What You Need To Know
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was created in the 1980s as a result of an increase in hunger in the American population. The program was called the Food Stamp Program at the time of its creation by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program has helped over 40 million people from low-income household by providing them with a nutritiously-rich diet. It is considered to be one of the most active and helpful programs of the federal government accommodating families at times of economic downfall in the country.
Program Goals
The main purpose of the Connecticut food stamp program is to provide the underprivileged families living on a fixed budget with an opportunity to improve their food quality. It helps them add valuable nutrition in their food by purchasing food that is healthy and nutritious. This leads them to live a healthy and self- sustaining lifestyle subsequently increasing the quality of lifestyle of people in the country.
How It Works
The eligible families are linked with government agencies, nutritionists, and local community-based as well as faith-based organizations in Connecticut. These organizations make sure the families are fully educated about the program so that they can approach the application in a well-informed manner. This leads the families to make better decisions and allow them to take full benefits from the country’s largest hunger preventive program. The beneficiaries are provided with an electronic card which they can use in the various food stores approved by the government.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the Connecticut Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program the applicant must be a citizen of the state of Connecticut.
To be able to eligible for this program you must have yearly household income either equal to or less than the given amount:
| Size Of The Household | Maximum Annual Income Level ($) |
| 1 | $16247 |
| 2 | $21983 |
| 3 | $27729 |
| 4 | $33475 |
| 5 | $39221 |
| 6 | $44967 |
| 7 | $50713 |
| 8 | $56459 |
This information can be subjected to change therefore, it is highly recommended to contact a suitable agency to provide you with up-to-date program guidelines.
It is also worth noting that families that are already on some kind of need-based public assistance with a financially unstable background can also apply for the Connecticut SNAP program. The household can either be on a Supplement Security Income Program or any other such aid is unequivocally eligible for the program.
SNAP Pre-Screening Tool
Another way to check your eligibility for the program is by using the “SNAP pre-screening tool” to check if you can attain the benefits of the program. It is important to understand that the tool neither an application to apply for the program nor does it guarantee that you will get the benefit. It simply lets you know your eligibility based on your household income level per annum. In order to fill the application, you need to visit the SNAP office in your locality.
In the screening test, the applicant you will be asked to mention certain information including
- Household income
- VA and social security payments
- Utility bill
- and other medical expenses (for older citizens) including your child support payment to take the test.
The amount of the benefit received by each household through the CT SNAP program might vary depending on the need. Families that are more underprivileged would receive a large amount to properly afford a sufficient diet.
There are several other programs that provide benefits to the families therefore; it is highly recommended that you get in touch with the other programs offered in your locality for better guidance.
How To Apply?
The application process varies from state to state, depending on the guidelines of the federal government. Usually, the process requires one person to apply on behalf of the whole family. The selected applicants go through an interview which is mostly conducted through the phone. Besides that, the application form consists of the applicants’ full information including their expenses, income level, identity, citizenship status.
You can either mail the application documents or even apply online. In order to apply online, kindly visit the CT SNAP website.
Furthermore, if you wish to directly download the online application process kindly visit the How to Apply page of the website.
For Further Information?
In case of further queries related to the program, visit official website for detailed information regarding the program.
In order to find a SNAP’s office near you, you may take help from the online Regional Offices website that will guide you to the office near your locality or use the contact the Connecticut Department of Social Services at the following number:
1-855-626-6632
Other than that, you can also visit the official Connecticut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s “Contact Us” page to get an idea about how you find an office near you.