AARP Connecticut announced this week that it was joining forces with End Hunger Connecticut!, Foodshare, Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS), and the Hispanic Health Council in a campaign to raise awareness among older adults and increase enrollment in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.
The news was announced at an Oct. 27 press conference in Hartford.
“While most families are busy planning for festive holiday meals in the coming weeks, thousands of older adults are faced with the challenge of simply putting food on the table,” said AARP State Director Brenda Kelley. “More than 350,000 Connecticut residents receive help with their grocery bill each month and thousands more may be eligible, but are not receiving assistance. AARP and the AARP Foundation are committed to helping older adults find the assistance they need to put healthy, nutritious food on the table.”
According to the AARP news release, only 34 percent of eligible older adults receive food assistance in Connecticut—leaving millions of federal dollars untouched. The most common reason people do not receive SNAP benefits is that they don’t realize they may be eligible.
The campaign, which is part of a national anti-hunger effort being supported by the AARP Foundation, is utilizing a centralized toll-free phone number, 1-866-974-SNAP (7627), manned by trained volunteers, to assist people with eligibility screenings and enrollment applications.
For more information about AARP’s efforts, click here.
Posted by Gladys Alcedo, Communications Coordinator of Connecticut Food Bank
