Celebrating Veterans Day, SNAP Update, Heating Assistance Awareness Month, and more

November 7, 2025

Dear Neighbor,

Congratulations to all the newly elected Municipal elected officials here in Stratford! We had the highest turnout during Early Voting and continued strong on Election Day. Democracy is alive and well here in Stratford, and I couldn’t be more proud of how engaged people were in this election. I look forward to working together and serving the Town of Stratford with all of our local elected officials.

In this week's email, you can read about available local food assistance services, learn about different ways you can save on your heating bill this winter, and find information on state and local resources I hope you find useful. If you have any questions, concerns, or if my office can be of assistance to you, please call my office at any time or email me at kaitlyn.shake@cga.ct.gov.

Celebrating Veterans Day

In honor of Veterans Day, celebrated next Tuesday, November 11th, I would like to take a moment to recognize of all who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Thank you to our veterans for your unwavering commitment and dedication in protecting our freedoms and strengthening us as a nation.

Today, and every day, I am deeply grateful for the bravery and the sacrifices the men and women in our armed forces make daily. Thank you for your service and all you do to defend our country.

There are many ways to honor and celebrate the contributions of local veterans in and around Stratford this Veterans Day.

The 3rd Stratford Annual Veterans Day Parade will start at 11 a.m. this Saturday, November 8th. The parade will start at Town Hall and finish at Academy Hill. Residents can see armored vehicles, Color Guard, Drum and Bugle Corps, and more along the parade route.

The Stratford Veterans Museum is in the process of collecting stories of those Stratford men and women who have honorably served in our country’s Armed Forces. If you are a veteran who lives in or has lived in Stratford, or family of a Stratford veteran, and would like to share your story of service, or if you have items related to a Stratford veteran you would like to loan or donate, please email the museum, visit between 10 am and 2 pm on Saturdays, 1 to 3 pm on Sundays and Wednesdays, or click here for the Registration Form.

You can support local veterans during the next Stratford Town Council meeting on November 10th, at 7 p.m. at Town Hall in Town Council Chambers. The agenda will include a Veterans Tax Exemption Ordinance. This is the final step in creating a local law addressing this issue here in Stratford. I invite all our Stratford Veterans and Gold Star Families to be present to witness this important and historical vote.

Item #6.1.2 on the agenda addresses Ordinances #191-5.6 through #191-5.8, which establish a Veterans property tax exemption, a new Connecticut Public Act I was proud to support in the General Assembly and will bring relief to Stratford veterans. This new tax relief will benefit individual veterans, surviving spouses, and Gold Star spouses. The Veterans Property Tax will provide tax relief for those who are 100% permanently and totally disabled due to their military service.

This future local update is made possible due to the Connecticut State Legislature passing these two important bills during the 2025 legislative session. I’m so proud and honored to have supported the legislation and bring that energy back home to Stratford and work with our Town Council to pass it here on a local level.

Click here to view the November 10th Town Council Agenda

Upcoming Special Session

Next Wednesday, November 12th, the House of Representatives will be in a Special Session to address the needs and concerns of residents due to the shutdown. You can follow along live on the Connecticut Network at ct-n.com or find them on YouTube and Roku.

Breaking News: SNAP Update

There is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding SNAP; however, all SNAP recipients in Connecticut will receive their full benefit amounts for the month of November on their EBT cards within the next few days.

To read Governor Lamont's press release on today's announcement, click HERE.

Federal Government Shutdown Resources

If you are in need of food assistance, local pantries across the state are providing essential emergency assistance. Pantries are also seeking donations to help meet the growing demand.

Click here to find food programs and services available through 211 Connecticut. You can also call 2-1-1 or 1-800-203-1234.

Click here to find a Connecticut Foodshare food pantry or mobile food pantry.

Please consider making a monetary donation or even donating your time to Connecticut Foodshare if you are able. Click here to volunteer and/or to donate.

Here in Stratford, the Sterling Community Center Food Pantry will continue to provide services to Stratford residents. The Food Pantry hours are:

Monday: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Thursday: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Evening appointments are available upon request at (203) 378-2606.

The Sterling Community Center has shared information on their website on various food pantries in the area. Click here to view the guide.

The Stratford YMCA has a community fridge and food pantry at 3045 Main Street, Stratford — open to everyone. Their Pantry is open during YMCA operating hours.

Every can and box donated helps a neighbor put food on the table. If you’re able, please consider giving today. View their hours below.

