From the Desk of Paul Dragon, 10/30/25

Even as a government shutdown continues, our mission at CVOEO does not pause -- in many ways it accelerates. It is in the most challenging times that we take stock of who we are and what we do for our community, and it is such an honor to work with all of you especially now.

This November, we are focused on concrete actions to support Vermonters in need through:

• Charitable Food Distribution: Ensuring that no one in our community goes hungry. We have prepared for this moment through fundraising and the incredible work of our Feeding Champlain Valley and Philanthropy teams. Yesterday, we received approximately $35,000 from the State to further support our charitable food efforts. This was done through a meeting with Governor Scott and the five community action directors in which we discussed statewide funding for all the food shelves and influenced -- with the help of many other organizations and especially Hunger Free Vermont -- the release of SNAP funds on the EBT cards for November.
• SNAP and LIHEAP Support: We have joined many partners and met with the Governor directly to advocate for families to ensure they have access to essential benefits, utilizing state emergency funding through November and beyond to secure both LIHEAP and SNAP benefits.
• Ongoing Mission Work: Continuing our programs that provide emergency assistance like shelter, food, and fuel while continuing to look for strategic opportunities that align with our vision and mission so we can strengthen our support for our community and sustain our funding.

Our vision -- to build a community where every person is valued, has access to opportunity and can achieve their full potential -- guides our work every day. While government shutdowns may create uncertainty, hope, action, and community cannot be shut down. CVOEO is here and we will continue to do everything possible to support each other and our community during this time.

Head Start Love and Appreciation
Our Head Start team has exemplified our unwavering commitment and mission to our community in uncertain times. This year marks the 60^th anniversary of Head Start, and we should remind ourselves that Head Start began in exceedingly tough times, built by people who refused to give up on America’s children. Sixty years later, our Head Start team, even with new challenges before us, keeps that spirit and work alive.

CVOEO Cost of Living Increase for fiscal year 2026
As part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining fair and competitive wages, we are implementing cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for all employees this year. To ensure the greatest impact is most needed, the COLA will be applied at two levels:

1. Employees earning $26.22 per hour or less will receive a 4% COLA.
2. Employees earning more than $26.22 per hour will receive 3% COLA.

This structure helps us provide additional support to team members at lower wage levels, who are often more directly affected by rising costs of living. At the same time, all employees will benefit from a wage increase that recognizes your hard work, dedication, and the valuable role each of you plays in fulfilling our mission. We deeply appreciate your continued commitment and contributions to our Agency and the communities we serve. Thank you for all that you do every day to make our work possible.

The Office of Racial Equity and the UVM Health Equity Summit
Virginie, Director of our Office of Racial Equity & Community Inclusion, attended the 2025 Health Equity Summit organized by the University of Vermont, where she presented on “From Acute Care to Preventive Medicine: Navigating Health Literacy and Access Among African Immigrants in the United States.” Virginie’s presentation examined how cultural expectations, economic barriers, and limited health literacy effect African immigrants’ access to preventive care in the U.S. She highlighted challenges newcomers face when shifting from acute, event-based care to preventive healthcare models, and discussed ways culturally responsive education and system adaptations can improve equitable health outcomes. Amazing work, Virginie!

Transformative Care Training
Shannon, our Complex Care Manager, will provide an internal training on November 18^th. In this training, we will discuss what the definition of Transformative Care Is and how we can work together as CVOEO programs to support every client in a holistic, equitable way that supports dignity, hope and future self-advocacy.

Head Start’s Family Connections Program Sewing Fun
Several families gathered at the Head Start Family Connections program to sew napkins for our Head Start classrooms. Fabric was donated and our own incredible sewist Ellen Post was on site to give lessons to beginners! Children played, snacks were provided, and conversations and laughter were abundant. The event was a remarkable success, and it was decided that more sewing opportunities will be offered in the future.