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| It’s that time again where we start winding down the summer and begin back-to-school preparations. I want to share news and events that will ease the transition for the upcoming school year, tell you about mental health support coming to our students, and detail when additional SNAP benefits will be distributed to children. |
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| Click on any of the links below to jump to that section of the email:
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Connecticut's 2023 Sales Tax Free Week begins on Sunday, August 20 and runs through Saturday, August 26. This is a great opportunity to take the kids back-to-school shopping or to treat yourself or your loved ones while saving money.
Many retailers in Connecticut offer additional discounts on clothing and footwear during Sales Tax Free Week, providing consumers with even more savings. |
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During this sales tax holiday, most clothing and footwear items priced under $100 are exempt from the Connecticut sales tax. The exemption during Sales Tax Free Week applies to each eligible item costing under $100, regardless of how many of those items are sold to a customer in the same transaction. The tax holiday applies to purchases made in-store, online, mail-order, and over the phone.
More information about Connecticut's Sales Tax Holiday, including a list of exempt and taxable items, is available on the Department of Revenue Services website.
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| Expansion of Free School Meal Program |
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| Hunger and the stigma of not being able to afford school meals is one of the biggest hurdles to learning. I am pleased to report that Governor Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker announced plans to expand Connecticut’s free school meals program for the 2023-2024 school year, enabling more students to receive access to nutritious breakfast and lunch at no additional cost to them or their families. |
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| Under the plan, the state will invest $16 million in federal funding into the program. Funds will be utilized to support the provision of meals at no cost. Click on the button below to learn more. |
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| We made historic investments in education with millions of additional dollars allocated in the budget and a number of legislative measures that enhance Connecticut’s educational system. Click below for more information. |
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| Mental Health Support for Students |
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| The state is answering the call to help children following the unprecedented learning challenges from the pandemic. Waterbury Public Schools will receive $324,000 to hire and retain school mental health specialists over the next three school years. These funds will support our students so they can excel in and outside of the classroom. |
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Here is the breakdown:
| Lead applicant |
2024 Funding |
2025 Funding |
2026 Funding |
Total grant award |
| Waterbury School District |
$120,000 |
$120,000 |
$84,000 |
$324,000 |
CLICK HERE to learn more about school mental health specialist grants. |
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| Additional SNAP Benefits for Children |
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The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), in consultation with the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), this week announced that $8.8 million in special food assistance benefits is scheduled to be distributed Sunday, August 13, 2023, to the families of 57,313 children under age 6 who are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Specific information about the August 13 distribution:
- Benefits will be deposited onto existing SNAP EBT cards on August 13 to more than 42,635 households (57,313 eligible children) who were under age 6 and receiving SNAP benefits from DSS between September 1, 2022, and May 11, 2023.
- The one-time additional benefit is $172.72 per child who received SNAP benefits for the entire covered period.
- Children who did not receive SNAP benefits for the entire covered period will receive a lower, pro-rated amount of P-EBT benefits.
- Families do not need to apply for P-EBT benefits, all eligible families will automatically receive additional benefits.
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Benefits can be used at any location that accepts SNAP/EBT cards, including farmers' markets and direct market farms. P-EBT participants also have access to eligible food purchases online through delivery or curbside pickup at participating retailers. Additional information is available here.
DSS received information from CSDE to implement the P-EBT Child Care plan, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. The P-EBT Child Care SNAP funding was authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act, with additional amendments made in the Continuing Appropriations Act and Other Extensions Act of 2021, as well as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
Additional Resources:
- The Special Supplemental Nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) can help you stretch your food budget further. Click here to learn more and apply.
All children up to 5 years old receiving SNAP benefits are also eligible for FREE Head Start/Early Head Start programming that develops early learning skills, healthy lifestyles, language skills, and literacy skills. Click here to learn more and apply.
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