Infographic with a title that reads One-on-One Help With 3SquaresVt. Text reads "3SquaresVT is Vermont’s name for the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or, SNAP" followed by a state of Vermont map and a small federal-style rotunda with the words "3SquaresVT = SNAP" next to them. A cartoon image of a man scratching his head while looking at paperwork is accompanied by text that reads "How does 3SquaresVT work? Am I eligible for this program? how do I apply? Is there help? These are all great questions. Our 3SquaresVT team can help answer them!" An image of a woman wearing a Vermont Foodbank shirt with a laptop and paperwork appears with text reading "The Foodbank's team offers free, confidential assistance with 3SquaresVT eligibility questions and applications. A real person will be with you every step of the way." Text reading "If you qualify and are approved, you'll be able to use your benefits at more than 600 retail stores and farmers markets in Vermont!" accompanies cartoons of a grocery store, a farm stand, and a hand holding and EBT card.
Infographic with a title that reads One-on-One Help With 3SquaresVt. Text reads "3SquaresVT is Vermont’s name for the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or, SNAP" followed by a state of Vermont map and a small federal-style rotunda with the words "3SquaresVT = SNAP" next to them. A cartoon image of a man scratching his head while looking at paperwork is accompanied by text that reads "How does 3SquaresVT work? Am I eligible for this program? how do I apply? Is there help? These are all great questions. Our 3SquaresVT team can help answer them!" An image of a woman wearing a Vermont Foodbank shirt with a laptop and paperwork appears with text reading "The Foodbank's team offers free, confidential assistance with 3SquaresVT eligibility questions and applications. A real person will be with you every step of the way." Text reading "If you qualify and are approved, you'll be able to use your benefits at more than 600 retail stores and farmers markets in Vermont!" accompanies cartoons of a grocery store, a farm stand, and a hand holding and EBT card.

In addition to partnering to share free food with neighbors, Vermont Foodbank has a team that helps households connect with ongoing grocery assistance through 3SquaresVT.

3SquaresVT is Vermont’s name for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), through which more than 60,000 people in Vermont access grocery help. SNAP is a crucial part of our nation’s and our state’s social safety net.

Households enrolled in this program get benefits loaded onto an EBT card (similar to a debit card) each month. These benefits can be spent at more than 600 retailers in Vermont, online, and many places in the US where SNAP is accepted. It’s also accepted at many farmers markets! To receive 3SquaresVT benefits, households need to meet income and other guidelines.

So, what role does Vermont Foodbank’s team of specialists play? Our team does not administer 3SquaresVT—that’s done by Vermont’s Economic Services Division (ESD). As an outreach partner of the ESD, here’s the kind of help our 3SquaresVT team offers:

  • Information and guidance: the team helps explain how 3SquaresVT works, eligibility guidelines, the application process, and more.
  • Eligibility questions: the team can help households understand if they’re eligible for 3SquaresVT based on specific financial circumstances.
  • Personalized support: the team offers one-to-one help through the 3SquaresVT application process and beyond. The team also helps people who are already enrolled submit required documentation to stay enrolled and, in some cases, qualify for increased benefits.
  • Additional resource connections: Not all households are eligible for 3SquaresVT and others may need more food help than the benefit amount they receive. The Foodbank team supports connections to additional food, fuel and energy resources, some of which are available regardless of income.
  • Partner education: The team also helps food access partners learn more about how the program works, so they can become stronger advocates for the program and help community members get connected sooner.

All support our 3SquaresVT team provides is free and confidential. For more information, check out our 3SquaresVT page and this blog post about what 3SquaresVT is and how we can help.

3SquaresVT is a critical resource for Vermont households needing food assistance, and the more we all know, the more we can all play a role in keeping the program strong.

Stay tuned for the next blog post, where we’ll share more about how the Foodbank, our partners, and our communities advocate for programs like 3SquaresVT that support food access for today, and for policies that help create a food-secure tomorrow for us all.

Download this infographic as an accessible PDF.

Coming Soon: Learn About Our Advocacy and Collaborative Work

Cartoon image with the title "Getting The Food To Neighbors" and a drawing of a person loading vegetables into a car.Getting the Food to Neighbors
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