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From YouTube: Family Forum - Food Resources in Southeastern CT
Description
Groton Human Services Social Worker and Family Forum Host, Lisa Carney interviews Deborah Burke of Groton Human Services, Gemma Moran United Way Labor Food Center Member Services Manager Jennifer Blanco and United Community and Family Services SNAP Outreach Worker, Jennifer Galloway about the various food assistance programs available in Southeastern Connecticut.
A
A
B
Believe
it
or
not,
there
are
a
lot
of
people
who
don't
have
enough
money
for
food.
Don't
have
enough
money
for
basic
necessities,
so
anybody
in
the
eligibility
requirements
are
really
pretty
lacks.
The
only
requirement
is
that
somebody
has
to
be
a
town
resident,
live
in
the
town
of
groton,
make
an
appointment
with
a
social
worker
and
come
on
in,
and
we
give
about
a
week's
worth
of
food
and
then
usually
I
like
to
add
on
to
that.
B
A
B
B
Food
is
primarily
donated
by
the
groton
is
extremely
generous,
different
organizations,
civic
groups,
churches,
individuals
come
by
and
drop
off
food
on
a
daily
basis,
and
then
we
have
a
volunteer
who
sorts
all
that
food
make
sure
the
expiration
dates
are
right
and
it's
it's
really.
It's
a
wonderful
thing.
It's
located
right
on
to
Fort
Hill
Road
right
around
the
corner
from
the
library
here
and
it's
it's
really
quite
an
incredible
resource.
It.
B
Do
have
what
we
call
personal
items,
so
we
have
shampoo
and
deodorant
and
soap
and
toothbrushes,
and
that
type
of
thing
some
cleaning
supplies,
because
those
are
things
that
food
stamps
don't
generally
cover,
and
so
we
do
have
a
toilet
paper.
As
a
I
mean
it
sounds
odd,
but
a
lot
of
people
will
request
toilet
paper.
We
have
some
paper
towels
and
whatnot,
but
primarily
the
necessities
and
how.
B
For
pets
in
the
family
we
do
have
a
bubbly
called
pet
food
locker
and
that
again
is
funded.
I
mean
not
funded
but
supplied
by
donations,
and
we
have
a
lot
of
food
for
dogs
for
cats,
primarily
dogs
and
cats.
I
would
say
we
have
black
food
dry,
food
and
whatnot,
but
often
times
people
who
do
have
pets.
I
mean
we
forget
about
the
pets,
you
know
and
they
need
to
eat
as
well.
So
we
do
have
a
lot
of
pet
food.
How.
B
A
B
B
To
look
at
my
little
notes
here:
not
we
do
get
bread
and
pastries
delivered
on
Tuesdays
and
on
Fridays
and
that's
panera,
bread,
donates
and
bjs
donates,
and
so
we
do
get
quite
a
quite
a
bit
of
bread
and
pastries
that
people
are
allowed
to
come
in
and
take
you
know
a
couple
of
each
or
whatever
one
of
each.
The
Meals
on
Wheels
is
another
thing
in
town
here
that
you
can
access.
B
That's
that's
for
the
elderly
population,
primarily
people
over
well,
I,
say
old
early,
that's
within
whatever
people
over
60
who
are
housebound
and
not
able
to
get
out
and
whatnot.
They
can
call
the
Senior
Center
or
TV
CCA
directly.
That's
a
that's
a
really
wonderful
program.
It
also
gives
that
people
can,
especially
if
you're
housebound,
you
have
somebody
come
to
the
house
once
a
day
or
you
know
to
drop
off
something
they.
B
B
That's
for,
as
the
name
implies
women
and
their
young
children,
the
holiday
food
distribution,
I
kind
of
touched
on
that
a
little
bit
that
we
start
in
late,
October,
I,
believe
and
we
give
out
food
for
thanksgiving
and
for
christmas,
and
so
that's
really
a
nice
a
nice
program.
Again,
that's
income
based
and
a
lot
of
the
programs
that
we
have
at
Groton
social
services
are
income
based.
B
A
B
That
is
a
relatively
new
ish
program.
That's
monday
evenings
it's
a
soup
kitchen
for
like
a
better
word
it
they
provide
a
really
wonderful
meal
on
mondays,
people
donate
their
time,
and
you
have
very
good
and
nutritionally
complete
meals.
There's
also
a
Food
Kitchen
type
of
thing:
I
mean
a
soup
kitchen
type
of
thing
on
thursday
evenings
at
ature,
another
church,
it's
the
community
of
prayer
and
praise
and
that's
unpleasant
valley
road.
I
believe
the
community
meals
meets
currently
it
meets
at
faith,
lutheran
church,
and
then
they
have
another
site
over
at
st.
B
B
A
C
Our
mobile
food
pantry
/
arm
and
we
actually
do
have
one
here.
