Congress continues to standstill with no end in sight. Americans are living with a lapse in critical food assistance, unpaid federal workers (many who cannot seek employment elsewhere) skyrocketing medical, childcare, and grocery costs. We have seen American cities taken over by National Guard troops leading to the harassment and disappearances of our family, friends, and neighbors. Meanwhile the president, possessed by the ghost of Marie Antoinette, has determined that the best use of our American taxpayer money is to tear down the east wing to erect an olympic sized gilded ballroom, throw lavish Gatsby themed parties, and pay himself off for the crimes he committed.
We must break from this road. We know all too well what lays ahead: a violent destruction that wastes life and resources which only serve to further our collective divisions rather than heal them. Violence is an action not a solution to our cost of living problem, our crumbling infrastructure, our elder care crisis, our decaying health care system, our struggling education system, and the rising taxes we pay to manage it all. We have deep work to do as a nation that requires our cooperation. What this federal administration offers at this crucial time is destruction and distraction while they line their pockets with taxpayer dollars, our Ammerican taxpayer dollars. We are not pawns in a game. We are real humans with real lives, real needs and real responsibilities..
To ensure that Vermonter’s do not miss critical food assistance, Vermont’s Emergency Board, consisting of legislators and the governor, committed this pass week to funding SNAP benefits with the least amount of disruption as possible.
If you’re currently enrolled in 3SquaresVT, this means:
You’ll get half of your usual monthly benefit now, to cover the first 15 days of the month. This will be available to you by November 7. If the federal funding lapse continues, we expect the Emergency Board to decide on November 13 to fund benefits for the rest of the month. If you still have funds on your EBT Card from last month, you can still use them. You can check your EBT Balance online or by calling 1-800-914-8605.
These benefits will be issued the normal way. If you have an EBT card, the benefits will appear there, and if you get a direct deposit, it will arrive in your bank account.
The Emergency Board also directed $250,000 to the Vermont Foodbank to support local food shelves; The next distribution from the Deerfield Valley Food Pantry will be Tuesday November 13th from 1-3pm and Sunday November 15th 9-11am. Should you need assistance with this or anything else please don’t hesitate to get in touch ecarrisduncan@gmail.com
Yours in Service and Solidarity,
Rep Emily Carris Duncan