BURLINGTON — A new Vermont program will replace a federal food assistance program that started during the coronavirus pandemic to help people in need and is ending in two weeks.
The USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program supplied tens of thousands of food boxes to Vermonters during the peak of the pandemic, mychamplainvalley.com reported.
“A lot of people suffered a pretty big economic shock,” said Vermont Foodbank CEO John Sayles, who estimated the program served one-third of Vermonters. “A lot of those folks, this is the first time that they’ve really had to access things like food assistance.”
Full Plates VT will start in early June and supply individual boxes of federal emergency assistance food to 19 sites around the state. They will contain a produce item, a frozen protein and shelf-stable items. Beneficiaries will be required to meet an income requirement.
The program starts June 3 and will run through the end of September. People can start registering Monday on the Vermont Foodbank’s website or by calling 1-833-670-2254.