Vermont Assistance Programs and Benefits
Free help finding assistance programs, from the Northeast Kingdom to the Massachusetts line
A Vermont winter can burn through a tank of heating oil faster than a budget can refill it. Add a car repair or a cut in hours and the math stops working. Helping Hands walks you through the Vermont assistance programs that match your situation, one program at a time.
Start with what's pressing on you. You'll see the programs, the eligibility basics and the Vermont offices to contact, side by side.
We cover all 14 counties in Vermont, from Burlington and Rutland to hill towns where the nearest office sits a long drive away. Our guidance is free, and it's the same wherever you live.
Vermonters get help from the Department for Children and Families, federal programs, community action agencies, food shelves and neighbors who run local pantries. We help you see how the pieces fit.
Check Your Eligibility for Free
Rules change from one program to the next. Income, household size, age, disability, housing costs and work history can each affect what you qualify for.
Helping Hands helps you narrow the list to the programs that may fit, then shows you the first step.
Vermont Financial Assistance Programs
Mud season layoffs, a slow ski winter or a hospital stay can leave a Vermont household short on cash. Several kinds of financial help exist, and the right one depends on what knocked you off course.
If the basics feel out of reach, we help you find resources that match and show you where to apply.
Helping Hands can help you locate information about programs and resources involving:
Vermont Food Assistance and 3SquaresVT (SNAP) Benefits
Food prices in small-town stores can stretch a grocery budget thin.
Helping Hands explains Vermont food assistance programs, including 3SquaresVT, the state's name for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Approved households get benefits on an EBT card they can use at participating stores and many farmers markets.
Worried about keeping the pantry stocked? Checking whether you qualify for 3SquaresVT is a smart place to start.
You can apply for 3SquaresVT, Reach Up and Seasonal Fuel Assistance through the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) at myBenefits.
We can also help Vermont residents locate:
Vermont Utility Bill Assistance
Heating oil, propane, wood pellets and electric bills all rise when the thermometer drops below zero. A missed payment can put your household at risk of a shutoff or an empty tank in January.
Helping Hands shows you the utility and heating assistance programs open to qualifying Vermont households.
Resources may include information about:
LIHEAP Help in Vermont: Seasonal Fuel Assistance
Vermont uses the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to fund Seasonal Fuel Assistance, run by the Vermont Department for Children and Families.
You can apply on the same DCF application used for 3SquaresVT and Reach Up. Benefit levels, income rules and deadlines shift each heating season, so confirm the current details with DCF or your local community action agency.
We help you find the right contact and get your application in before the cold sets in.
Vermont Rental Assistance and Housing Assistance
Vermont's rental market is tight, and a lost job or a rent increase can leave you with few places to turn.
Behind on rent, facing eviction, searching for an affordable apartment or afraid you'll lose your home? We track down the Vermont programs and local groups that may help you stay housed.
Helping Hands provides information about housing resources that may be available to qualifying Vermont residents, including:
Section 8 and Housing Assistance in Vermont
Vermonters searching for affordable housing should learn about Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other subsidized rentals.
Housing authorities run these programs, and each one sets its own wait list and local rules.
Helping Hands can provide information and resources to help you understand:
Vermont Eviction Assistance
Got an eviction notice or fallen behind on rent? Reach out for help right away, because eviction cases move on deadlines.
We can direct you to rental assistance, eviction prevention, emergency housing, legal aid and community resources around Vermont.
Your best lead might be a community action agency, a legal aid office or a housing nonprofit in your county.
Foreclosure Prevention Assistance in Vermont
Homeowners in trouble have more choices when they act before the missed payments add up.
For Vermont homeowners, we collect foreclosure prevention and housing counseling information and referrals.
If you fear losing your home, call your mortgage servicer and talk with a housing counselor early.
Vermont Assistance for Seniors
Older Vermonters may qualify for help with health care, home-delivered meals, housing, transportation and household bills.
For questions about aging services and Medicare, call the Vermont Senior HelpLine at 1-800-642-5119.
Helping Hands provides information about resources that may be available to older adults, including:
Vermont Green Mountain Care, Medicaid and Medicare Resources
Doctor visits, prescriptions and hospital bills weigh most on seniors, people with disabilities and families with low incomes.
