Deep federal cuts to the SNAP “food stamps” program could leave thousands of families hungry across Connecticut, food banks warned on Tuesday.

Taxpayers could also face a hefty bill, with hundreds of millions of dollars shifted from the federal to state government.

But President Donald Trump defended the cuts on Capitol Hill, arguing that they will actually lead to more food availability.

Around 390,000 people in Connecticut rely on SNAP, which stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Maria Carrasquillo, of Bridgeport, is one of them. In 2023, Carrasquillo told News 12 Connecticut that she struggled to afford groceries – even with SNAP benefits.

“What they given me, it’s not for the whole month,” she said. “It doesn’t last, so what I do is, I go to pantries.”

Connecticut expanded eligibility for SNAP. Now, a single person can earn $2,430 per month before taxes and deductions. For a family of four, it's $5,000 per month.

But the program’s future is in doubt. The U.S. House Agriculture Committee recently approved $300 billion dollars in cuts to SNAP.

On Tuesday, food banks warned that it will leave people hungry across the state.

“SNAP is the first line of defense against hunger,” said Connecticut Foodshare CEO Jason Jakubowski. “I’m here to tell you, without question, there is not enough food at our food bank – or the other 197 food banks across the country together – that could even come slightly close to making up the gap.”

SNAP cuts could cost Connecticut up to $288 million in the first year alone, according to the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The state would now have to cover 75% of administrative costs and, for the first time, up to 25% of food costs.

Grocery stores could also take a hit, since SNAP makes up 20% of their food sales.

“It will hurt Connecticut families,” said state Sen. Matt Lesser (D-Middletown). “It will burden our taxpayers and our Department of Social Services.”

President Donald Trump spent Tuesday on Capitol Hill, pushing fellow Republicans to agree on a massive package of tax and spending cuts.

He argued that SNAP costs have ballooned out of control, and that tax cuts will put more money in people’s pockets.

“The cut is going to give everybody much more food because prices are coming way down. Groceries are down,” Trump told reporters. “You know that eggs now are way down. Everybody’s buying eggs. Groceries down, energy’s down.”

SNAP and Medicaid funding are both still up in the air because Republicans in Washington can’t agree on how much to cut. But it appears likely that eligibility rules and work requirements will be tightened.

Jakubowski thinks the cuts will cost more money than they save.

"You’re talking about families that are gainfully employed. They have one, maybe two, maybe three jobs between the working folks in the family,” he said. “You’re talking about young kids. You're talking about senior citizens."