A new resource for reducing family poverty: SNAP E&T

Overview | Events | Resources

Overview

Thanks to legislation approved in 2008 by the General Assembly, Connecticut may use new federal funds to work in helping food stamp recipients get the training and other tools they need to find employment and become financially secure and self-sufficient. It's the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Employment and Training Reimbursement Program (SNAP E&T).

Under SNAP E&T, job-training providers may be eligible to receive a 50-cent federal match for every dollar they spend on services that help food stamp recipients find regular employment. A wide range of services qualify. Examples include helping food-stamp recipients secure high-school-equivalency diplomas, providing English-as-a-second-language classes and providing child care and transportation for parents in school.

“With so many people needing new skills in this stormy economy and so few resources available to them, this is a great opportunity to not just stabilize our hardest-hit families but give them a better chance for long-term prosperity,” Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman said. She noted that Connecticut joins other states receiving SNAP E&T match funds, including New York, which receives more than $100 million annually in federal reimbursements.

Towns and federal job-training dollars under SNAP E&T

So far, more than half the communities in Connecticut have applied to participate in SNAP E&T, and it's easy to understand why: The federal government would provide a 50-cent match for every dollar they spent on services to help food stamp recipients find regular employment. See who's participating

Events

September 8, 2009: A Workshop for Cities and Regions...

Held by the Commission in association with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, this workshop gave town and city officials an opportunity to learn about SNAP E&T from officials of communities that already are participating. Read more

June 8, 2009: Promoting Employment with SNAP E&T

The Commission hosted a briefing on how job-training providers -- including municipalities and community colleges -- can participate in SNAP E&T. Joining the Commission on Children in organizing the event were Senator Jonathan Harris of West Hartford, Representative Toni Walker of New Haven, the Department of Social Services (DSS), and philanthropic foundations. Read more

Resources

Note: Some documents on this site use a former name for SNAP E&T, Food Stamp Employment and Training, or FSET.

A PowerPoint presentation on the guidelines for participating SNAP E&T, by Kevin Loveland, Director, Bureau of Assistance Programs Connecticut Department of Social Services
Department of Social Services (DSS) instructions for local entities that wish to participate in SNAP Employment and Training (PDF)
DSS responses to questions about the instructions (PDF) (This file also contains the original instructions) Updated on August 5, 2009
SNAP E&T brochure, prepared by the Commission on Children
Summary of Connecticut's enabling legislation for SNAP E&T, prepared by the Commission on Children
Text of the Connecticut legislation, Public Act 08-161 (PDF)
A PowerPoint presentation that shows how the Connecticut legislation fits into the state's overall strategy for reducing childhood poverty (PDF) Updated October 2009

This page was last updated: Wednesday, October 6, 2010