Connecticut Assistance Programs and Benefits
Free help finding assistance programs, from the Gold Coast to the Quiet Corner
Connecticut can be an expensive place to keep a household afloat. A heating oil delivery, a reduced paycheck or a hospital bill can tip the balance. Helping Hands walks you through the Connecticut assistance programs that could help and how to reach each one.
Let us know what's happening. We point you to the programs, the eligibility basics and the offices that serve Connecticut residents.
We cover all 8 counties in Connecticut, from Fairfield County's shoreline to the hills of Litchfield County. You might live in Bridgeport, New Haven or Hartford, or in a small town in the northeast corner. The guidance is free either way.
Help in Connecticut comes from the Department of Social Services (DSS), HUSKY Health, federal programs, community action agencies and food pantries. We help you see which pieces fit together.
Check Your Eligibility for Free
Every program sets its own limits. Income, household size, age, disability, rent or mortgage costs and work history can all shift what you qualify for.
Helping Hands helps you spot the programs that may fit and where to begin.
Connecticut Financial Assistance Programs
A job loss, a medical crisis or a big repair bill can drain savings in a state with high living costs. Connecticut households can look into several kinds of financial help.
If the basics have slipped out of reach, we help you find the resources that match your situation and show you where to apply.
Helping Hands can help you locate information about programs and resources involving:
Connecticut Food Assistance and SNAP Benefits
Groceries take a larger bite out of a small budget every year.
We break down Connecticut food assistance programs, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) comes first. DSS puts SNAP benefits on an EBT card you can use like a debit card at approved stores.
Stretching groceries to the end of the month? A short SNAP eligibility check can tell you if it's worth applying.
You can apply for SNAP, cash assistance and HUSKY Health through the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), online at ConneCT or at a DSS field office.
We can also help Connecticut residents locate:
Connecticut Utility Bill Assistance
New England winters keep furnaces and boilers running for months, and many Connecticut homes heat with oil. Summer brings air conditioning costs, and a past-due balance can bring a shutoff notice.
Our guide lists the heating and utility programs Connecticut households can apply for.
Resources may include information about:
LIHEAP Assistance in Connecticut: CEAP Heating Help
Connecticut runs the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), managed by the Department of Social Services.
You can apply online or through your local community action agency. Benefit levels, rules and dates change each season, so confirm the current details before you apply.
We help you find your local agency and get your application started.
Connecticut Rental Assistance and Housing Assistance
Rents in Stamford, Norwalk and the Hartford area can swallow most of a paycheck.
Behind on rent, facing eviction or searching for a place you can afford? We'll find Connecticut programs and town agencies that handle those cases.
Helping Hands provides information about housing resources that may be available to qualifying Connecticut residents, including:
Section 8 and Housing Assistance in Connecticut
Connecticut residents who need affordable housing should know about Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other subsidized housing.
Local housing authorities and state programs run these vouchers, and each keeps its own wait list.
Helping Hands can provide information and resources to help you understand:
Connecticut Eviction Assistance
An eviction notice sets deadlines you can't afford to miss. Reach out for help as soon as you get one.
Our Connecticut list includes rental assistance, eviction prevention, emergency housing, legal aid and community resources from Danbury to Norwich.
Help may come from a nonprofit, a legal aid office, a town social services department or a housing program.
Foreclosure Prevention Assistance in Connecticut
Homeowners in trouble have the most choices before the missed payments stack up.
Connecticut homeowners can find foreclosure prevention and housing counseling referrals through our guide.
If you fear losing your home, call your mortgage servicer and a housing counselor early.
Connecticut Assistance for Seniors
Older Connecticut residents may qualify for help with health care, meals, heating, housing and transportation.
For Medicare questions, call CHOICES, Connecticut's free Medicare help line, at 1-800-994-9422.
Helping Hands provides information about resources that may be available to older adults, including:
HUSKY Health and Medicare Resources in Connecticut
Seniors, people with disabilities and families with low incomes feel medical bills the most.
Helping Hands helps you find information about Medicare, HUSKY Health (Connecticut's Medicaid program) and other health-care assistance.