We
have
two
in
the
gratin
area-
is
a
free,
Marcus
farmers,
market
style,
distribution,
mobile
pantry
zactly.
As
it
sounds,
it's
a
pantry
on
wheels
that
I
don't
like
to
call
it
our
focus.
What
that
is
to
distribute
healthy
foods
to
the
community,
so
we
have
a
high
proportion
of
fresh
fruits
and
vegetables
on
on
the
truck
some
gluten-free
salt
free
sugar
free
items
are
also
on
the
truck,
so
any
dietary
restricted
items.
C
C
A
C
B
Comes
to
our
office,
the
second
Wednesday
of
the
month
from
10
to
11,
and
it
really
is
a
great
it's
a
great
thing.
You
have
people
coming
from
all
over
and
it
and
you
know
people
have
to
wait
in
line,
but
there
chit-chatting
with
one
another
and
and
it's
the
Ritz,
a
very
very
nice
event.
It's
it's.
A
lot
of
work
goes
into
it.
We
have
volunteers
that
volunteer
their
time
to
to
give
the
food
out
to
people,
but
it
really
it's
it's
great.
A
C
C
C
C
We
have
a
small
pantry
at
the
river
friends
children's
center
that
is
available
to
families
that
attend
the
program
there,
but
we
also
do
have
our
empty
empty
CUA,
w
food
locker.
That
is
also
located
on
18
pleasant
street.
That
is
available
as
another
resource
erstes
from
932
1130.
It
is
open
to
anybody
in
in
the
garage
area
and.
C
Have
a
list
available
on
our
United
Way
website?
Okay,
all
of
the
pantries
in
all
of
New
London
County.
So
if
you
are
a
gratin
resident-
and
you
happen
to
be
in
Norwich,
for
example-
and
it's
the
only
time
that
you
may
have
access
to-
you
know
pick
up
any
source
of
food.
There
is
a
list
of
agencies
in
Norwich
that
will
accept
it's
open
to
everyone.
So
this
list
is
available
on
our
United
Way
website.
I
uws,
ECT
org
under
food
center
you'll
be
able
to
find
the
listing.
We
also
do
partner
with
211.
C
B
A
D
Snap
is
supplemental
nutritional
assistance
program,
formerly
known
as
food
stamps.
It's
now
called
snap,
so
usually
I
assist
people
who
are
at
various
locations
apply
for
SNAP
benefits.
Okay
I
come
to
Groton
once
a
week,
usually
because
sometimes
Groton
residents
can't
get
to
Department
of
Social
Services.
So
I
come
to
Groton
generally
once
a
week,
if
needed
more
than
that,
I've
come
within.
B
D
D
They
can
buy
anything
at
the
store
that
can
be
brought
home
to
be
prepared
are
covered
by
snap,
such
as
fresh
fruits
and
vegetables,
meats,
dairy
products,
frozen
foods,
things
that
that's
or
anything
that
hot
foods
are
not
covered
like
a
rotisserie
chicken
or
toiletries
things
like
that
are
not
covered.
Okay,.
D
D
The
eligibility
guidelines
are
based
on
if
people
fall
within
a
hundred
and
eighty-five
percent
of
the
federal
poverty
level,
then
they're
able
to
receive
SNAP
benefits,
for
instance,
like
the
gross
income
for
a
single
person
per
month,
is
about
eighteen
hundred
dollars
and
for
a
family
at
to
its
2425
dollars.
And
then
the
guideline
goes
up
from
there
based
on
the
household
size,
okay,.
A
D
Can
go
on
like
Connecticut
Department
of
Social
Services
website
also
known
as
connect,
so
it's
connect
CT
gov,
you
can
go
on
there.
You
can
view
the
income
guidelines,
there's
also
a
calculation
system
in
there
where
you
can
put
in
your
income
and
your
expenses,
and
things
like
that.
It
will
tell
you,
if
you're
eligible
for
the
benefits,
also,
I
know
there's
income
guidelines
at
groton
human
services.
D
So
if
they
have
questions
and
go
in
and
as
long
as
you
meet
the
income
guidelines,
then
other
household
expenses
are
taken
into
account,
such
as
your
rent
or
mortgage
utility
bills.
Child
care
expenses
met
out-of-pocket
medical
expenses,
so
all
of
those
are
calculated
into
it.
As
long
as
you
meet
the
income
guidelines,
okay,.
D
Yep
I
meet
privately
with
clients,
individuals,
families,
whatever
is
most
appropriate,
I
meet
face-to-face
with
them
sit
down.
It
usually
takes
about
an
hour
to
collect
all
of
their
information
and
do
the
application
depending
on
the
household
size.
It
might
take
a
little
bit
longer.
But
yes,
I
do
sit
down
and
if.
