Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the Connecticut Department of Social Services, in collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education, will distribute an additional $25.1 million in special food assistance benefits to the families of 209,820 children on Monday, September 4, 2023.

Families of children who are enrolled in the free or reduced-price meals program at their schools and who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Family Assistance (TFA), or Medicaid (HUSKY A) assistance will receive the additional benefits. These one-time supplemental benefits are in the amount of $120 per child. Funding will automatically be transferred to the electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards of eligible households.

Governor Lamont said, “These additional SNAP benefits will help provide quality, nutritious food to children just as they are beginning the school year. This special round of assistance comes in addition to our recent announcement that we are expanding the free school meals program for this new school year, enabling more students to receive access to breakfast and lunch at no additional cost to them or their families. Every child should have nourishing meals, and our administration remains committed to increasing food security for families.”

Department of Social Services Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves said, “In August, we initiated the first round of benefits and were proud to provide assistance to more than 57,300 kids in Connecticut. This round, we expanded eligibility to all school-aged children, providing a boost in assistance to more families.”

Funding for this special distribution comes from the federal Summer Pandemic EBT: Children in School program.