Volunteer recognized

Today, I was pleased to attend the annual AARP luncheon, where volunteer Betty Domer was recognized for her work with Foodshare's SNAP outreach program.

Betty became interested in food insecurity through Leadership Greater Hartford in 2007.  During that year a task force from Leadership Greater Hartford's Third Age Initiative studied the issues of Connecticut’s SNAP application process. This group of 9 people proved that dedicated, trained volunteers could augment professional staff in helping clients fill out the complicated SNAP application. When the 3^rd Age Initiative ended in 2008, the task force helped Foodshare create and pilot an ongoing, viable program along with a comprehensive SNAP manual with which to train additional volunteers.

Betty has continued her interest in SNAP by offering application assistance every month for the past three years at the Enfield Food Shelf and last month helping for days to process the thousands of people hoping to receive Disaster SNAP benefits. She has also developed the current SNAP screening program used throughout Connecticut.  It is a quick assessment tool to estimate eligibility and possible SNAP benefits.

Betty is on the board of CHR ,a behavioral health agency serving thousands of clients in northeast Connecticut. She was recently appointed to the Somers town government Ethics Committee and is an amateur actress appearing on stage most often with the Village Players in Somers. Betty is also the parent, along with her late husband Fred, of Jennifer (New Jersey) and Michael (Minnesota) who have blessed her with 5 wonderful grandchildren.   

Congratulations, Betty, on this well deserved recognition.