House panel recommends food aid investments as SNAP terminations loom
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Summary
The committee recommended $2 million to the Vermont Food Bank and supported related recommendations for Vermonters Feeding Vermonters and emergency food distribution; members linked the ask to expected SNAP (3Squares) terminations beginning March 1.
The House Human Services committee recommended support for emergency food funding as officials said thousands of households face potential SNAP benefit termination under federal paperwork changes.
Speaker 2 reported the committee’s Friday straw poll supported a $2,000,000 recommendation for the Vermont Food Bank to purchase food for statewide distribution. The assembled panel also noted separate committee recommendations for $2,000,000 for Vermonters Feeding Vermonters and $1,000,000 for emergency distribution in other committee reports; collectively, the total multi-committee ask discussed was $5,000,000.
Speaker 1 warned that DCF had informed the committee that starting March 1, roughly 2,100 households or individuals were receiving termination notices for SNAP (3Squares) benefits because of new federal paperwork requirements. Members said additional food purchases and investment in community outreach will be needed if benefits are lost for some households.
Speaker 4 requested $1,000,000 for Meals on Wheels (roughly $1 per delivered meal) to offset inflationary costs; the Meals on Wheels presentation noted nearly 1,000,000 meals were delivered in the referenced year and asked for data on delivery locations, wait lists and reimbursement rates.
Ending: The committee will include the food and shelter priorities in its cover memo to Appropriations and said it will forward data and funding-source clarifications, noting Appropriations will make the final decisions.