D
Verification
so
for
adults
photo
IDs
birth
dates,
social
security
numbers
for
children.
They
do
require
birth
certificates
and
then
proof
of
income
for
everyone
in
the
snap
household.
So
if
there's
two
adults
working
both
are,
there
are
sources
of
income,
whether
it's
earned
income
or
unearned
income,
Social
Security
unemployment
benefits,
child
support,
all
sources
of
income
are
looked
and
then
also
proof
of
their
living
expenses,
so
rent
or
mortgage
utility
bills.
Okay,.
A
A
D
I
actually
I
just
helped
with
the
application
process
and
I
skin
and
all
the
verification
documents
and
upload
them
and
attach
them
to
the
application
which
is
submitted
electronically
to
the
State
Department
of
Social
Services
and
then,
like
I,
said
I
help
with
the
application
process.
So
it's
submitted
to
department
of
social
services
and
they
make
eligibility
determination.
Now.
A
D
It's
about
30
to
45
days.
The
online
applications
tend
to
be
processed
more
quickly,
so
there
is
a
quicker
turnaround
time.
It
could
be.
You
know
a
week
to
10
days,
or
it
could
be
that
30
to
45
days.
There
are
some
applications
that
are
expedited
for
those
who
have
no
income
very
little
in
the
bank.
Things
of
that
sort,
their
applications
can
be
processed
within
24
to
48
hours.
Okay,
I.
A
B
D
D
Usually
it's
by
appointment,
which
can
be
scheduled
to
myself
I
work
for
you
CFS
in
Norwich,
so
you
could
call
you
CFS
and
ask
this
because
speak
with
a
snap
outreach
worker
or
you
can
call
grant
and
Human
Services
and
we
kind
of
correlate
my
schedule
between
mardi
gras
and
human
services
and
myself
and
then
usually
my
schedules
pretty
filled
for
the
week.
So
we
do
schedule
appointments
if
you
come
in
and
I
had
no
show
or
cancellation
and
I
will
sit
down
and
meet
with
someone
at
that
time.
Okay,.
D
Really
no
deadline,
it's
you
know.
As
long
as
they
need
the
income
guidelines,
they
can
remain
receiving
the
benefits.
The
only
thing
is
like
usually
they
have
to
apply
yearly
every
year.
You
would
renew
and
then
with
inst
after
six
months,
you
do
have
to
do
a
periodic
review
form
which
is
just
verifying
if
anything's
change
in
your
household
or
if
anything
is
say.
If
everything
has
stayed
the
same
now,.
A
D
When
you're
coming
up
on
your
six-month
review,
then
the
state
does
sound
out
send
out
the
periodic
review
form,
it's
very
short
form
a
lot
of
times.
People
do
need
assistance,
completing
the
form,
so
they
do
then
schedule
an
appointment
with
me.
I
can
assist
with
that
as
well
and
the
renewal
you
know,
I'll
help
with
the
renewal
as
well.
So.
A
D
Things
have
changed,
they
do
have
to
bring
in
the
new
information.
It
is
reapplying
again
might
be
a
little
bit
shorter
process,
but
it's
just
like
reapplying
and
the
only
thing
different
that
you
they
don't
need
to
a
plot
to
provide
when
reapplying
is
identity,
verification
because
that's
already
been
verified.
So
it's
just
income
again
housing
things
of
that
sort.
Now.
D
D
Are
supposed
to
report
any
changes
within
10
days
to
the
state?
Okay,
so
it
is.
You
know
crucial
that
you
report
the
changes,
because
you
know
if
your
income
is
cut,
then
you
might
receive
more
food
benefits.
So
the
sooner
you
report
that
change
the
better.
Also
if
your
income
goes
up,
you're
expected
to
report
that,
because
your
benefits
will
be
adjusted
done,
that
okay.
D
D
They
get
issued
a
state
of
Connecticut
grey
card
and
the
benefits
are
put
on
the
card
each
month.
Usually
it's
but
anywhere
from
the
first
to
the
third
of
the
month,
and
benefits
are
issued
that
same
day
for
that
family
every
month,
so,
whether
it's
the
first
of
the
third
and
they
can
once
they
get
their
card
and
they
activate
it.
Just
like
you
would
activate
a
credit
card
or
debit
card.
You
can
start
using
it.
D
A
D
Not
at
all,
and
if
let's
say
you
purchase
food
items
and
you're
also
purchasing
toiletries,
you
can
put
them
all
in
the
same
order
and
then,
when
you're
paying
for
your
items,
the
system
will
automatically
separate
them.
So
you
can
swipe
your
snap
card
and
just
select
that
it's
EBT
food
and
it'll
detect
forming
food
benefits,
and
then
it
will
just
give
you
a
balance
for
your
other
items.
Okay,.