The federal government has granted Vermont a waiver to allow people who receive SNAP benefits to purchase prepared, hot food.
Anore Horton is with Hunger Free Vermont. She says after this month's catastrophic flooding, the federal food assistance program needed to open up more options for Vermonters.
“There’s a dramatic need right now for that flexibility in Vermont, both for people who have had flood damage to their homes. But also for people who were unhoused even prior to the flooding," Horton says.
Horton says state officials have been trying to get the word out to stores about flood-related changes to the federal food assistance program.
Horton says the federal government will allow people on the Three Squares Vermont program to purchase hot and prepared foods with their EBT card.
“This is a very temporary waiver that is tied to the flooding disaster. And so hopefully all retailers that have hot and prepared food available will be turning this option on, if they haven’t already," Horton says.
Horton says the added flexibility is vital for Vermonters with flood damage to their homes, and people who were unhoused prior to the flooding.
The waiver runs through August 18.
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