Connecticut Food Assistance

Food Stamps * Food Banks * Food Pantries * Soup Kitchens * WIC
School Meals * Special Milk * Summer Food * Senior Nutrition

Connecticut food assistance programs and sources include the State-run Connecticut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens – all helping local residents in need to cope with hunger and food insecurity.

ON THIS PAGE

Learn more about

SNAP benefits a.k.a. Food Stamps.

Who is eligible for SNAP benefits (Food Stamps) in Connecticut?

How to apply for Connecticut Food Assistance?

How does Connecticut Department of Social Services determine eligibility?

Approved! When and how do I get the Food Stamps benefits?

How much Food Stamps benefits do participants receive per month?

How and where to use Food Stamps Benefits?

Food Stamps in Connecticut – The Connecticut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

A cornerstone in Connecticut’s food assistance is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) run by the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS).

The SNAP in Connecticut is also known as the Food Stamp Program that provides Connecticut food assistance benefits to all eligible residents.

If you are a Connecticut resident and in need of food assistance find out if you qualify for food stamps in the State of Connecticut by contacting your local DSS office.

If you qualify and you are approved for SNAP assistance, you will start getting food stamps a.k.a. Connecticut SNAP benefits on a monthly basis.

Connecticut Food Stamp (SNAP) benefits help needy low-income Connecticut residents buy the food they need for good health. The SNAP benefits supplement their monthly food bill and allow to buy more healthy food.

The monthly Connecticut food assistance benefits are called allotments and are deposited in dollars into the Electronic Benefits Card (EBT) accounts of each beneficiary.

This is done each month on a certain date following the Benefits Issuance Schedule.

Each EBT account comes with a bank debit card that can be used at any of the Connecticut food stamps approved grocery stores.

Find more about Connecticut food stamps eligibility requirements, how to apply for Connecticut SNAP benefits, and how much you can get per month by following the links below…

Connecticut SNAP | Eligibility | Apply | Approval | Benefits

Food Banks in Connecticut

Connecticut food assistance banks play an important role in the overall effort to end hunger and food insecurity throughout the State.

The food banks in Connecticut collect food from various sources like wholesale organizations, grocery stores, and farms that have food in excess and are willing to donate.

The food banks then sort store and distribute donated food to local soup kitchens, shelters, and food pantries.

The Connecticut Foodbank is such a non-profit organization that works to alleviate hunger in Connecticut.

Connecticut Food Banks

Food Pantries in Connecticut

Connecticut food assistance pantries offer food directly to people that need it and who have means to cook it.

They usually receive food from local food banks and in turn distribute it to low-income individuals and households at no cost.

Food pantries are typically located in facilities where received food can be stored and handled in a safe and sanitary manner.

Each food pantry serves a designated local area and most of them require prior registration and approval before food can be distributed to a particular individual or a family.

Connecticut Food Pantries

Soup Kitchens in Connecticut

Soup kitchens serve cooked meals on-site to needy people at no cost. Like food pantries, they normally receive their food from local food banks.

Soup kitchens take care mostly of homeless people and people who do not have the means to cook for themselves.

They require storage, cleaning, and cooking equipment as they have to do food preparation, serving, and cleaning after the meals.

Food pantries are typically located in facilities where received food can be stored and handled in a safe and sanitary manner.

Each food pantry serves a designated local area, and most of them require prior registration and approval before food can be served to a particular individual or a family.

Connecticut Soup Kitchens

WIC Program in Connecticut

Connecticut Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides healthy foods, breastfeeding support, nutrition education, health care referrals to Connecticut pregnant women, new mothers, infants and young children during times of important growth.

Connecticut Women, Infants, and Children Program

School Meals in Connecticut

Schools meals in Connecticut are offered mainly through National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. The Connecticut school meals programs make nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free meals available to school children each school day in the year.

School meals nutritional standards are based on the recommendation from the Institute of Medicine and U.S. Government and teachers have reported that students perform better in class if they get regular meals. Children getting school breakfast also had significantly reduced absence and tardiness rates, according to a Tufts University study.

Connecticut School Lunch Program | Connecticut School Breakfast Program

Special Milk Program in Connecticut

Connecticut Special Milk Program offers milk to children in schools, childcare institutions, and eligible camps. Any child in a school or institution that participates in the Special Milk Program can get milk. Schools may elect to offer free milk to low-income children. To qualify for Connecticut Special Milk, the child must be a resident of the State of Connecticut.

Connecticut Special Milk Program

Summer Food Program in Connecticut

Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free meals and snacks to help low-income Connecticut children get nutritious meals in the summer time.  The SFSP is a federal program that provides grants to local sponsors who want to combine a food service with a summer activity program.

The funding provided by SFSP ensures that Connecticut children in low-income areas continue to receive nutritious meals during long school vacations when they do not have access to school lunch or breakfast.

Connecticut Summer Food Service Program

Senior Nutrition in Connecticut

Connecticut Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides low-income seniors with special checks to buy fresh, nutritious fruits, vegetables, and herbs from authorized farmers’ markets. To qualify for Connecticut senior nutrition special checks, the applicants must be 60 years of age or older and their gross household income must not exceed certain limits.

An application must be completed for each person in the household that wants to apply for the SFMNP benefits.  Once approved, each beneficiary must reapply every year to continue participating in the Connecticut Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. Learn more about how senior nutrition program works.

Connecticut Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

Sources: State Agencies, FNS, USDA