From the Desk of Paul Dragon, 10/30/26
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!
Voices Against Violence Welcome New Director – Alessandra Ceccarelli-Masters
We welcome Alessandra to CVOEO and Voices Against Violence! Alessandra is a nonprofit professional who has spent much of her career working with immigrants, refugees, and survivors of violence and human trafficking in Tennessee. Her work has included legal advocacy, community outreach, and helping individuals and families navigate complex systems and access the support they need. She values building meaningful relationships, strengthening communities, and ensuring that people are heard and respected. Originally from Perugia, Italy, Alessandra has lived in several countries and enjoys learning from people of different backgrounds and experiences. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening and spending time with her husband and their two dogs, Olive and Ozzy.
Addison Community Action Welcomes New Director – Kara Bradford
We welcome Kara Bradford to CVOEO and to Addison Community Action! Kara is an Addison County local with a deep passion for community connection and non-profit advocacy. Drawing on her background in non-profit engagement, fundraising, and communications, Kara is dedicated to supporting neighbors and building strong local partnerships. Outside of her work, she is an avid gardener, home cook and outdoor enthusiast who loves spending time with her family, tending to her animals, and enjoying everything Addison County has to offer.
CVOEO and Data Integrity
We are continuing to strengthen our work on data integrity, especially about income verification and collection. Thank you to Kristy for leading us through this process. Catching errors and omissions throughout the year helps us to improve our data reporting and strengthens our advocacy and fundraising efforts as well. Thank you, all, for working with Kristy to find solutions to continue to improve data collection and integrity. We appreciate how much you all do to support everyone who walks through our doors each day!
Head Start Awareness Month
Head Start gathered this week at Burlington City Arts for a day of professional development. In honor of Head Start Awareness Month, the morning focused on productive messaging using a “call to action” matrix. Other topics include enrollment and marketing updates, a workforce development exercise, food safety in early education settings, equitable observations of children, nutrition program meal modifications, and food allergies.
Homelessness in Rural Homelessness and CVOEO’s Response
As we continue to see the rise in homelessness in Vermont, CVOEO continues to work on solutions in more rural areas of the state. We now have three shelters in Franklin County including two shelters for survivors of domestic violence. We are also planning a seasonal warming shelter this winter to be in St. Albans Town on Northwest Medical Center (NWMC) property. We are excited about this possibility to continue and deepen our partnership with the NWMC.
We have also joined several partners to explore the possibility of a new low-barrier shelter in Addison County next year. See the article below on Middlebury and rural encampments.
Weatherization Love!
A weatherization client gave this wonderful appreciation to our remarkable weatherization team.
“We are so thankful for and appreciative of all the improvements that CVOEO has made to our home. We have been living here for nearly 25 years and during the colder months we have never felt comfortable with the "breeze" flowing through the house. We always had to put on another layer or throw another blanket on the bed. We couldn't get warm! Even though there have been only a few days since your crew performed the improvements, we can feel a big difference in the comfort level. You have a first-class group of people working with you and all of them are very dedicated and knowledgeable in their trades and role in your organization. I also want to recognize Debra for her hard work working with us for all these years.”
Feeding Champlain Valley Demand at Record Levels
Food shelf demand remains at record levels, serving 228 households this week and nearing 300 households per month in Addison County. Significant donations included approximately 1,000 pounds of culturally diverse foods from a closing Sudanese market, local farm products, and gleaned apples, helping expand access to nutritious and culturally responsive foods. The Chittenden Food Hub completed a successful CSA season serving New American communities, while Addison Food Hub strengthened community partnerships and staff capacity through new collaborations and training.