Governor Lamont Announces $8.5 Million From Connecticut’s Federal Cuts Response Fund To Help Residents Losing Snap Benefits Due to New Federal Rules

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Ned Lamont today announced a plan to use $8.5 million from Connecticut's Federal Cuts Response Fund to provide $300 grocery assistance cards to the roughly 25,000 Connecticut residents expected to lose their federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as a result of certain federal rule changes instituted by President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans.

"Connecticut will not stand by as the Trump administration uses hunger as a weapon against working families, veterans, and our most vulnerable," Governor Lamont said. "These new SNAP work requirements represent a cruel decision and fundamental shift away from the program's core mission of ensuring our neighbors don't go hungry. I am particularly troubled by the decision to eliminate the exemption for veterans who risked their lives for our country and now are having the rug pulled out from under them. We are providing this assistance as a bridge to prevent people from going hungry as we help them navigate these changes. I hope that Congress will end the inhumane and immoral cuts that President Trump pushed for after Americans elect a new Congress this fall."

Under Governor Lamont's plan, eligible individuals who have recently lost SNAP eligibility due to federal changes in work requirements will receive a grocery assistance card that can be used to purchase food at grocery stores. While applying for benefits, applicants will be connected with services to help them regain SNAP eligibility where possible.

These benefits and services will be administered by the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) through a partnership with the state's network of community action agencies, which will assist with outreach, eligibility verification, and distribution of benefits. In addition to the grocery card funding, the plan includes $1 million for administrative costs related to the distribution of this aid and related services.

"No one in Connecticut should have to worry about putting food on the table because of a policy decision made in Washington," DSS Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves said. "This one-time grocery assistance will provide an immediate lifeline to thousands of our neighbors who are losing food benefits through no fault of their own. The Connecticut Department of Social Services is in complete support of Governor Lamont's commitment to reach every eligible resident as quickly as possible. And we want to express our deep appreciation to the community action agencies for their partnership, which will ensure that this support gets into the hands of those who need it most."

"I pushed for this nutrition funding because I see the devastation from HR1 and the Trump administration every day in my neighborhood in Middletown and across the district I represent," State Senator Matt Lesser, co-chair of the legislature's Human Services Committee, said. "The president just last week said he doesn't care about families struggling with high gas and grocery prices. We are lucky to have Governor Lamont who gets up every day and works to protect the people of Connecticut from Washington overreach. I am incredibly grateful that he is doing the right thing-and promising to do more going forward. I am excited to partner with Governor Lamont and DSS on nutrition supports."

Complete details are outlined in the plan submitted today by Governor Lamont to the bipartisan leaders of the Connecticut General Assembly. This is the fourth such plan for use of Connecticut's Federal Cuts Response Fund that Governor Lamont has submitted to legislative leaders since the fund was created late last year.

Prior use of Connecticut's Federal Cuts Response Fund

Connecticut's Federal Cuts Response Fund was established by Governor Lamont and the state legislature in late 2025 to ensure the state remains well-positioned to address federal policy and funding challenges implemented by the Trump administration.

As required under the law establishing it, any time the governor wants to make an expenditure he must submit a plan to the Democrat and Republican legislative leaders detailing the reasons for the fund's use, and then the leaders have 24 hours to review and-if it is their will-vote to disapprove of the expenditures. All three of Governor Lamont's previously submitted plans were approved without objection.

The prior plans include those submitted on:

• December 18, 2025;
• January 29, 2026; and
• May 15, 2026.