From the Desk of Paul Dragon, 10/23/26
At CVOEO, we believe in collaboration and transparency. That’s why every week Executive Director Paul Dragon shares a roundup of updates and initiatives to keep everyone, from our 300+ team members to the broader community we serve, informed and connected. Here’s what’s new this week!
Karibu Cultural Celebration
RSVP today for the Karibu Cultural Celebration Book Launch & New Hope Award Ceremony on November 6! Join us on November 6 for a special book launch event celebrating the release of our book, Karibu Cultural Celebration: Through the Years. This book includes photographs and personal reflections that preserve the stories, traditions, and memories that have made the Karibu Cultural Celebration a beloved event for so many years.
The event will also feature the 2026 New Hope Award Presentation Ceremony, a photo display, and opportunities to reconnect with former event participants and friends.
- Date & Time: Friday, November 6, 4:00PM - 6:00PM
- Location: Burlington City Arts Community Room, 405 Pine St., Burlington
All past Karibu makers, models, artists, and New Hope Award recipients who attend will receive a complimentary copy of the book. CVOEO team, we hope you'll join us for this special evening of reflection, recognition, food, and celebration.
Community Action Network Update
Our Fuel and Utility team also returns from seasonal layoff next week as we prepare for the winter heating season. With oil and kerosene prices already significantly higher than last year, all three Community Action offices are seeing requests for heating and utility assistance, and we are hopeful that discussions between legislative fiscal leaders and the Governor will result in additional LIHEAP funding.
Samaritan House and Turning Point Partnership – Self Management and Recovery Training (SMART)
Samaritan House is partnering with Turning Point of Franklin County to bring a SMART Recovery group to the shelter. These sessions will be open to the public, and the first one will be 11/5 at 3PM. SMART Recovery is an evidenced-informed recovery method grounded in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), that supports people with substance dependencies or problem behaviors to:
- Build and maintain motivation
- Cope with urges and cravings
- Manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
- Live a balanced life
For more information contact our program director Ben Kaufman bkaufman@cvoeo.org
Feeding Champlain Valley Update
Lots of good work is happening across FCV. The team is preparing for the new food shelf /market at 250 Battery Street, strengthening partnerships around food access, and recently collected more than 39,470 pounds through food drives. Staff are also working with ORECI office and community partners to make food and information more culturally relevant and accessible to New American communities.
Chittenden County Community Campus - A Regional Homelessness Response and Housing Navigation Center
Chittenden County needs a coordinated regional response to homelessness that is safer, more effective, and more durable than a collection of seasonal or disconnected interventions. CVOEO’s proposed Chittenden County Community Campus would bring emergency shelter, health and behavioral health care, intensive case management, recovery support, navigation, basic-needs assistance, and workforce services together on one secure, professionally operated site.
The campus is envisioned as four distinct but connected shelter neighborhoods: a low-barrier shelter with partitioned privacy pods; a medically vulnerable shelter with enhanced accessibility and healthcare coordination; a recovery shelter with small individual rooms; and a cold-weather congregate shelter with open cot space. A central services hub would support all four neighborhoods with clinical care, meals, cafeteria, hygiene facilities, laundry, case-management space, housing navigation, recreational space, community space, and community programming.