There is a lot happening regarding critical federal nutrition programs. Read on for federal updates and to learn what you can do right now to protect SNAP and Medicaid, followed by highlights from the 2025 State Legislative Session.
First, we want to acknowledge everyone who stepped up during Northeast SNAP Day of Action in April. Vermont was able to have an outsized impact on our Northeast Region thanks to you! We can think of this current moment as SNAP Day of Action – PART 2. We all, together, need to raise our voices once again to protect SNAP and Medicaid by telling Members of the Senate in Washington, D.C. “NO Cuts to Basic Need Programs!”
The budget reconciliation bill that we were advocating against passed the house by just ONE vote. Now, it is in the Senate where it needs just 51 votes to pass. This bill, The “Big Beautiful Bill,” contains cuts that could put every single (SNAP) 3SquaresVT participant at risk of losing benefits, and 20% of people at risk of losing benefits entirely. Many of us have neighbors we know personally who would be harmed if they could no longer access 3SquaresVT benefits each month. You may be wondering how we would continue to feed everyone with this new, higher level of need. That is the challenge we would all experience – how to continue to support people with our current resources if the $155 million in benefits received by 65,000 people in Vermont were to decrease by 20%.
Senators plan to vote soon on this bill, so it is, again, time to act!
What can you do?
- If you live in Vermont, the best thing you can do is to call or email a friend (or two, or three!) in other states – today – to make sure they are contacting their Senators right now. Call your friends and family in the states below and encourage them to call their Senators. These Senators have been identified as potential NO votes on this bill and they need to hear from their constituents! Please reach out to people you know in these states to help protect SNAP and Medicaid. Their phone call can make a difference:
- Alaska: Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan
- Arkansas: Senator Boozman
- Kentucky: Senator McConnell
- Maine: Senator Collins
- Missouri: Senator Hawley
- North Carolina: Senator Tillis
- West Virginia: Senator Capito
- Iowa: Senator Grassley, Senator Ernst
- Kansas: Senator Marshall, Senator Moran
- Mississippi: Senator Hyde-Smith
- Utah: Senator Curtis
- Ohio: Senator Husted
- Pennsylvania: Senator McCormick
This Toolkit provides all of the information your friends and family need to make these calls.
You can also spread the word on social media, using our posts on Facebook and Instagram.
- Thank our Vermont Senators and Congresswoman for their STRONG opposition of this bill. Senator Welch was on Vermont Edition recently speaking about potential impacts of this harmful legislation. Listen here to what Senator Welch said about these harmful cuts.
Want more details about these changes?
Our friends at Hunger Free Vermont have produced this detailed analysis of what each of these changes to federal food assistance programs would mean for Vermont.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has put together these state-by-state fact sheets to help each state understand the harmful impacts of the cuts included in this bill.
Together with community advocates and partners, we are helping legislators in the State House understand why 3SquaresVT and food security programs are important to achieve food access and security in Vermont.
February 5th, 2026 was 3SquaresVT Day in the State House in Montpelier. Advocates showed up to share their experiences and perspectives with legislators in the House and the Senate so they can better understand the importance and impact of food security programs and 3SquaresVT on the experiences of people living in Vermont.
February 5th, 2026 is 3SquaresVT Awareness Day! Join us virtually as we celebrate, educate, and share the ways this critical program supports people, farms, and businesses across Vermont.
