Eleni Kavros DeGraw

The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), in consultation with the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), has 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, 2023, to over 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. 

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.