Community Action’s Response to COVID-19
CAFCA and Connecticut’s Community Action Agency (CAA) Network continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic on a daily basis, and remain committed to serving Connecticut residents in need during this unprecedented time.
While Community Action Agencies remain open for business, they are following the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to help stop the spread of the virus as well as ensure the health and safety of staff and customers.
CAFCA recommends calling your local Community Action Agency to discuss your needs. Find your local CAA here.
Important Updates
SNAP/Nutrition Assistance
The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) provided $32.6 million in Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) benefits to over 214,300 Connecticut SNAP-eligible households on Friday, January 21, 2022. Monthly allocations of emergency SNAP benefits are going to all enrolled households, based on continuance of a declared public health emergency related to COVID-19 in Connecticut. Click here for more information.
All 214,300 SNAP-eligible households statewide received the emergency benefits on their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on January 21, 2022. Click here for more information.
Connecticut SNAP enrollees can also now use the SNAP benefits to purchase groceries online at select retailers. This benefit will allow people to order groceries online and choose either delivery or curbside pickup. Please note that the SNAP benefits can be used only for eligible grocery purchases, and not for other online shopping, or for shipping, delivery, or service fees. You can learn more about using SNAP online here.
The federal government has announced that all children will be able to access school lunches for free throughout this entire school year, without having to apply for the free lunch program. Please check with your local school district for more information.
Eviction Moratorium
Connecticut's residential eviction moratorium expired June 30, 2021. However, Governor Lamont's Executive Order No. 12D enacts the following provisions:
- Requires landlords to apply for the UniteCT rental assistance program prior to delivering an eviction notice for nonpayment of rent;
- Requires landlords to give tenants facing eviction for nonpayment of rent, for lapse of time, or whose right to occupy a unit has terminated at least 30-days’ notice prior to beginning an eviction;
- Provides those tenants an opportunity to continue all terms of the lease by paying outstanding rent within the 30-day period;
- Requires all eviction notices to be delivered with certain information about the state’s UniteCT program and the federal eviction moratorium in both English and Spanish; and
- Requires a stay in eviction proceedings of up to 30 days if either the landlord or the tenant applies to the UniteCT program. Read more here.
CAFCA will continue to update this page as the situation continues to evolve.
