By Keith Whitcomb Jr.
Staff Writer
Hunger advocates in Vermont are welcoming a change in how the federal government figures food benefits, but say more could still be done, as demand at food shelves is likely to increase.
Anore Horton, executive director of Hunger Free Vermont, said Tuesday that after several decades the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has adjusted the “Thrifty Food Plan,” which will amount to an average 25% increase in what those using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have been receiving.
SNAP is known in Vermont as 3SquaresVT. Hunger Free Vermont does outreach and education for the program, but it’s administered through the Department for Children and Families (DCF).
Horton said that during the 1970s, the USDA had its nutritionist develop several food plans. The cheapest of these was the Thrifty Food Plan, and it’s what the SNAP benefits were calculated from. For many years now, Hunger Free Vermont, and groups like it, have been calling for the USDA to base SNAP allotments off the Low Cost Food Plan, which is one step up from the Thrifty Food Plan.
That didn’t happen. What has happened, Horton said, is the USDA has overhauled the food plans, bringing them in line with modern realities and standards.
“We have been calling on many different administrations, many different leaders at USDA over the years to increase SNAP benefits so that they more adequately cover the actual cost of healthy food, of varied diets and the foods that are either culturally appropriate for people or medically necessary for people,” said Horton. “We are pleased that SNAP benefits have been permanently increased with this change to the calculation of the Thrifty Food Plan.”
Horton said the Thrifty Food Plan was designed to get people through short-term emergencies while the Low Cost Food Plan was more geared towards daily life.
(The Thrifty plan is) kind of a basket of foods that would cover your minimal nutritional needs, but it makes a lot of assumptions, like that you’re going to buy dry beans and you’re going to spend two hours every day cooking, and things like that,” she said.
The changes take effect in October, she said, but many using 3SquaresVT still won’t be able to cover their monthly food bills with it.
How much more would be enough is a difficult question, she said. A household food budget is one of the few things that a family can adjust, as rent, transportation and other bills tend to be somewhat fixed, and high.
John Sayles, chief executive officer of the Vermont Foodbank, said Tuesday that the state of food benefits is somewhat uncertain right now. While this change made by the USDA is certainly welcome and good, the Farmers to Families Food Box Program has ended, the Full Plates VT program will end in September, and thousands will soon see an end to their extended unemployment benefits. Those getting 3SquaresVT benefits have all been getting them at their maximum level, a state of affairs that may also end soon. Factoring in the child tax credit families have been getting, it’s hard to tell exactly where everything will land.
“We’re really in a state of flux right now, and I would say we expect, with some of the changes, we’re going to see increased demand for Foodbank programs,” said Sayles. “We’re planning to see more people at our Veggie-Van-Go program, which happens all around the state.”
According to Horton, what Hunger Free Vermont would like to see next is the application process for 3SquaresVT streamlined and simplified. She said those who feel like they might need the benefits should visit vermontfoodhelp.com or text “VFBSNAP” to 85511. People can also call 211 for assistance.
keith.whitcomb @rutlandherald.com
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