Medicare and HUSKY Health follow separate rules, so check the current requirements for the program you need.
Disability Assistance in Connecticut
Connecticut residents with a disability may qualify for specialized programs, home care and community support.
Each program has its own qualifications, so look at each one in turn.
Helping Hands can help Connecticut residents locate information about resources involving:
Legal Assistance for Connecticut Residents
A benefits denial, a housing dispute or a debt lawsuit can leave you needing a lawyer.
If you qualify, legal aid and free legal resources in Connecticut may take your case, and we'll point out where to apply.
Each Connecticut legal aid office sets its own limits on free or low-cost help.
Legal assistance may be particularly relevant for issues involving:
Education, Employment and Training Assistance
Real stability takes more than one payment.
Helping Hands also shares education, job training and workforce resources that help Connecticut residents find better work and steadier income.
Resources may include:
Connecticut Food Banks and Emergency Food Resources
Need food today? Connecticut food banks and pantries serve cities and small towns across the state.
Helping Hands helps you find food resources near you, including options for families, seniors, people with disabilities and anyone going through a short-term crisis.
Empty fridge, oil tank near empty or a shutoff notice? Dial 2-1-1 in Connecticut. 211 Connecticut connects you with local services any hour of the day.
Assistance Available Throughout All 8 Connecticut Counties
Our guide covers all 8 counties in Connecticut, from Fairfield on the Sound to Windham in the Quiet Corner.
Our Connecticut resources cover cities and towns, including:
- Bridgeport
- Stamford
- New Haven
- Hartford
- Waterbury
- Norwalk
- Danbury
- New Britain
- West Hartford
- Greenwich
- Meriden
- Bristol
- Hamden
- Manchester
- New London
- Fairfield County
- Hartford County
- New Haven County
- New London County
- Litchfield County
- And communities throughout Connecticut
From a triple-decker in Hartford to a farmhouse in Windham County, the help you can get depends on your household and the programs in your town.
How Helping Hands Can Help
State agencies, town offices, forms and wait lists can make the search for help feel endless.
Helping Hands gives you a guide to the options open to Connecticut residents.
Our goal is to help you:
- Identify programs that may match your situation.
- Understand basic eligibility requirements.
- Find the appropriate agency or organization.
- Learn where and how to apply.
- Locate additional resources if one program does not meet your needs.
Connecticut residents pay nothing for our help and resource information.
Need Help in Connecticut? Start Here.
Oil deliveries, rent and doctor bills stacking up on the kitchen table? You don't have to find every program alone.
From there, we name the Connecticut agencies and groups most likely to help.
Common Connecticut Assistance Programs
Food & Nutrition
- SNAP / Food Stamps
- EBT information
- Food banks
- Food pantries
- Emergency food assistance
Housing
- Rental assistance
- Section 8
- Low-income housing
- Eviction assistance
- Foreclosure prevention
- Emergency housing
Utilities
- LIHEAP (CEAP)
- Electric assistance
- Gas assistance
- Utility bill assistance
Financial Assistance
- Emergency financial assistance
- Cash assistance
- Family assistance
- Single-parent resources
- Community grants and assistance
Health & Senior Services
- Medicare
- HUSKY Health (Medicaid)
- Senior assistance
- Disability resources
- Health-care assistance
Other Resources
- Legal assistance
- Education
- Job training
- Workforce resources
- Community services
Immediate Connecticut Assistance
Need help right now? Dial 2-1-1 to reach 211 Connecticut and find local help with food, shelter, heating bills and other emergencies.
For SNAP, cash assistance and HUSKY Health, contact the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS).
For Medicare questions, call CHOICES at 1-800-994-9422.
Bookmark this list of Connecticut contacts for the next time you need it.
Explore Connecticut assistance programs and find where your household fits today.
Helping Hands is a resource and information service. Program eligibility, availability, funding, and application requirements are determined by the applicable government agency, nonprofit organization, housing authority, or other program administrator. Providing information about a program does not guarantee eligibility or approval.
