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3SquaresVT Can Help Eligible Military Families
Celebrate Armed Services Day on May 15 by Spreading the Word about 3SquaresVT
May, 2010 (Burlington, VT) – Vermont’s military families make great sacrifices for the good of our country; they shouldn’t have to worry about having enough money to buy healthy food at the same time. 3SquaresVT (formerly Food Stamps) provides monthly benefits on a debit card to buy more food at the grocery store. It’s easy to use, and special rules help military families get even more benefits:
- Eligibility is based on income and expenses. Combat pay is not counted as income for military families in 3SquaresVT.
- A household that may not have been eligible when a service member was not on active duty may be eligible when that member is deployed or on special duty assignment for 30 days or more.
- Families already getting 3SquaresVT before deployment may be eligible for more benefits during combat service.
Military families with children may also be eligible for free or reduced price school meals. Military families with deployed members are eligible for special rules when applying for free or reduced price school meals:
- On the application, families only need to include income that is sent to the family at home.
- Even though a family member is deployed and not living at home, the family member may still be listed as a household member. This helps make more families become eligible and get more benefits.
- Children in households that receive 3SquaresVT will also receive free school meals and don’t have to fill out another application.
With 1,500 Vermonters now serving in Afghanistan, Armed Services Day is an opportunity to thank our troops for their service and also make sure that their families at home have all the information and resources they need. For more information about 3SquaresVT and other nutrition programs, visit www.vermontfoodhelp.com. For more resources for military families, call Vermont 2-1-1 to connect with the local Family Assistance Center Specialist in your community.
PRESS CONTACTS: Mary Blow, Vermont National Guard Family Assistance Center Coordinator, mary.e.blow@us.army.mil or 802-338-3076 or Angela Smith-Dieng, Senior 3SquaresVT/Food Stamp Program & Policy Specialist at Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, 802-865-0255 or Angela@vtnohunger.org.
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