Believing that 25,000 food-insecure Connecticut residents could soon lose federal SNAP food assistance, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) says the state will offer a one-time, $300 grocery benefit.
The Department of Social Services will oversee the distribution, which will cost the state about $8.5 million dollars from the governor’s Federal Cuts Response Fund.
The benefit will be accessed via a new phone app, expected to launch in August. When applying for the benefit, applicants will be connected with services to help them regain SNAP eligibility, if possible.
The governor says he’s stunned by the wide constituencies being kicked off SNAP under President Trump’s big spending bill signed last July 4. It added red tape including new and stringent work requirements to qualify for the program, as Republicans planned to move millions of Americans off of federal food assistance to offset trillions of dollars in tax cuts.
“Y’know, it’s incredible to me,” said Lamont, at an appearance in Hartford. “Veterans? Sorry, used to be taken care of. No Longer. Homeless kids, kids in foster care getting moved out at the age of eighteen… We’re gonna do everything we can to make sure that you’re eligible for SNAP, and if you’re not, we’re gonna make sure that we’re able to take care of you.”
“It’s one thing for this… White House to be mean-spirited. But they’re also incompetent.”
Social Services Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves acknowledges that the one-time payment won’t be a long-term solution for most, but adds, “Although it may not be enough in the eyes of some, it is far more than what has been done, and it certainly is the very first and extremely important step in making sure that the people of this state who are losing their benefits have the security that they need.”
“What is happening at the federal level is really unconscionable.”
Connecticut Foodshare CEO Jason Jakubowski says the federal cuts are so hurtful that Congress should reverse field, saying, “Let’s be honest, the best possible solution would be for Congress and the president to reverse the cuts that they made.”
Republican state Sen. Jeff Gordon of Woodstock agrees, saying, “I encourage members of Congress, both parties, to reverse the cuts.”
“I think that members of both parties, House and Senate there in Washington, when they go back to their constituents,” adds Gordon, “they’re going to be continuing to hear from people who are going to be adversely affected by this. I hear it in the thirteen towns of my state Senate district. I hope that there can be a bipartisan agreement to be of help.”
While commending the governor’s effort fill the gap left by the federal cuts, Gordon says a lot of people will again need grocery funds after using the one-time payment.
“What do we do for the whole rest of the year?” asks Gordon. “We don’t have unlimited money and we can’t replace all of the money that the feds aren’t gonna give us. So, I would really encourage us as a legislature to jump back in to help sort through what to do.”
