With the arrival of holidays and winter, many of us who have limited income are feeling the squeeze financially. Here’s a way to stretch your budget: Get 3SquaresVT!
If you’re eligible you’ll get a payment card (it looks like a credit card) to use at grocery stores, convenience stores, farmers markets and food co-ops. If everyone in the household is 65+, the 3SquaresVT benefits may be deposited directly into a bank account. Seniors also may use medical expenses as adjustment to income, which may help you qualify.
There’s even help available for the application process, so visit and learn more at http://www.seniorsolutionsvt.org/meals-nutrition/food-assistance
Wasted time
Well, I can’t tell you how many applications I’ve filled out since my husband was first hospitalized but it’s a total waste of my time and I wish the bell ringers would at LEAST include the upper thresholds to qualifying for programs such as this. Seems to me it ends up a way to gather information and help a few people along the way. After filling out an application online, I was then inundated with spam-type calls only to find out when they wouldn’t relent (up to 7 attempts per day) that the STATE OF VERMONT provided my phone number for some ridiculous survey. Coincidently, this happened no long after making applications for 3squares. It took me two weeks of effort in between care-giving (which alone has been intense enough) and ongoing phone attempts to get a contact person in one of our state offices to have my number removed; no, it’s not enough to just tell the caller to cease and desist.. it takes talking to several people to even get to the source of the calls, and THEN the number must be manually removed ! Please, just give a bit more information so that other people aren’t wasting their time and energy on piles of steaming false hope. I have no doubt my application spurned this series of intrusive calls.
I don’t appreciate being given a carrot only to find a whip waiting at the end.
I applied for the Vermont
I applied for the Vermont 3square program when I was diagnosed with a long term illness 2 years ago and found it to be a very easy and painless process. I had an application mailed to me; it was lengthy but didn’t require too much in terms of documentation. I mailed it back and was approved within 2 weeks. I’ve never received a phone call from them or from anyone stating that they got my number from the state of Vermont. Once a year a letter comes asking me if there are any changes in my health or income…that’s it. I think k it’s a worthwhile program and it is underutilized by seniors so I would encourage people to apply.
Stretch your 3Squares dollars at the Winter Farmers' Market
Only 2 Saturday’s left, but still good to remind folks using EBT cards that they can turn $10 into $20 at the Winter Farmers’ Market with our Market Match Coupons!
Any questions write to farmersmarket(at)postoilsolutions.org or stop by Saturday morning at the market.
Market will be open 3/21 and 3/28, 10-2 at the River Garden.
Many people - particularly
Many people – particularly senior citizens – get their food assistance benefits deposited directly into their checking accounts- they don’t use EBT cards. I wish both farmer’s markets would figure out a way to give this to those people. An entire large population of people- who could really use the double bonus – are shut out of this benefit. I would shop more at the farmer’s markets if I could use my food benefits. Doesn’t seem like it should be that difficult to figure out a way to allow folks whose benefits are direct deposited to still take advantage of this wonderful program of double spending power. Sheri -any thoughts on this?