Vermont Responds to Irene Disaster - How you can Help

Urgent Information about 3SquaresVT Replacement Benefits Post-Irene

Due to the power outages, flooding, and devastation in Vermont caused by Tropical Storm Irene, the Department for Children and Families(DCF) is able to provide REPLACEMENT BENEFITS to current 3SquaresVT participants who lost food due to the storm.

Participants must report the loss of food immediately by calling DCF at 1-800-479-6151or going to their local district office and reporting it in person– the deadline to do so is Saturday, September 17th. Please print and share this outreach flyer with your clients and communities.

Participants must report:

• Name and social security number of the head of household.
• Town and county of residence.
• The specific way that food was lost, i.e. power outage of more than four hours, refrigerator/freezer failure, flooding, fire, etc.
• The dollar value of food loss: only the actual value of food lost up to the amount the household was entitled to receive during the month of August can be replaced.  Replacement benefits cannot exceed the household’s total August allotment.

Please note that only those households who experienced a loss and report that loss will receive replacement benefits.  Vermont is not able to provide a mass replacement for all participants in disaster counties.

Participants who live in the 9 FEMA-designated disaster counties (Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor counties) simply report their loss verbally over the phone or in person; no paperwork is required.  Participants living in the non-disaster-declared counties of Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, and Orleans may also report their loss over the phone or in person.  However, they will also be given or sent a one-page form that must be signed and returned within 10 days of reporting their loss.

Again, please share this outreach flyer with your clients and communities.  Remember, the deadline to request a 3SquaresVT benefits replacement is only a week away – September 17th – so don’t delay in spreading the word!  Thank you for your help!

Please share this email widely via your networks and feel free to contact Hunger Free Vermont with any questions. More information about 3SquaresVT post-Irene is available on www.vermontfoodhelp.com.

Some local folks have set up a website to aggregate all the ways to help.  Here’s a few links on how you can help in general.  Here too from Vtdigger. This link is specifically for KIDS issues. We will continue to try and point people to the right places for help as we learn more about efforts going on.  Here’s a link on how to apply for FEMA assistance.