by Staff Report CTNewsJunkie
HARTFORD, CT — At a time when many people are planning large purchases for holiday gift giving, some Connecticut families are struggling with paying their utility bills, putting food on the table and finding gifts for their children, according to Ashley Gaudiano, chief operation officer of United Way of West Coastal Connecticut.
“When we’re talking about holiday gifts, they need socks and shoes and underwear and coats and they need food,” Gaudiano said. “At a time when I think many of us are thinking about the big things and how wonderful this season of giving and gratitude can be, we are seeing so many people who need the very basics and who need help with that.”
Gaudiano and a group of United Way and retail officials and state legislators gathered Tuesday morning at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford to announce a partnership to fight food insecurity. Food insecurity, like other financial hardships, tend to be exacerbated during the cold weather months when utility bills tend to increase, said Eric Harrison, chair of the Connecticut United Ways Chief Professional Officer’s Council.
The partnership is fundraising to purchase and distribute grocery store gift cards, he said.
“Together we’ve raised more than $50,000 for this fund, and we’d like to continue to raise more,” Harrison said. “The more funding we receive for this fund, the more we can distribute statewide.”
The gift cards range from $25 to $100 and will be distributed through the United Way and various partners.
“The goal is that they will be in hands before December 31,” Harrison said.
Food insecurity goes beyond missed meals and reduced food quality due to cost, said state Rep. Jaime Foster, D-Ellington.
“It’s the constant stress about worrying whether you’ll have enough,” Foster said. “We know that is especially true with parents, who they will often sacrifice what they’re eating so their children get enough, and then still feel like their children are eating an inferior quality of food.”
And given the permanent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as a result of H.R. 1, and the recent uncertainty whether SNAP payments would go out at all, the stress the families feel is “incredibly consequential,” Foster said.
While SNAP brought in tens of millions of dollars to state families each month, state Rep. Jennifer Leeper, D-Fairfield, acknowledged that the $50,000 the group has raised so far was a drop in the bucket compared to the need.
“People have been so generous, and I hope in this season of giving we can continue to amplify that spirit of giving for your neighbors.”
For information on receiving cards go to unitedway.org and follow the link for emergency grocery assistance. To donate toward grocery store gift cards visit unitedwayinc.org or text grocery25 to 41444.