Here’s what you’re telling us
A Connecticut without HUSKY and SNAP means a state where more people cut their pills in half because they can’t afford to refill their prescriptions, parents go hungry so their kids can eat dinner, and people put off going to the doctor altogether.
That’s the reality many people face. But with federal budget cuts to HUSKY and SNAP, more people will be forced to choose between paying for groceries, rent, utilities, or going to the doctor.
SNAP, also known as “food stamps,” helps people pay for groceries with their EBT cards. More than 400,000 people in Connecticut used SNAP last year to pay for their groceries. More than half of those were families with children, and 20% of households receiving SNAP included someone who is elderly or has a disability.
K., who lives in Norwalk, told us that if it wasn’t for SNAP, her family would only eat once a day.
“It’s hard to see your kids looking for food that isn’t there,” she said.
O., who lives in New Haven County, uses HUSKY to pay for routine medical care and uses SNAP to afford food.
“Free food banks that are abundant in Connecticut can be humiliating,” Olive said. “The SNAP card preserves human dignity.”
HUSKY pays for routine doctor visits, births, medications, screenings to catch cancer and dangerous illnesses, and routine visits.
There are about 900,000 people in our state using HUSKY. About 366,000 are children. If the state doesn’t step in, up to 200,000 people could lose their HUSKY benefits.
“My kids [have] asthma, food allergies, so Husky helped with medicine [and doctors’ visits],” K. said. “I cannot think of what I would do without it.”
M., who lives in Meriden, told us she’s gone without filling prescriptions because she couldn’t afford it. She said that SNAP has kept her family fed after she had her son and her husband lost his job.
“If Connecticut doesn’t act, the costs-both human and financial-will be far greater than the investment it takes to keep SNAP and HUSKY strong,” she told us.
Our state has the money and power to protect people from losing their coverage. But our state can’t wait until cuts are here – they need to act before people go hungry or have to skip medical care. Take action now to tell your representatives to protect HUSKY and SNAP.
Note: It’s not clear when changes to HUSKY and SNAP will happen and who will lose benefits. If you receive HUSKY and SNAP, you will continue to until you hear otherwise. Check with The Connecticut Department of Social Services for the latest updates.