On Thursday February 5th, community advocates joined staff from Vermont Foodbank, Hunger Free Vermont and NOFA-VT for 3SquaresVT Awareness Day. The goal of this annual event is to educate Vermont legislators on the importance of protecting and enhancing 3SquaresVT, the name by which the federal benefit program SNAP (short for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is known here in Vermont. It’s also a time to lift up other food access programs that help keep food on people’s tables.

Advocates in attendance represented the many constituencies that 3SquaresVT supports, including:

• neighbors who participate in 3SquaresVT,
• farmers who accept 3SquaresVT and Crop Cash,
• farmers markets that make Crop Cash possible,
• benefit assisters who help people navigate the 3SquaresVT application process, and
• Foodbank food shelf and meal site partners supporting supplemental food access for neighbors all over Vermont.

This year marked the fourth annual awareness day. More community advocates than ever before shared their experiences with 3SquaresVT by testifying in committees and meeting one-on-one with their legislators. Many of the advocates who participated were new to State House advocacy and the Legislature welcomed new perspectives. Advocates joined in person from diverse regions of the state. Others submitted written testimony, testified virtually, wrote emails, and met with legislators in their home districts.  The day also included a coffee hour, a welcome address from Senator Ruth Hardy, a press conference, and a House floor recognition ceremony.

To prepare, community members attended fall trainings with Vermont Foodbank’s advocacy staff and lobbying firm, Action Circles, and toured the State House in advance of 3SquaresVT Awareness Day. They practiced telling their story, considered what they wanted to share with legislators, and prepared testimony with support from Vermont Foodbank staff and partners. Their preparation paid off. Legislators were enthusiastic about hearing community perspectives on the ways these food and nutrition programs work, how they intersect, and the many cascading positive human and economic impacts they have in our state. One legislator was so inspired that they shared their own family’s story of using 3SquaresVT and Crop Cash at a favorite local farmers market.
Advocates shared support for a variety of Food Security Coalition requests which are in front of the Vermont Legislature this session:

1. Fund necessary administration costs to operate 3SquaresVT in our state with an additional $6.3 million for state fiscal year 2027 to counter federal funding changes. Full funding for 3SquaresVT administration is critical to keep this program available for all who are eligible in Vermont.
2. Support NOFA-VT’s request for $500,000 in ongoing funding to Strengthen Vermont Farm Viability and Address Food Security by sustaining proven programs: Crop Cash (Plus) and Farm Share.
3. Support Vermont Foodbank’s request for a $5 million total appropriation in FY27, including $2 million to support their network of partners, $2 million for the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters local food purchasing program, and $1 million for Ready Response to ensure food access in disasters and emergencies.
4. Support the appropriation of $4.95 million in FY2027 for Benefit Assisters for SNAP & Medicaid. A strong benefit assistance network is important to keeping as many people as possible on these critical programs.

Highlights of testimony in House and Senate Committees

Barre community member, Julia Burgess, shared her appreciation for 3SquaresVT being available to her when she needed it. In testimony and the Press Conference she said, “I’m not sure I have the words to express how important this program has been to ensuring that I have healthy food options in order to maintain my physical health to be able to be present for my clients.”

Speaking before the Senate Agriculture committee, farmer and 3SquaresVT participant Seren Dias shared, “My family runs a 2-acre organic regenerative no-till farm and depends on 3SquaresVT / SNAP benefits and other programs to eat and live. Our farm started as an average CSA farm but we quickly realized our neighbors couldn’t afford it. Knowing how hard we work and that WE can’t even afford our own food made it harder and harder to make the ask.” They continued, “Now, we feed dozens more families a season and are paid a fair price. We do this by participating in programs like NOFA’s Farm Share and Senior Farm Share programs, serving our local food shelf in Townshend, partnering with community food projects like Brattleboro’s Moon Scape Farm, and accepting 3SquaresVT on the farm.”

And Emmet Moseley, who manages the Feeding Champlain Valley food shelf location in Middlebury, advocated for additional support for supplemental food. Emmet told the legislature, “Throughout my years in the field, I have seen the continuation of a long-term trend year after year. Food pantries like the one I oversee in Middlebury are no longer only occasional or emergency supports for people suffering an unexpected job loss, medical emergency or loss of housing, though they certainly also fill that purpose. More and more, food pantries are a regular strategy for Vermonters to meet their basic needs in the face of rising costs for housing, food, healthcare and utilities.”

We congratulate and recognize the hard work of the community advocates, partners, and food security supporters who worked hard to prepare and advocate on 3SquaresVT Awareness Day. We also thank the legislators who hosted, supported, and spoke up for food security priorities at the press conference that was part of the day’s agenda: Senator Andrew Perchlik, Senator Ruth Hardy, Representative Theresa Wood, and Representative Jubilee McGill.

Add Your Voice!

If you find yourself wondering: How can I help? Could I engage in this sort of awareness and advocacy work in the State House? How can I help my legislator understand what I’ve experienced? The answer is yes, yes, and yes! Everyone living in Vermont is welcome and encouraged to connect with our legislative leaders. You can share the experiences that matter most in your life- whether it’s about 3SquaresVT food benefits or something else.

There are many ways you can engage. The most important thing is to engage in a way that feels comfortable and effective for you. All forms of engagement are important and help increase awareness about food access in Vermont.

1. Find and reach out to your State legislator using this tool. You can email your legislator using their legislative email address. Some also list their phone number so you can share your perspective directly.
2. Meet your legislator locally – many host “coffee with constituents” events or attend local legislative breakfasts throughout the legislative session, or you can often find these through your local chamber of commerce, Rotary Club, library, or your own legislator’s website or Facebook page. Find more info about some of them here.
3. Watch the testimonies from 3SquaresVT Awareness Day listed in this blog post and get inspired by the advocates who shared their experiences and stories!
4. Sign up for Vermont Foodbank’s Advocacy Alerts – you’ll be the first to know about actions that we are asking our community to take in support of food security in Vermont!
5. Sign up here if you are interested in participating in 2026 summer and fall advocacy training events or joining 3SquaresVT Awareness Day 2027.
6. Share your story on this web form to share how 3SqauresVT and other food access programs impact your life or improvements you’d like to see.
7. Using 3SquaresVT is also part of advocating for this program! Contact our 3SquaresVT team at Vermont Foodbank if you would like to learn more about 3SquaresVT benefits, find out if you may be eligible, or get help applying. Call us at (855) 855-6181, text VFBSNAP to 85511, or email 3svt@vtfoodbank.org.