The food stamps program in Vermont, which is also known as 3SquaresVT, aims to help low-income individuals and families afford groceries on a monthly basis. On a federal level, the program is referred to as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The easiest way to determine if you meet SNAP eligibility in VT is to follow the application steps for the program. However, it may be helpful to understand which factors will be considered when determining your eligibility.

In order to qualify for food stamps, you will need to meet the guidelines for both the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). These requirements include income limits, citizenship and residency. You may also have to meet additional requirements if you are between 18 and 50 years of age without any dependents. Read on for more information about SNAP eligibility in Vermont.

Citizenship and Residency Requirements for SNAP in Vermont

In order to meet food stamp qualifications in Vermont, you will need to fall within certain residency and citizenship guidelines. First, you must live within the state in order to receive these benefits from the DCF. If you are not a Vermont resident, you must apply for the program in your home state instead.

Moreover, you must be a U.S. citizen or maintain an acceptable immigration status in order to meet food stamps eligibility in VT. Unfortunately, undocumented individuals are not eligible for these benefits. Non-citizens who maintain legal immigration status will also need to meet additional requirements before achieving SNAP eligibility, such as:

• Being younger than 18 years of age.
• Residing in the U.S. for at least five years.
• Being a refugee or asylee.
• Already receiving benefits for a disability.

Keep in mind that some members of your household may meet SNAP eligibility, while others will not. For example, you may not meet the citizenship requirements for benefits, but have children who do. In that case, you may apply for benefits on behalf of your children.

For more information about the citizenship requirements for food stamps, download our free guide.

What are the SNAP income guidelines in Vermont?

Income is the primary eligibility requirement for 3SquareVT. The USDA issues SNAP income guidelines for households of different sizes based on the federal poverty level (FPL). In general, a household may not have above a certain percentage of the FPL in order to qualify for food stamps. These guidelines include both gross and net monthly income.

Gross monthly income refers to the amount of funds a household has before taxes and certain allowable expenses are deducted. These funds can include earned income from an employer and passive sources like child support. Net monthly income refers to the amount of funds a household has after taxes and certain expenses are deducted. An example of an allowable expense to be deducted is rent.

Most households will be expected to meet both gross and net monthly requirements in order to meet food stamp eligibility in Vermont. However, if the household has a member who is a senior or has a disability, then only the net income criteria must be met.

In order to help you predict whether or not you may meet the food stamp income guidelines, you may consider using a SNAP calculator. To use it, you will need to input your household’s demographic and financial information. Then the computer will estimate whether or not your family may be eligible for the program.

For more information on the SNAP income guidelines, download our free guide.

Other Important Food Stamps Qualifications in Vermont

As a general rule, able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) will have to meet additional requirements in order to have food stamps eligibility in VT. An ABAWD is any adult between 18 and 50 years of age who does not meet certain exemptions. These exemptions include, but are not limited to:

• Being declared medically or mentally unfit for work.
• Being pregnant.
• Being the primary caregiver of a child younger than six years of age.

ABAWDs who do not meet these exemptions will have to complete 20 hours of work per week. Otherwise, they must spend an equivalent amount of time in a work training program.

On the other hand, an ABAWD may participate in a combination of paid work and work training in order to meet the requirement. The ABAWD will also have to agree to and comply with certain conditions regarding their work status. As an example, the household member must not:

• Quit a job that they already have.
• Refuse a job if offered one.
• Voluntarily reduce their work hours.

Failure to comply with these work requirements means that an ABAWD will not meet SNAP eligibility for more than three months within a 36-month period.

How do you maintain your food stamps in Vermont?

In order to maintain your food stamps eligibility in Vermont, you will need to provide updates to DCF. These updates will include whether or not you are meeting the necessary work requirements as well as any significant changes to your income.

Keep in mind that there is a chance your SNAP eligibility will change as you provide these updates to DCF. For example, as you begin to work more, you may find that you earn more income. As such, you may find that you are eligible for a lower amount of benefits, or no benefits at all.

It is important to remain honest on your food stamps application and while submitting updates about your case. By law, lying about your food stamps eligibility is a crime. The consequences could result in an immediate loss of benefits, fines and sometimes even jail time.

Last Updated: February 27, 2023