Free Social Service Screening March 24

SOUTHBURY — Free social service screenings to help any Connecticut resident facing difficult times will continue to take place each month during 2011 at the Jewish Federation, 444 Main Street North.

The Federation’s Brownstein Jewish Family Service has teamed up with the Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS) to continue offering these free monthly social service screenings, by appointment, for a dozen work support/ basic needs programs, including SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps), energy assistance, HUSKY, Medicaid and Charter Oak insurance. The next screening is scheduled from 10 am to 3 pm on Thursday, March 24.

The screenings have helped many residents, from all the towns around here, who are falling through the cracks and having a tough time making ends meet. They have helped unemployed single people, families where one or both parents recently lost their jobs and health insurance, and seniors from Heritage Village, too.

Income guidelines can be provided over the phone for SNAP and other programs for which individuals may be eligible. For example, the gross monthly income for SNAP eligibility for a single person is $1,671 and $2,246 for a family of two. You can own a home or a car and its value is not counted as an asset, and you can have a bank account, too.

Reservations are required for the 30-minute screening, which is given by Nera Clemente of the Connecticut Association for Human Services. To RSVP, call Debby Horowitz, Brownstein Jewish Family Service director, at 203-267-3177, extension 105. All calls are confidential.