Supplemental SNAP Benefits for Those Impacted by the Storm

July 10, 2026

Dear Neighbor,

The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) announced that SNAP recipients who experienced long-duration power outages caused by the severe storm that impacted Connecticut on the evening of Saturday, July 4, may be eligible to receive supplemental benefits to replace spoiled food that had already been purchased.

Federal regulations allow DSS to replace SNAP benefits when a household reports that food purchased with these benefits was destroyed due to events such as fires, floods, or power outages. In the event of power outages, households must have lost power for at least four hours.
To receive replacement benefits, SNAP recipients who experienced power outages lasting at least 4 hours must report their losses to DSS no later than Tuesday, July 14.

This report to DSS can be submitted by phone, by walk-in visit, or via the W-1225/W-1225S form. DSS requires a signed statement attesting to the household’s loss through the W-1225/W-1225S form.

DSS is also required to determine that the destruction occurred due to a power outage. This can be verified through a collateral contact outside the household, a letter from the utility company, documentation from a community agency (including, but not limited to, the fire department or the Red Cross, if they assisted the household), or a home visit.

Replacement benefits will be issued in the amount of the loss and provided to households within ten days after the report of loss or within two working days of receiving the signed household statement required, whichever date is later.

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Attention Connecticut residents - If you’re unaffiliated voter, you still have time to join a party and vote in the upcoming primary in August. Connecticut has semi-closed primaries, which means you must be registered as a Democrat or Republican to vote in their respective primary. You can join a party and vote in that party’s primary right away, as long as you’ve been unaffiliated for at least three months.

It is unfortunately too late for registered Democrats or Republicans to switch parties and vote in their new party’s primary - the deadline to switch was May 11, and state law requires a 3-month waiting period.

Click here to update your party affiliation.

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Sweeping changes to the student loan system by the federal government will affect half a million Connecticut residents who carry student debt by narrowing their choices, raising monthly payments for many, and closing off affordable pathways to higher education.
Borrowers enrolled in the SAVE Plan are receiving notices to choose a new repayment plan within 90 days.

Anyone who does not choose will be automatically moved into the standard repayment plan, which could mean a sharply higher monthly bill. Two long-standing affordable options, Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) and Pay As You Earn (PAYE), will be phased out entirely by July 1, 2028.

And, the Grad PLUS program, which lets students borrow up to the full cost of attendance, is being eliminated. Graduate borrowing for unsubsidized loans is now capped at $20,500 per year and $100,000 over a lifetime. Students in certain professional fields have a higher cap.

Still, the practical effect for many will be a turn toward riskier private loans that carry fewer protections and are not available to everyone.

No borrower should navigate these changes alone. Connecticut is one of a limited number of states with a dedicated Student Loan Ombudsperson, Michelle Jarvis-Lettman, housed at the state Department of Banking and backed by independent statutory authority under state law.

The Ombudsperson’s office can receive and work to resolve complaints against student loan servicers, whether the loan is federal or private. It can help borrowers understand and choose among repayment options and answer questions about switching plans or consolidating.

The Office can also step in to address problems such as misapplied payments, incorrect interest calculations, servicer changes, and errors in payment history or credit reporting, and it can connect borrowers to educational resources and help them navigate the transition off SAVE and into a new plan.

Borrowers can call the Office at 860-240-8170 or 800-831-7225, and press option 2 or:

• Email: banking.complaints@ct.gov
• File a complaint online: portal.ct.gov/DOB/Consumer/Consumer-Complaints/Student-Loan-Servicer
Borrowers can also file complaints with the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint or by phone at 855-411-2372.

Connecticut also puts real dollars back in borrowers’ pockets through the Student Loan Reimbursement Program (SLRP), administered by the state Office of Higher Education. Residents can apply for or learn more about the Student Loan Reimbursement Program via:

• Website: portal.ct.gov/ohe (apply through the CT Scholars portal)
• Email: OHE.SLRP@ct.gov

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July is Disability Pride Month. Accessibility is not a favor; it is a fundamental human right. Creating a more inclusive world benefits everyone. I will continue to push down barriers and demand equity every single day.