Advancing Greenwich’s food security initiatives by strengthening & leveraging relationships, knowledge and networks |
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The status of SNAP changes daily, by the minute. As of Thursday evening a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to fund food stamps in full for roughly 42 million low-income Americans. (See Governor Lamont's response here.) Within hours of the federal judge's order, the Department of Justice filed an appeal seeking to overturn not only today’s ruling, but prior court orders from Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 requiring funding of SNAP benefits. However, adding to the complexity - USDA agreed to pay 65% of November's benefits. Governor Lamont provided 3 million dollars to CT Foodshare: 1.5 million dollars per week for two weeks. The infusion of funding supports CT Foodshare's network of food pantries across the state, including Neighbor To Neighbor. Although the infusion of funding is very helpful, it will not make up for the loss of SNAP. The food security and mutual aid space was already in crisis, prior to the loss of November SNAP benefits, due to increasing food cost and overall cost of living. What is happening now is a crisis on top of a crisis. The state is including food assistance programs outside CT Foodshare's network in its funding efforts: such as Meals on Wheels and Barbara's House. Representative Meskers and Representative Arzeno are currently working on assessing food security needs in Greenwich in order to inform the level of funding support. Impact data and stories are critical to their process. |
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GREENWICH'S RESPONSE TO ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY |
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In response to the ongoing impacts to SNAP from both the Government shutdown and H.R. 1, Greenwich Foodshed Alliance convened SNAP stakeholders in order to; - Build connectivity
- Gain clarity on the different responses
- Identify gaps in response and how we can fill them
- Learn what people are experiencing and better understand impacts
Here is some of what we learned: - Most client facing organizations refer to Neighbor To Neighbor, Greenwich's only pantry within the CT Foodshare Network.
- Jewish Family Services is running a fundraising campaign to provide clients with cash assistance, including: grocery store gift cards, utilities support and rental assistance.
- Department of Human Services is working on a ‘Resource Flyer’ including all food security initiatives in Greenwich.
- Although food donations are important, cash contributions are better because of the ‘multiplier effect’ - pantries can make financial donations stretch further.
- Grocery cards are an excellent contribution because they support local grocery stores, some of which depend heavily on SNAP.
- All students who qualified for free and reduced lunch in September 2025 will stay free or reduced through October 2026. However, if a family loses SNAP due to H.R.1 they will no longer be automatically enrolled, as of fall 2026. Families will have the option to apply for free or reduced meals through the standard free and reduced lunch application process for the remainder of the 2026 school year. (The loss of November SNAP benefits is not impacting GPS free and reduced students.)
- Greenwich High School Folsom House Pantry is reviving their pantry, once overseen by Filling In The Blanks. Every Friday the pantry provides free and reduced eligible students with shelf-stable food and personal care items. It's a huge success, with lots of good and supportive vibes between students.
- Food Rescue US - Fairfield County, a food recovery organization, plays a significant role in the Greenwich's food security ecosystem: rescuing free surplus food from commercial catering, farmers markets and supermarkets and distributing to the following agencies:
- Agnes Morley Heights - Greenwich Housing Authority
- Augustana Homes
- Barbara's House
- Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich
- Greenwich High School Folsom House Pantry
- Jewish Family Services of Greenwich
- Kids in Crisis
- Meals on Wheels
- Neighbor to Neighbor
- River House
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PAY ATTENTION to the NARRATIVE |
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- Understand the myths about SNAP that are frequently told in the media: a lot is currently being said about people who rely on SNAP, and most of it is harmful and unhelpful. 80% of SNAP recipients do work and do not get paid an adequate wage to cover living expenses.
- Denigrating individual SNAP recipients is a distraction from talking about corporations who underpay their employees and limit their hours, keeping their employees from receiving benefits while also receiving corporate tax breaks subsidized by all of us.
- A threat to SNAP is also a threat to the grocery industry, which relies on billions of SNAP dollars spent at their stores to maintain operation. Grocery stores will lose 25% of their income just from the loss of SNAP-facilitated business.
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FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVES TO CONSIDER SUPPORTING (Click image to learn more) |
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Jewish Family Services: When Benefits Stop. Hunger Starts Campaign., Greenwich United Way: SNAP Benefits Emergency Fund Campaign, Neighbor To Neighbor: Stronger Together |
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Fairgate Farm: Community Crop GiveAway, CitySeed Double Bucks for Farmers' Markets, Real Food CT: Gleaning & Community Farm Program, Northwest CT Food Hub: Food Pantry Program |
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UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL EVENTS |
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Our Food, Our Future presented by the CT Food Sovereignty Collective on November 15th from 10:00am - 3:00pm at the Margaret E. Morton Government Center in Bridgeport. Register here. |
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A Tale of Two States Addressing Food Insecurity in Connecticut Through Community Empowerment presented by Foodshed Forum Fairfield County on November 18th from 7:00 - 8:30pm at Common Ground in New Haven. Learn more and register here. |
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Christian Duborg, CT's Food & Nutrition Policy Analyst, will join for Greenwich Foodshed Alliance's next CoP on Friday, November 21st at 9:00 via Zoom. Christian will discuss the findings and recommendations noted in his upcoming 2025 Food Security Report. The narrative & data is invaluable, please join us. |
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WE have the power to be food system changemakers. |
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Greenwich Foodshed Alliance is a program of The Foodshed Network, a fiscally sponsored organization of Third Sector New England, Inc. (TSNE) |
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