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Vermonters may face food-stamp restrictions

By STEPHEN MILLS
Staff Writer Times Argus
MONTPELIER, Vt. — A new proposed federal rule change could deny benefits for food stamp recipients if they don’t work, volunteer or receive job training 20 hours a week.

Nationally, about 750,000 people could lose their nutrition assistance benefits later this year if the rule change goes into effect, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In Vermont, about 3,400 Vermonters could be affected, although that number could drop to about 650 in mostly geographically isolated or high unemployment areas because of waivers to the rule change and other economic-incentive programs that meet federal requirements, said Sean Brown, deputy commissioner of the Department for Children and Families.

Nationally, about 40 million Americans receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. In Vermont, the number receiving the SNAP equivalent, called 3SquaresVT, is about 74,000.

The proposed new rule change comes despite the re-authorization of the Farm Bill Agreement in December that provided a modest increase in funding for food assistance that President Donald Trump signed into law.

A week after the bill was signed, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it would require able-bodied adults without dependents — known as ABAWDs — between 18 and 49 to work at least 20 hours a week or an equivalent amount of community service or work training to get the food assistance benefits. People who are disabled, elderly or pregnant would not be affected.

However, there is concern the administration would restrict the number of waivers that states could use to limit the affect of the rule change, forcing more people to earn food assistance benefits. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said ABAWDs should be able to get jobs because of a booming economy and a low unemployment rate of 4 percent (2.8 percent in Vermont.)

Tuesday was the deadline for opponents to comment on the proposed rule change. The government received about 28,000 comments, according to media reports.

Anore Horton, executive director of Hunger Free Vermont, a statewide nonprofit that advocates and educates to end hunger in the state, said there is now a long battle to fight the proposed rule change.

“The administration has to review every single comment, publicly post every single comment that was made and compile a report on comments and then address them in some way,” Horton said. “The hope is that asking people all over the country to comment will slow down the process.

“Until they do that (address all comments), they can’t implement the rule, and hopefully it will influence the decision,” she added. “Basically, the administration is trying to subvert the will of Congress because they voted on SNAP as part of the Farm Bill and they’re trying to go around Congress and implement it anyway.”

At the local level in Vermont, some 3SquaresVT recipients and food shelf officials are concerned the rule change could increase demand for services.

“I think it’s cruel,” said Neville Berle, 66, of Montpelier, a 3SquaresVT recipient who was attending the community lunch at Bethany Church in Montpelier on Tuesday. “It doesn’t take into account the difficulty of making ends meet.”

Berle said taking away these benefits would not help people find a job or help them manage their finances.

“Food stamps are a part of a lifeline that helps make life possible,” Berle said. “I also live on disability income which totals under $800 a month, so without food stamps, I just don’t see how I could manage. You shouldn’t have to qualify as disabled to receive the most basic services.”

Another Way on Barre Street helps people who are homeless, unemployed or suffering with addiction, mental health issues and other life crises. One of Another Way’s clients, 29-year-old Spencer Caldwell of Montpelier, is also concerned about the potential loss of 3SquaresVT.

“It would definitely make the process of surviving day-to-day more difficult,” Caldwell said. “If you’re unemployed and you don’t have housing and just moving around, don’t have income, and (food stamps are) your only means to survive, then it’s not going to make it easier for someone who’s already in a difficult situation.

“People need to be functional and not have to worry about your next meal,” he added. “I hope (the rule change) doesn’t take.”

The Montpelier Food Shelf at Trinity Church on Main Street receives about 700 people a month seeking food assistance, according to executive director Jamie Bedard, who said attendance would increase if people lost their benefits.

“We would probably need to give out more food,” Bedard said.

Capstone Community Action in Barre deals with a variety of low-income participants with a range of needs, including food assistance. Eileen Nooney, Capstone’s director of Family and Community Support Services, said Tuesday the Trump administration’s proposal would only make life more difficult for her organization’s struggling clients.

“Every time you put another barrier in front of this population, it takes away a resource that they really rely on,” Nooney said. “If they’re been receiving this benefit, typically they in a situation where their resources are already so low.”

 

stephen.mills @timesargus.com

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