September 10, 2008
More Vermonters will qualify for Food Stamps
BURLINGTON -- A plan is in the works to to expand Food Stamp Program (FSP) eligibility to several thousand additional Vermont households.
Gov. Jim Douglas and Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie unveil details of the new initiative today in Burlington. It is the most recent addition to Douglas' Fuel and Food Partnership—a collaboration of public and private partners charged by the Governor with marshaling available resources to help Vermonters address the rising cost of fuel and food. The partnership is co-chaired by Dubie.
Douglas said the expansion of the FSP eligibility includes two key provisions: (1) raising the current household income limit of 130% of the federal poverty level (FPL) up to 185% FPL; and (2) eliminating the current asset test to determine eligibility for affected households. The current asset rules limit eligibility by imposing resource limits.
The federal income limit of 130 percent FPL makes many low-income Vermonters ineligible for food assistance, even though they may have high expenses, Douglas said.
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