We are deeply grateful to Vermont’s Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, and Congresswoman Balint, who chose to oppose the bill and worked to reduce its harm. Because of you, Vermont’s members of Congress had the information they needed from people across Vermont to make the right choice and vote no on this harmful legislation. They spoke out loudly in support of SNAP and Medicaid because they know people in Vermont need these programs to continue. They could not have done that important work without you, so thank you for all that you shared throughout this process (since April!) to help put faces and experiences to the facts.

Unfortunately, members of Congress from other states still supported this bill that will harm their constituents. Last week, the Budget Reconciliation was passed and signed by President Trump. This is not the outcome we worked for, and not the outcome America needs.

We want to stress that right now, there are no changes to SNAP/3SquaresVT in our state. There will be more communication in the coming months, but the State of Vermont continues to accept applications and sign people up for 3SquaresVT. If you or someone you serve has questions, they can reach out to Vermont Foodbank’s 3SquaresVT Assistance Team here or by calling 1-855-855-6181.

Over the next 10 years, this legislation will take away federal food assistance (SNAP/3SquaresVT) and health coverage from Americans, shift costs to states, and make it particularly difficult for families, older adults, and people with disabilities to make ends meet. This new legislation makes the intentional policy choice to undermine the long-standing commitment we as Americans have lived by for decades, to take care of neighbors when they are struggling, so they do not go hungry.

This bill will inflict real harm on tens of thousands of households in Vermont, creating additional barriers to apply for and qualify for benefits, will negatively impact our rural hospitals and communities, and force our state government to make impossible choices in future state budgets. These losses will have domino effects that will be felt by all of us.

Vermont Foodbank stands firm in our commitment to support neighbors and our partners by distributing 12-15 million pounds of food per year across Vermont. We will continue to offer tailored support to neighbors accessing SNAP/3SquaresVT and other resources.

“Everyone deserves access to fresh, nutritious food and affordable health care, yet hunger persists in every congressional district in America, including here in Vermont. The reconciliation bill will significantly reduce federal investments in SNAP and Medicaid, while shifting responsibility to state governments at a time when our state is already strained,” said John Sayles, CEO of Vermont Foodbank.

“Make no mistake, the intention is to undermine the help neighbors receive to afford food and health care, at a time when things are already unaffordable. Vermont Foodbank will continue to work with our partners across Vermont and the country to mitigate the harms of this legislation,” continued Sayles.

Hunger is a policy choice. As we work to understand these detrimental policy choices in this bill and their impacts for households across Vermont, we will continue to advocate for immediate and long-term policy responses that mitigate harm.

Thank you for your partnership in the efforts to stop this budget bill from passing, and for everything you do for neighbors across Vermont. Our collective efforts will continue to be critical as we work to understand and mitigate the impacts of this harmful bill. We invite you to share how 3SquaresVT is important to the people you serve, your household, and your community here.

Thank you for your work to support neighbors across Vermont and your part in efforts to create a more equitable and food-secure future. We will continue to stand with you and our neighbors across the state today, and for many years to come.