Juan R. Candelaria

Friday is Juneteenth, a day of reflection, celebration, and progress.

As we commemorate the end of slavery in the United States and celebrate the resilience and contributions of the Black community, let's continue to strive for equality, justice, and freedom for all.

A reminder that Access Health CT announced that eligible customers can enroll in a health insurance plan with Temporary Premium Assistance through a Special Enrollment Period that will end on June 30th. 

The Temporary Premium Assistance has provided over $1.6 million in savings for 10,580 Connecticut residents to date. At the end of 2025, Governor Lamont announced the Temporary Premium Assistance to help customers who lost financial assistance when the federal enhanced Premium Tax Credits expired. The Special Enrollment Period for Temporary Premium Assistance opened on February 1st, and customers can continue to enroll through June 30th. 

Customers who qualify for this Special Enrollment Period include: 

• Households with an annual income between 100% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) who are not already enrolled in the Covered CT Program. These customers will receive a state subsidy to replace 100% of the expired federal enhanced premium tax credit amounts.
• Households with an annual income over 400% and up to 500% FPL. These customers will receive a state subsidy to replace 50% of the expired federal enhanced premium tax credit amounts.  

To enroll, customers can call 1-855-805-4325, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, with help available in over 100 languages. Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use the TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call 1-855-805-4325 with a relay operator.

For free help online, customers can visit AccessHealthCT.com. They can also chat live with a customer service representative by clicking the “Live Chat” icon on the website. Live chat is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.  

• Many people will NOT lose their benefits — but residents need to check whether the new work rules apply to them.
  DSS has free online prescreeners for both SNAP and HUSKY Health so residents can find out quickly.
• Connecticut's Community Action Agencies (CAAs) offer free, in-person help. Residents can find their local CAA at www.cafca.org/agencies.

Several new laws that we passed during the 2026 legislative session will take effect on July 1, bringing important changes for Connecticut residents.

Among them is Public Act 26-42, which expands access to voting by allowing any eligible voter to cast an absentee ballot without needing to provide a specific reason. The law removes outdated restrictions that previously limited absentee voting to a narrow set of circumstances.

Another new law, Public Act 26-12, strengthens recruitment and retention efforts for Connecticut's first responders. The legislation expands benefits such as tuition waivers and mortgage assistance for police officers, firefighters, correction officers, EMS personnel, and National Guard members, while also providing support for the families of certain public safety personnel who die in the line of duty.

Public Act 26-1 provides stronger workplace protections for employees at warehouses and fulfillment centers. The law ensures that productivity quotas do not interfere with legally required meal and bathroom breaks and requires employers to clearly communicate any quotas workers are expected to meet.

These measures reflect our ongoing efforts to make voting more accessible, support those who serve our communities, and strengthen protections for Connecticut workers.

You can click here for or a full list of the laws beginning on July 1.

United Way of Connecticut, in partnership with the Department of Social Services, has launched a grant program for Connecticut food pantries that are not members of the Connecticut Foodshare Agency Network. Organizations that operate a food pantry in Connecticut are eligible to apply for funding to provide food to the general public in the communities they serve 

Eligible food pantries must meet the following criteria:

• 501c3 organization in good standing or a municipality that operates a food pantry
• Provided food for human consumption to the general public at no charge for at least twelve (12) months prior to submission
• Not part of the Connecticut Foodshare Agency Network

If eligible, a pantry can receive additional funding up to 25% of their annual food purchase costs, to a maximum of $50,000.

• Applications are open now on a rolling basis through November 30, 2026
• Full details and the application link: ctunitedway.org/foodpantry
• Questions: FoodPantry@ctunitedway.org