We all know that the economy is struggling.  Simply fill your car up with gas or buy food at the grocery store and the situation is clear. Prices are high while wages remain low. As winter approaches and fuel bills rise, many Vermonters may wonder how they will make it through. Will they be forced to choose between heating their home and feeding their children? Food Stamps may be able to help.

The Food Stamp Program helps low-income Vermonters pay for food. The program recently changed and may allow more Vermonters to receive benefits during these difficult economic times:

• Retirement and educational savings accounts no longer keep people out of the program, so people can now have more savings and still qualify.

• Also, families who pay for child care or other dependent care may be able to receive more money for food.

Hunger is real in Vermont, but it doesn’t have to be. These Food Stamp changes help to decrease hunger by opening up the program to more people who may be struggling to put food on the table. Furthermore, these changes benefit everyone in Vermont, because as more people participate in the program and purchase food at Vermont stores, more federal dollars are added to our state economy.

The Food Stamp Program will be making even bigger changes in January 2009, expanding eligibility to thousands more Vermonters. More information about the Food Stamp Program, including a pre-screening tool and community resource kit, is available at www.vermontfoodhelp.com.

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