The Vermont Department for Children and Families has announced that 3 Squares VT, a federal food assistance program formerly known as Food Stamps, will face budget cuts. Benefits will be lower for most recipients starting November first.
The cuts are due to the end of funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was passed in 2009 to stimulate the economy and save jobs during the recession.
When the law expires on October 31st, almost everyone’s benefit will go down. For example, a family of four might see a decrease of $36 dollars, while a single person might see a decrease of $11 dollars.
DCF Commissioner Dave Yacovone says this only compounds previous cuts to programs for Vermonters living in poverty.
“The stress for some families is simply toxic. It can be overwhelming for families struggling in poverty," said Yacovone. "It’s important to know that these are not the only federal cuts. This cut is 10.5 million annually. But that’s on top of a another 5.5 million in cuts to the Section 8 housing program, another million for head starts and another million for the fuel assistance. Many of these are the same families.”
Yacovone says the state does not have the funds available to compensate for the loss of federal money.
“It’s not realistic to expect the Department for Children and Families to have the capacity to absorb this,” said Yacovone.
Those currently receiving 3Squares Vermont benefits can visitDCF's websiteto find out about other DCF programs that may be able to help pay for things like child care, phone service, fuel and utilities.
