NCCF Provides $20,000 in Emergency Grants
Open Doors and Person to Person have each received $10,000 grants to support their efforts in providing food and basic needs to our neighbors in Norwalk and Stamford. Both are long-time partners of NCCF, and in recent years have been grant recipients following our annual vetting process. But right now, we want to help with an extra boost given increased demand.
The NCCF team has been working to monitor rapid changes in local need and, for many of our neighbors, the SNAP crisis of earlier this month is not a distant memory.
Demand at Person to Person rose in November and remains high – they are preparing to ramp up food distribution by as much as 50% through the end of 2025.
Food providers are not only seeing an increase in demand, but are bearing increased costs – since the pandemic, Open Doors has consistently served double the number of meals, while their cost of providing food has nearly tripled.
While the state estimates nearly 24,000 people across New Canaan, Stamford, and Norwalk relied on SNAP benefits last year, researcher DataHaven estimates that over 2,600 of these families may no longer be eligible for SNAP starting 12/1.
New Canaan gives generously, and that’s why we’re able to respond in this moment, and make sure that our neighbors are supported in a season that’s meant to be joyful.
As always, we also continue to support families in New Canaan that need our community’s help with basic needs as well. Our Touch A Life Fund moves dollars on a rolling basis – every week – to immediately respond to referrals for support from trusted partners like our NCPS school counselors, Human Services Department, and nonprofits.
Year to-date, Touch A Life assistance is up 140% compared to this point last year.
Our year-round work continues, and our Annual Appeal will remain the vehicle to respond to these needs over time. Providers are still expecting these needs to continue over the coming months, including when we award our annual grant investments in May. But for now, New Canaan supports our neighbors, when they need it.