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Newsletter
*Action Alert*
March 2015
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ALERT - IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED TO PROTECT ACCESS TO SNAP!
House Bill 5822: AN ACT REQUIRING PHOTO IDENTIFICATION ON ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER CARDS
is ready to be voted on in the Human Services Committee
early next week.
We need you to call members of the Human Services Committee and tell them to VOTE NO. Putting photos on EBT cards is only a way to limit access to SNAP and other benefits. MA and ME have this in place and it is a disaster.
- Photo EBT can prevent people from getting their benefits through a common misunderstanding of the program
- A household is defined as those who prepare meals together, and may not be related to one another. The "head of the household" is the main point person for the benefit. Therefore, it is quite common, in states that have photo EBT, for household members to be unfairly denied use of their cards because they were not the head of the household whose picture is on the card. We have seen this in Massachusetts and Maine.
- It's not necessary
- EBT cards use a pin, just like an ATM card making it difficult for someone to steal the card and use it without permission.
- The USDA is able to determine what food has been purchased and can tell if fraud is happening. The selling of EBT benefits are mostly done at small marts or bodegas where a large amount of food purchased by one person on their EBT is a red flag to the USDA which investigates. We have a robust investigative team here in CT. Of course, having a photo EBT card won't make a dent on this type of fraud, which is the most prevalent, because the store owner is involved.
- Fraud is easy to report - there is both a toll free number and a link on the DSS site to report fraud.
- It doesn't make sense
- How would we get the pictures on EBT cards? If people have to go to DSS won't that add to the continued backlog? How much will the cards cost compared to what they currently cost? Is this an effective use of funds?
We need you to contact members and don't delay. This bill is part a national movement to stop people from accessing benefits under the guise of fraud protection. SNAP has the least amount of fraud of any federal program in the country - less then 1.2%.
Don't know who your member is? Find out here (scroll down to the bottom).
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Sherry Suber, Dawn Crayco, Lucy Nolan, Shannon Yearwood, Genevieve Caron
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2015
Anti-Hunger
Policy
In early March five members of the EHC! team attended the FRAC/Feeding America Policy Conference for updates, sharing and learning about policies and programs that could impact hungry residents in CT.
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Join us at #TalkCTPoverty - Poverty Advocacy Day at the Capitol
- Date and Time: Wednesday, March 25th, 11 am
- Location: Atrium of the Legislative Office Building, Capitol Avenue, Hartford.
Join End Hunger CT! with key partners: the Connecticut Alliance for Basic Human Needs (CABHN), the Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS), Connecticut Association for Community Action (CAFCA), and Connecticut Voices for Children at the Legislative Office Building to talk connect with others and talk to legislators about protecting key programs that help CT residents struggling to make ends meet.
The Governor's proposed budget cuts are deep, and directly impact many low income families across the state. Please join us in telling legislators about poverty and the issues that are important to you, your community, or organization.
And visit the #TalkCTPoverty photo booth-back for its second year! Follow #TalkCTPoverty on Facebook and Twitter to be part of the action!
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Empty Bowls on the Shoreline
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Thank you to Westbrook Middle School for its donation of $1,500 raised at the Empty Bowl Event, a fundraiser held on January 29, 2015.
Image courtesy of westbrookschools.org
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In January, the creation of tangible symbols to highlight the presence of hunger along the Shoreline was coupled with an extensive educational component that revealed to the students of Westbrook Middle School how many among us are faced with food insecurity. A semester long project launched by faculty members and Parent, Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) volunteers drove home the message that their part of Connecticut may be a vacation destination and beautiful natural treasure, but, behind the scenes, many of their neighbors and friends are struggling to meet their most basic needs.
Click here to read the full article.
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Record Breaking Summer Meal Results are In!
There may still be snow on the ground but there is much to celebrate about summer! The data for the 2014 summer meals programs is in and we're so thrilled of the results and proud of the sponsors who made it happen.
This past summer:
- Over 5,000 more kids ate daily! A 13.2% increase over summer 2013;
- 172,022 more meals were served than in 2013;
- and 35 new sites/locations were opened, representing a 6.2% increase.
Congratulations to all who worked so hard to make that happen, and thank you! Looking forward to an even better 2015! E-mail gcaron@endhungerct.org for how you can get involved!
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We Have a New Time and Location for SNAP Walk-Ins!
Emanuel Lutheran Church
311 Capitol Avenue, Hartford Thursdays, 11 AM to 1 PM Look for EHC!'s sign. Enter through the rear of the building. Go downstairs to the Church hall.
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays:
9:00 AM until 6:00 PM
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9:
00 AM to 5:00
To request a SNAP presentation: Brian Johnson, SNAP Outreach Coordinator, is available to conduct SNAP Info Sessions about basic SNAP eligibility rules. If you would like Brian to talk to your group, please contact him at bjohnson@endhungerct.org. To request SNAP Outreach materials: contact Sherry Suber at ssuber@endhungerct.org. |
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Have you been looking for an opportunity to help improve kids' health? To get your hands dirty? To help your community thrive? To create real, lasting change that tastes as good as a freshly dug carrot and lasts as long as an apple tree? Become a FoodCorps member and you could get started on all of these goals in 2015. Application deadline is March 31st!
For information on becoming a FoodCorps member, click here.
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2015 Hartford Community Food Security Awards
The Hartford Advisory Commission on Food Policy would like to invite you to join us in celebrating the 2015 Community Food Security Awards at a reception.
Thursday, March 26th-5:00pm-7:00pm
Hartford Public Library in the Hartford History Center
The event will begin at 5pm with  refreshments and a resource fair, followed by a presentation by best-selling cookbook author Terry Walters from 6-7pm, and the awards ceremony starting at 7pm.
The Food Policy Commission regularly hosts the Community Food Security Awards event to raise awareness about community food security and to recognize individuals and organizations in Hartford that are working to improve nutrition, strengthen local food systems, and empower communities to move toward long-term food security. This year, a winner will be recognized in the following four categories for their contributions to the health of Hartford residents: individual, nonprofit, business, and youth.
This event is free and open to the public.
We ask that you please RSVP via Eventbrite by March 23, 2015 RSVP Here
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We need your support, now more than ever! The 2015 CT General Assembly is in session and it is critical that our voice be heard on issues impacting food security and nutrition.
We're 'Making Room at the Table' and we want you with us!
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About Us
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End Hunger Connecticut! is dedicated to ending hunger and promoting healthy nutrition by promoting access to federal nutrition assistance programs, speaking out to raise awareness of hunger in the state of Connecticut, and advocating for positive change of local, state and national programs.
We provide statewide SNAP and Child Nutrition Program outreach/training and assistance.
Learn about our CT No Kid Hungry Campaign here.
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Thank you for staying in touch!
Lucy Nolan
End Hunger Connecticut!
Nondiscrimination Statement: In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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