SNAP Outreach

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About SNAP

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, is one of the most powerful tools for addressing hunger in our community. This federal nutrition program, administered by the state, uses an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, much like a debit card, to help eligible low-income people stretch their food budgets and buy the healthy foods they need at their local authorized store. The SNAP Outreach program at Foodshare provides assistance to help people apply for SNAP benefits.

Foodshare’s SNAP Outreach program addresses the difficulty of applying for SNAP benefits by having trained volunteers meet with people one-on-one to help them fill out and submit their application. Our volunteer-based SNAP Outreach program is offered at sites throughout Hartford and Tolland counties including food pantries, town social services offices, and other human services organizations.

By making the process local and easy, more people in our community are getting the food they need. Foodshare has helped over 4,000 households apply for SNAP benefits since our program started in 2008, generating an estimated over three million meals. When describing the process of working with the Foodshare SNAP Outreach Team, one client told the volunteer:

“You guys are really fast. I really appreciate all the help.”

Foodshare’s volunteer-driven SNAP Outreach Program, and the Third Age Initiative's Hunger Task Force team that started it, were awarded the 2019 Polaris Connection Award from Leadership Greater Hartford.