CVOEO will once again partner with the City of Burlington to operate the Miller Center

This winter, CVOEO will once again partner with the City of Burlington to operate the Miller Center at 130 Gosse Court in Burlington as the region's extreme cold weather shelter, continuing a successful partnership that provides a safe place for community members during periods of dangerously cold weather. The shelter will open on nights that meet the City's criteria for activating the extreme cold weather shelter program. At the same time, CVOEO is actively working to open a seasonal shelter in Franklin County.

The decision to operate the Miller Center comes after many months of searching for a location for a year-round, 100-bed shelter. Despite beginning that search in the spring and evaluating numerous potential sites alongside our partner, the Champlain Housing Trust, we were unable to secure a suitable location in time for this winter.

With winter approaching, our immediate focus remains on ensuring that people have a safe place to go during periods of extreme cold, just as we have done in years past.

While the year-round, 100-bed shelter will not move forward this winter, we remain dedicated to protecting vulnerable Vermonters during extreme weather and advancing long-term solutions that promote dignity, compassion, public health, public safety, and shared community responsibility. Over the past six years, we have helped establish eight shelters across Chittenden and Franklin Counties, demonstrating our longstanding commitment to meeting this critical need.

CVOEO will continue working with our community partners to pursue a permanent, year-round integrated services campus that is trauma-informed and provides coordinated support to help people stabilize, improve health outcomes, and move toward permanent housing. We remain committed to this vision and will not stop working until everyone has access to safe shelter and the support they need to thrive.