Newsletter 7/23/21

session
July 22, 2021

I hope you had fun at the Newington Extravaganza last weekend!

Below you will find information on the following:

  • Coffee Hour with Rep. Turco 
  • Safe Storage of Medications
  • Food Support for Qualifying Families
  • Newington Road Work
  • Newington Chamber Golf Tournament
  • Newington Wakeup Wednesday
  • Newington Community Champion Award 
  • Veterans Advisory Committee 
COFFEE HOUR WITH REP. TURCO
Join me next Friday, July 30th from 9-11am for coffee hour at Panera! Bring any questions that you may have about the legislative session this spring, or any general concerns. 
SAFE STORAGE OF MEDICATION
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), roughly 50,000 young children per year are hospitalized due to accidental ingestion of prescription and adult-use only medications. A statistic that is entirely preventable. 

That is why the State of Connecticut has launched a campaign this week to remind families with young children to properly store dangerous medications.
Click above to watch this public service announcement from Department of Children and Families Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes

State law mandates that substances that can be harmful for children be safely stored to protect children from accidentally ingesting them.

Here are some tips to make sure you and your family are practicing safe storage of medications:

  • Lock all prescriptions and adult use only substances in a cabinet, safe, or private drawer. Choose a location that is secure and inaccessible to children and others for whom a drug is not intended.
  • Keep medications stored out of the reach of children
  • Store prescriptions and adult use substances in their original containers
  • Bring unwanted, unused, or expired medications to a drug takeback location
  • Require family members, houseguests, and other visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats that have medicine or drugs in them out of sight and reach when they are in your home.

To promote the proper disposal of unwanted medications, Connecticut has drop boxes available across the state for people to anonymously dispose of medications, which helps protect not only children from accessing prescription drugs, but also adults from taking medications that may have expired. For a full list of drop box locations in Connecticut, click HERE. Many pharmacies and health centers will also take back unused or expired medication, including controlled substances. Click HEREto find a permanent take-back location near you.

If your child does ingest a potentially harmful substance, call the Connecticut Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. For additional information on the State's initiative, click HERE.
FOOD SUPPORT FOR QUALIFYING FAMILIES

Last Friday, over 57,800 students enrolled in the free or reduced-price meals program received the last round of the Pandemic EBT funding. Today, over 218,500 qualifying families will receive additional emergency food benefits through SNAP. Please find more information below on these latest rounds of food support and how to access assistance.
As of last Friday, July 16:

DSS mailed Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to households of over 57,800 schoolchildren notcurrently enrolled in a number of assistance programs throughout the state, and who did not receive their benefits in April or May. DSS deposited P-EBT food benefits into their new accounts. The EBT cards will arrive with instructions on how to activate them and access the food benefits.  Benefits may differ from student to student and depend on the learning model the child was in each month, with an average benefit amount estimated at $418 per child.

Where can I use EBT cards?  Benefits can be used at any location that accepts SNAP/EBT cards. This includes farmers’ markets and direct market farms. In fact, enrollees can double the value of P-EBT or other SNAP benefits at farmers’ markets participating in CT Fresh Match. P-EBT participants will also have online access to eligible food purchases through delivery or curbside pickup at participating retailers Amazon, Aldi & Price Chopper/Market 32 via Instacart, BJ’s Wholesale Clubs, ShopRite, and Walmart. Click hereto learn more.

Do I need to apply?  No. Families do not need to apply for P-EBT benefits, as DSS and the Department of Education use attendance information provided by schools to determine if children are eligible for P-EBT.
 
Beginning today, July 23: 

Eligible Connecticut families will receive additional emergency food benefits. The Connecticut Department of Social Services will deliver $33.2 million in Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to over 218,500 Connecticut households at the end of this week. 

Who will receive additional funds?  Monthly allocations of emergency SNAP benefits are going to all enrolled households, based on continuance of a declared public health emergency related to COVID-19 in Connecticut. Details can be found by clicking here.

This new distribution of additional emergency benefits is great news for qualifying families. If you or someone you know is not receiving food-related benefits as needed, please click here for FAQs and contact info regarding SNAP benefits.
NEWINGTON ROAD WORK
Beginning August 1st, there will be road work along the Berlin Turnpike in Newington. Please see below for additional information about lane closures. 
NEWINGTON CHAMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT
The Newington Chamber Golf Tournament will be held on August 17th at the Indian Hill Country Club, 111 Golf Rd, Newington. Breakfast and registration will be held at 8am and the shotgun start begins at 9am. The tournament will include raffles, prizes and a BBQ lunch.  
Sign Up Here
NEWINGTON WAKEUP WEDNESDAY
Join the Newington Chamber of Commerce's weekly networking event on Wednesdays at 7:30am. This Wednesday, July 28th, the event will be held in person at the Newington Vets Coffee House, American Legion Hall, 294 Williard Ave., Newington CT. The moderator will be Tiffany Hamm Gouveia, and the special Guest is Rob LaFrance of Legalshield.
NEWINGTON COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD

Every year, and particularly this year, our community witnesses countless advocates fighting for positive change. These advocates come in all shapes and sizes from leaders of non-profit organizations, to students creating initiatives within our community. I think it is important for us to take the time to thank and honor these everyday champions for all that they do. Please continue to send in your nominations for the Monthly Newington Community Champion Award.

This monthly award aims to acknowledge Newington residents who are advocating and contributing towards positive change in the community.

In order to nominate a Newington friend or neighbor, please email gary.turco@cga.ct.gov with the following information: 

-Newington Resident's Name 
-Reason for Nomination 
-Nominee Contact Information
VETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
If you are a Newington veteran, the family member of a Newington veteran, or anyone interested in helping veterans in Newington, and across CT, then please join the Newington Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee. This is an opportunity to ensure the voices of veterans and active service members are heard throughout the legislative process. Members of this committee will help inform decisions made at the state capitol and will also learn about the legislative process, bill tracking and more.

If you are interested in joining the committee, please sign-up through the link below, or email me at Gary.Turco@cga.ct.gov
Click Here to Sign up