HOURS OF OPERATION:
Monday – Thursday: 5:30 a.m. -9:00 p.m.
Friday: 5:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Below you can find a weekly schedule of food pantries and community meals in Stratford:

Heating Assistance Awareness Month:
Get Help With Your Heating Bills and Stay Warm This Winter

During the fifth annual Heating Assistance Awareness Month this November, I want to highlight the programs available to help pay or lower heating bills and keep homes warm this winter.

If you or someone you know is struggling to keep up with their energy bills, now is the time to get assistance this winter heating season. There are various programs available to help meet the needs of residents. In this email, you can find information on the different programs available to Connecticut residents.

Energy Efficiency:

Take advantage of energy efficiency programs, incentives, and tips to help you save money and reduce your overall energy use during the colder months.
Renters need permission from their landlords to participate.
Click here to learn about Energy Efficiency Programs

Winter Protection:

If you provide proof of qualifying household income or public assistance benefits you receive for at least one household member, your service cannot be shut off between November 1 and May 1, with no late payment charges.
Residents are encouraged to check if they qualify for service shut-off protection while applying for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP)
When participating in Winter Protection, you're encouraged to continue paying as much of your bill as possible, since the full amount will still be owed at the end of the protection period.
Click here to learn about Winter Protection

Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP):

Apply to get up to $645 towards your heating bill from CEAP.
Apply for CEAP online, by phone, or through your local Community Action Agency (CAA). Find your local CAA at 211.ct.org or call 211.
The last day to apply for CEAP benefits is May 29, 2026.
Click here to learn about CEAP

Generation Power CT (GPCT) Emergency Energy Assistance:

Provides a one-time grant of up to $500 to help eligible Connecticut households with electric, gas, or fuel expenses.
GPCT energy programs are available to income-eligible households making up to 75% SMI gross household income.
Each income-eligible household that receives a GPCT Energy Assistance Award will receive up to $500 toward a future fuel delivery or toward a past-due utility bill.
For the best chance of approval, and to make full use of this once-per-12-months grant, GPCT strongly encourages households to apply for assistance when you are most in need. GPCT has three remaining Energy Assistance Application Cycles for this winter season:
- November 2nd-10th, 2025
- January 2nd-10th, 2026
- March 2nd-10th, 2026
The current application cycle is open now through November 10th
Click here to learn more about GPCT Emergency Energy Assistance

Alzheimer's Awareness Month

This week, Governor Lamont proclaimed November as Alzheimer's Awareness Month alongside the release of a new guide to help inform residents on dementia and Alzheimer's care in Connecticut. The Department of Public Health and the Department of Aging and Disability Services created this guide to provide Connecticut residents with information and resources to help support someone living with Alzheimer's or dementia.

This guide will:

Help residents locate local dementia care facilities.
Connect residents with the right healthcare services.
Provide resources for family members and caregivers.

Click here to download the guide in English or Spanish

WIC Eligibility

While SNAP benefits may not come tomorrow, WIC benefits to help families buy food will not be interrupted.

Most SNAP households with a child under the age of 5 and/or a pregnant, postpartum, or nursing mother are eligible for WIC. However, more than 50,000 CT residents are estimated to be WIC eligible but not enrolled.

If you are affected by the loss of SNAP benefits and fit these criteria, apply for WIC online or go to health.ct.gov to take an eligibility prescreener for WIC and several other programs.

Local Stratford Updates

The Stratford Health Department will be holding Flu Clinics throughout October, November, December, and January. Check out the November clinic dates below, as well as what insurance is accepted at the clinic.

The Bunnell High School PTO Holiday Fair will take place on November 8th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Bunnell High Gym. Entry to the fair is free, and it will feature over 25 vendors.

A Manufacturing Career and Internship Fair for companies in the area will take place on November 12th from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Wheeler Rec Center at the University of Bridgeport. The fair will feature over 40 companies hiring for a variety of roles. Click HERE for more information.

This month's Sunday Afternoon Talks at the Stratford Library will highlight "The Irish Famine Immigrants of Connecticut" with a presentation by Loretto Horrigan Leary from Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum of Fairfield. This month's talk will take place on November 16th, starting at 2 p.m. at the Stratford Library, and is free to attend.

The Sterling Community Center has begun collecting donations for its Thanksgiving Food Drive. Bring donation items to Sterling House now through November 19th.

The Sterling Community Center's The Great Rake will take place from November 21st through November 29th. Volunteers will help rake leaves from pathways and yards at no cost for anyone in Stratford over the age of 65 or those with disabilities who physically can't rake themselves or pay for a service. Click here if you would like to volunteer, and reach out to tgockley@sterlingcc.org if you would like your yard raked.