In the recent legislative session, End Hunger Connecticut! spearheaded the effort to enact legislation, signed by the Governor in the end of May, that will do away with burdensome food stamp motor vehicle asset guidelines.

Public Act 07-63: An Act Aligning the Food Stamp Motor Vehicle Rule with the Care4Kids Motor Vehicle Rule allows the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services to take advantage of a federal option to simplify the Food Stamp Program beginning July 1, 2007.
This program simplification will help working families who rely on reliable transportation to get to work, find work and care for their families to access the Food Stamp Program. This program simplification will enable many people previously unable to access food stamps to get on the program.

Additionally, this change also means a reduction in paperwork for Department of Social Services (DSS) workers who will no longer have to check the value of vehicles when determining eligibility for food stamps.

End Hunger Connecticut! will keep you updated as this important policy change goes into effect. Please call Suzette Strickland at (860) 560-2100 ext. 17 if you have any questions or find that DSS offices are not aware of this change.

See the link below to read the Legislative history of the bill.

End Hunger Connecticut! is pleased to announce that Tiana Notice is now on board with the organization as a full-time Administrative Coordinator. Tiana is a recent graduate of the University of Hartford and is pursuing her Master's Degree in Communications. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the organization and we are extremely happy to have her.

Sadly, our Assistant Director, Sally Mancini will be leaving EHC! Sally's expertise in the Food Stamp and Child Nutrition Programs have been instrumental in creating great policy and outreach in Connecticut. Sally was instrumental in the growth of EHC! and we will miss her and wish her the best of luck as she tackles her next endeavor! We would like to say thank you to Sally for all of her hard work and dedication!

The reauthorization of the Food Stamp Program is upon us and the debate over the federal Farm Bill is heating up. Organizations from around the state have been involved in recent action to urge members of Congress to sign on as co-sponsors of H.R. 2129: Feeding America's Families Act of 2007. This bill contains $20 billion in investments for the Food Stamp Program and emergency feeding programs.

Link for full summary: Farm Bill Full Summary

So far Congressman Larson and Congresswoman DeLauro are official co-sponsors. EHC! also has word that Congressman Courtney is signing on. If you live or work in Congressman Shays or Murphy's districts please consider placing a call to ask for their support of H.R. 2129.

MESSAGE: Food stamp benefits average only $1 a person a meal and the minimum benefit has been stuck at $10 a month for decades. Food Stamps should be available to more needy people and should be more adequate for attaining a healthy diet. H.R. 2129 would address those priorities.

We want to keep you informed of the most up-to-date information regarding anti-hunger and food security initiatives both statewide and nationally. We will be posting survey links in the future. Please consider answering a few questions that will help us serve you better.

email: tnotice@endhungerct.org

phone: (860) 560-2100

web: http://www.endhungerct.org