Dominique Johnson

Dear Neighbor,

Happy Friday! I hope you are staying cool. 

Please see below for information about a food drive in Westport, a statewide anti-speeding campaign, and more! 

The Westport Police Department, Stop & Shop, and Westport Sunrise Rotary will be hosting a Food Drive.  All donations will directly support Homes with Hope and Westport Human Service Food pantries. Westport Human Services collaborates with Homes with Hope and the Westport Woman’s Club to offer support for residents dealing with food insecurity.  The Gillespie Center provides food services to their resident clients, those at risk of homelessness, and those in need in the community.

Westport police officers and volunteers will accept non-perishable food items, as well as cash donations in front of Stop & Shop located at 1790 Post Road East, Westport, CT on Saturday, July 20, 2024, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Suggested donated items are:

Applesauce, Breakfast Bars, Boxed Macaroni & Cheese, Canned Vegetables, Canned Fruit, Canned Meat & Tuna, Canned Soup & Stew, Cup of Noodles Soup & Ramen Noodles, Cereal, Gluten Free Foods (pasta, soups, cereals), Granola & Protein Bars, Hamburger or Tuna Helper, Hearty Soups, Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Oatmeal, Pancake Mix & Syrup, Pasta & Sauce, Peanut butter & Jelly, Rice and any Miscellaneous Snacks. No Glass Jars Please!

If you would like to volunteer or have a large pick up, please contact Anna Rycenga at 203.763.9656. For more information about Homes with Hope or Westport Human Services, please go to: www.hwhct.org or https://www.westportct.gov/government/departments-a-z/human-services

Speeding accounts for roughly one-third of all traffic-related fatalities nationally. It is a form of reckless driving that jeopardizes the safety of all road users and remains a significant threat to public safety. It also just isn’t a problem on the highway. According to NHTSA, in 2022, 87% of all speeding-related traffic fatalities on American roads occurred on non-interstate roadways. In 2022, the last year of verifiable data, Connecticut recorded 115 fatalities due to speeding and reckless driving,

For more information about the dangers of speeding, visit nhtsa.gov.

As I'm sure you know, there has been a nationwide increase of EBT benefit theft. To combat the issue, Congress passed a law to protect and replace SNAP benefits stolen via card skimming, card cloning, and other similar methods. This law created a pilot program that requires states to replace such benefits that were stolen between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2024. States can now use federal funds to provide replacement benefits following the procedures in their approved state plan.

Connecticut became one of the first states in the nation to implement a replacement benefit plan. The Connecticut Department of Social Services has shared tips for recipients to keep their benefits safe including:

• Avoid simple PINs. Number combinations such as 1111, 1234, or 9876 may be easy for others to guess.
•  Keep your PIN and card number secret. Do not share your PIN or card number with anyone outside your household. Cover the keypad when you enter your PIN on a card reader.
•  Beware of phishing. DSS and EBT customer service will never call or text to ask for your PIN or card number.
• Change your PIN often. Change your PIN at least once a month, right before your benefits are added to your card. Contact EBT Customer Service at 1-888-328-2666.
• Check your EBT account regularly for unauthorized charges. If you see any, change your PIN right away to stop the thief from making new purchases. Report suspicious activity to us.

A new EBT card can be requested. If you feel your benefits have been stolen, or your identity has been compromised, you can request a replacement EBT card. Contact the EBT Customer Service at 1-888-328-2666. DSS is also working with our federal partners, SNAP retailers, and EBT vendors to review additional measures available to us to prevent these fraudulent situations, including chip cards, card locking, and mobile payments. DSS also reports suspected skimming events to our federal partners who are responsible for investigating and prosecuting SNAP theft and fraud.