomorrow, Saturday, November 1, she may wake up without food.

Right now, thousands of Connecticut residents don’t know when or if they will be able to buy groceries again. Because of the federal government shutdown and the Trump Administration’s decision not to release existing SNAP funds, SNAP benefits will not go out in November.

On Monday, Governor Lamont announced that Connecticut would invest $3 million in Connecticut Foodshare food pantries. It’s nowhere near good enough – because $3 million is offensively little for a state with billions in the bank, and because we can’t food bank our way out of this crisis.

SNAP feeds people in our state every day – around 360,000 people per year, and more than half are households with children. Around 9,000 veterans in our state get food through SNAP. And people in every single town are at risk of losing it.

We know Connecticut’s response isn’t good enough, because we talk to people every day. We’ve spoken with thousands of people in the last two months who are worried about SNAP and healthcare.

They’ve talked about SNAP as a lifeline to feed themselves and their children. They’ve talked about jobs with pay that’s lower than their bills every month. Disabilities that make it impossible to work. Leaving abusive relationships and needing a hand just for a little while.

Meanwhile, Connecticut is sitting on a $1.8 billion surplus for 2025. We have $4.3 billion in our rainy day fund. 

It is outrageous that Connecticut is sitting on billions of dollars when people are about to go hungry. And it’s offensive if the Governor thinks he can invest $3 million and be done.

As an article in The Connecticut Mirror recently pointed out, “Spending $72 million of state funds in November to fully fund SNAP benefits would reflect just 4% of that projected surplus, or 1% of the projected surplus and rainy day fund combined.”

SNAP clients are making every dollar work to try to build a future for themselves and their loved ones. Can our state say the same?

Or, as Theodore from Statford told us on Saturday, “If we have surplus funds, they should [be] used to help their own. I’ve lived in CT my whole life. That should mean something.”

Connecticut’s emergency response is also not good enough, because food banks cannot replace SNAP. Food banks are vitally important. They are doing critical work, and they are trying to provide healthy options. But state-created bread lines are not a substitute for people being able to buy their own food.

Again, we know, because we are talking to people. For instance, we’ve heard from parents of children with autism who need sensory-friendly foods, who can’t necessarily get those at food banks. And we talk with people who need to shop carefully to manage their diabetes or other medical conditions. 

SNAP is the ability to buy your own groceries at your local store. With SNAP, people have the autonomy to buy the food that is healthiest for them and their families, and that money goes right back into our local economies. Connecticut investing in food banks is a partial response, but the state is woefully ignorant if it thinks it can food bank its way out of this crisis.

We know Connecticut’s response to the SNAP crisis is not good enough, because we’re talking to working class people every day. Our state has to step up and quit pinching pennies with people’s lives.

It’s time for the Governor to call the special session, broaden the federal safeguard account to include things like SNAP, invest $700 million in HUSKY and SNAP, and create the task force for state agencies to coordinate response.


The Connecticut Project Action Fund has been gathering SNAP and HUSKY stories for months. The following are just some that we’ve heard in the last week of October:

• “I've had to beg for food for my kids, I've had to do things I'm not proud of. SNAP helps tremendously. I work but am disabled, so can only work part time. SNAP makes it so my kids and I don't go hungry. Without it, I fear what will happen. We have no family to help. We rely on SNAP 1000 percent to survive. Lots of us need & depend on SNAP & HUSKY to survive. Taking them away could jeopardize lives.” - Lisa, Jewett City
  
  
• “Not having to choose between paying rent and getting food should not be such a huge battle. As it is, jobs don't pay enough for the rising costs. [Connecticut should do something because] we voted them into office to fight for us.” - Jodi, Bridgeport
  
  
• “I have skipped meals for myself just to make sure my [young] autistic daughter can eat. She is nonverbal, but she will let you know when she is hungry. SNAP helps me keep food in the house and it will be hard to be able to keep food in my house.” – A Mom from Groton
  
• “I’ve gone hours and days without eating. SNAP helped me afford nutritious foods without worrying. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to eat, period. [Connecticut] should step in because we are human. All humans deserve the right to have access to healthcare and food, no questions asked! It’s not a matter of political views, it’s for American survival!” - Ashley, Norwalk
  
  
• “I was previously on SNAP, for about 6 months after I left an unhealthy marriage, I was starting over and left with nothing but debt. I also had health issues arise which kept me out of work. I just got back on SNAP in the month of October, because I am in-between jobs. I was a full time student, and my boyfriend was supporting myself and my son, however he got laid off, and I have struggled to find work again. I am not trying to permanently live on assistance. I simply need it to hold me over, so I can get back on my feet. I worked for the state for 16 years, and I had to retire because I was out on medical leave. Working in Corrections and getting sent out by ambulance multiple times and then being out for extended periods of time just wasn’t fair to my coworkers. I simply need help to cover me in between working.” – A Mom from Norwich
  
  
• “Without SNAP, I was not eating well balanced meals, which compromised [my] health. [I was] having to choose between food and paying bills. Having to rely on food banks just to eat. [With SNAP], I was able to get some of my nutritional needs met, while supplementing with food banks. Many hard working families rely on SNAP and HUSKY. Without it, they and their families suffer and experience more stress in their lives.” – Renee, Bristol
  
  
• “SNAP allows me to get healthier, more food from stores and farmer's markets. And by healthier, I don’t mean expensive, I mean like bags of frozen fruit I eat as smoothies which help my health a lot. Getting beans to have fiber and protein. It’s crucial for me to make ends meet and survive. It’s crucial for me to feed myself and not go hungry or exacerbate my disabilities and health by eating crappy diet like ramen all the time. Humans made societies to live better lives and work together. What’s the point of government if its not actually BY and FOR the people? I want my tax dollars to feed and house us all.” - Alice, Milford
  
  
• "Without SNAP,] I chose between paying rent and eating.” – Danny, Hartford
  
  
• “SNAP helped me feed my two children and be able to pay rent and other bills. I still struggle with SNAP benefits, so without them I don't know what I would do. Connecticut is a very expensive state to live in. We don't see increase in pay, but increases in cost for products and services. Any help financially assists in filling that gap.” - Nicole, East Haven
  
  
• “SNAP helped me by providing better food for my kids, fruits and veggies that are usually expensive, and snacks for school. If Connecticut doesn’t step in to protect its people, you would see more unhappy kids and longer lines at the food pantries! Hard working people can’t always afford to buy a lot of food and this program helps a lot.” - A Mom in Waterbury
  
  
• “SNAP helps me a lot. I don’t know what I’d do without it. SNAP gets me food every month for one meal per day! Without that allowance, I would not eat one meal a day. I'm a diabetic and should eat three meals per day that are balanced. Instead, I currently eat one meal a day by buying cheaper foods and meals to make. Food prices keep climbing making it so hard to make better choices. Without my SNAP benefits I would not survive and have lots of hospital stays and doctor visits. Connecticut needs to protect SNAP and HUSKY, for many people depend on these services, need these services for themselves and their families. Without these services, many people will starve, become homeless, become more ill, and even die. These services should never be taken away from those who need them. People who are in need depend on these to live and provide their family with good meals daily and regular health check ups, illness maintenance, shots, and more. Please realize that families, veterans, disabled and elderly [people] need these services.” – Brenda, Dayville