Helping Hands helps you find information about Medicare, Green Mountain Care (Vermont Medicaid), health-care assistance and other medical resources that fit your needs.
Medicare and Green Mountain Care follow different rules, so review the current requirements for the program you want.
Disability Assistance in Vermont
Vermonters with a disability may qualify for specialized programs, in-home supports and community services.
Every program has its own qualifications, so check each one before you apply.
Helping Hands can help Vermont residents locate information about resources involving:
Legal Assistance for Vermont Residents
A denied benefit, a housing dispute or a debt collector at the door can call for legal help.
Vermont has legal aid and free legal resources for people who qualify, and we help you locate them.
Each Vermont legal aid office decides which cases it can take on for free or at low cost.
Legal assistance may be particularly relevant for issues involving:
Education, Employment and Training Assistance
A one-time payment can get you through a month. Lasting stability takes more.
Helping Hands also shares education, job training and workforce resources that can help Vermonters find better work and build a steadier income.
Resources may include:
Vermont Food Banks and Emergency Food Resources
Need food today? Food shelves and pantries operate in towns large and small across Vermont, and many work with the Vermont Foodbank.
Use our listings to find a food shelf or meal site near you, with options for families, seniors, people with disabilities and anyone in a hard month.
Out of food, without a place to sleep or short on a bill? Dial 2-1-1 in Vermont. Vermont 211 connects you with local services in your area.
Assistance Available Throughout All 14 Vermont Counties
From Grand Isle to Windham, our program guidance covers all 14 counties in Vermont.
Our Vermont resources reach cities and small towns alike, including:
- Burlington
- South Burlington
- Rutland
- Essex Junction
- Colchester
- Bennington
- Brattleboro
- Milton
- Hartford
- Williston
- Barre
- St. Albans
- Montpelier
- Middlebury
- St. Johnsbury
- Chittenden County
- Rutland County
- Washington County
- Windsor County
- Franklin County
- And communities throughout Vermont
From a Burlington apartment to a farmhouse at the end of a dirt road in Orleans County, the help open to you depends on your household and the programs serving your town.
How Helping Hands Can Help
Finding the right program can mean sorting through agencies, forms, rules and wait lists on your own.
Helping Hands serves as your guide to the options open to Vermonters.
Our goal is to help you:
- Identify programs that may match your situation.
- Understand basic eligibility requirements.
- Find the appropriate agency or organization.
- Learn where and how to apply.
- Locate additional resources if one program does not meet your needs.
You won't pay a cent for our Vermont help or resource information.
Need Help in Vermont? Start Here.
Struggling with food, rent, heating fuel, medical bills or another crisis? You don't have to piece it all together alone.
We lay out your options and name the Vermont agencies and organizations worth calling.
Common Vermont Assistance Programs
Food & Nutrition
- 3SquaresVT (SNAP)
- EBT information
- Food banks
- Food pantries
- Emergency food assistance
Housing
- Rental assistance
- Section 8
- Low-income housing
- Eviction assistance
- Foreclosure prevention
- Emergency housing
Utilities
- LIHEAP (Seasonal Fuel Assistance)
- Electric assistance
- Gas assistance
- Utility bill assistance
Financial Assistance
- Emergency financial assistance
- Cash assistance
- Family assistance
- Single-parent resources
- Community grants and assistance
Health & Senior Services
- Medicare
- Green Mountain Care (Medicaid)
- Senior assistance
- Disability resources
- Health-care assistance
Other Resources
- Legal assistance
- Education
- Job training
- Workforce resources
- Community services
Immediate Vermont Assistance
Need help right now? Dial 2-1-1 to reach Vermont 211 and find local help with food, shelter, heating and other emergencies.
For 3SquaresVT, Reach Up and Seasonal Fuel Assistance, contact the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF).
For aging services and Medicare questions, call the Vermont Senior HelpLine at 1-800-642-5119.
From 3SquaresVT to fuel help, we make Vermont's programs easier to follow.
Look over Vermont assistance programs today and find the ones that may fit your household.
Helping Hands is a resource and information service. Program eligibility, availability, funding, and application requirements are determined by the applicable government agency, nonprofit organization, housing authority, or other program administrator. Providing information about a program does not guarantee eligibility or approval.
