Other benefits:

• Fuel Assistance
  Signing up for fuel assistance may actually increase your monthly Food Stamp dollar amount. The Food Stamp program gives people who get fuel assistance the highest deduction for shelter costs. Click here for information on how to apply.
• Free School Meals
  Kids in food stamp households can get free school meals if their school participates in the federal school breakfast or lunch program. Click one of the following for an application (Adobe; get the Adobe reader here)
• Lifeline and Link Up
  People who are eligible for food stamps are also eligible for Lifeline, a monthly credit of at least $13 to help households maintain phone service, and Link UP, which provides credit up to $30 to pay half the cost of installing a phone line. Click here for information on how to apply.
• VHAP Premiums
  Out of pocket medical expenses paid by people 60 and older and people with disabilities can be deducted from food stamp income. This may help some people qualify for food stamps and help others get more food stamps each month. Click here to download a medical expense deduction worksheet.
• TANF, Vermont Earned Income Tax Credit, SSI
  People who receive any of these benefits may be categorically eligible for food stamps. Even if they get $0 in food stamps, they are still considered "eligible" and therefore qualify for free school meals, lifeline, etc.