Connecticut families can expect EBT payments within coming weeks

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — After challenges with timelines, thousands of Connecticut families waiting for an EBT payment can expect to receive them several weeks earlier than expected.

The initiative was supposed to rollout payments in June, then it was delayed to August, which left families struggling. The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) now says benefits should arrive in the coming weeks.

The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program (EBT) started this year, and is supposed to help provide families with food during the summer months, while children are out of school and not receiving lunch there.

“We were disappointed,” Meriden resident Michael Szramoski said about the original delay in payments. “We had already, kind of, figured that into a summer budget pretty much, that we were going to have that little bit of extra to get a few extra things here and there for the kids.”

A DSS spokesperson told News 8 that they were “able to move up key timelines for the program” by several weeks. The agency posted to Facebook, apologizing for the delay.

“That’s a big relief hearing that now because that’s really going to help,” Szramoski said.

Casey Russo of Meriden is relieved, too. She’s a mother of six children, ages five to 14, who expected benefits to originally arrive in June.

“It was pretty frustrating because when you know that it’s coming June 23, you kind of depend on that money,” Russo said.

DSS said Connecticut received more than $32 million in federal funds to help families of 273,000 children.

In some areas, like Meriden, school districts are seeing an influx of folks getting free summer meals.

“We’ve definitely seen an increase in people coming to the sites for breakfast and lunch,” said Susan Maffe, director of food and nutrition services for Meriden Public Schools.

The hope is that payments rollout soon to ease the burden for families.

“I think it really helps,” Russo said. “I’m very grateful that this is happening on a federal level.”

“You make do, but it’s good to have the help, especially in the summer,” Szramoski said.

Editor’s Note: The original story incorrectly stated an exact timeline for when families waiting for an EBT payment can expect to receive them. This has been corrected.

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