From the Desk of Paul Dragon, 11/19/25

Hi CVOEO Team,

It has been a challenging and uplifting week. It is the challenging times in which we demonstrate our commitment as an organization.

First thank you to Sandra and the Head Start Leadership team for leading us through these complicated times for Head Start and CVOEO during the shutdown. Thank you to the entire Head Start team for their strength and resilience and for sticking with us through thick and thin.

We continue through demanding times to fulfill our commitment to each person in this community. This past week we received a voicemail from an 86-year-old man who called to thank Kolby for housing him. He wanted Kolby to know he is stably housed and doing well.

Another person dropped off a large donation to John, our micro business coach, to “pay it forward” for all the support he was given to launch a successful business.

A CVOEO Vermont Tenant helpline caller thanked Madeline for her advocacy and support “I just wanted to thank you for all your help in talking to me and giving me information about termination fees, notice, etc. It was very helpful and made me feel that we were not in the wrong. I do not envy you with your job, but I wanted to let you know that you did help us, and it was very much appreciated. .... Keep up the good work of trying to help tenants with their landlords. You really do make a difference, even if at times your job seems impossible. Thank you again.”

Another person in our Preferred Renter Certificte program said, “We were given the choice to secure a co-signer or complete the Tenant Skills program through CVOEO. Finding a suitable co-signer is challenging for international residents… Therefore, we opted to complete the CVOEO Tenant Skills certification program, which proved to be an extremely valuable experience. The course helped us better understand our tenants' rights and responsibilities. We also explored additional resources and workshops that guided us on apartment searching and other aspects of renting in Vermont.”

A Weatherization customer wrote, “Very pleased with all the staff and the work done. So grateful this service was available to me!”

Thank you all for not only persevering but for flourishing during the most challenging times. You are amazing individuals creating an important and impactful community organization.

Civil Rights Summit and CVOEO
CVOEO partnered with the Vermont Human Rights Commission for its Civil Rights Summit this past weekend. Kahlia Livingston, Fair Housing Project Education & Outreach Coordinator, co-presented an engaging session with Rachel Batterson of Vermont Legal Aid called “Location! Location! Location! Civil Rights Start at Home.” The session included an overview of fair housing rights and responsibilities and Vermont housing development policy and featured an interactive game in which participants had to take on various roles and figure out how to build housing in a fictional VT town. The activity highlighted how civil rights are furthered (or thwarted) through community land use decisions. Other highlights include:

• CVOEO Board President Nakuma Palczewski co-presented a session titled “Let's Talk Race: A Tool for Dialogue and Change” with Zoraya Hightower, Senior Director of Finance and Operations at Outright VT; Mia Schultz, Commissioner at Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Rutland Area NAACP; and Amanda Garces of Commissioner at Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Let’s Talk Race Conversation Cards are a Vermont-based resource designed to spark meaningful dialogue in our communities and institutions about race, privilege, and power. (We have several cards set in the HAP office if you want to check them out.)

• Jess Hyman, Associate Director of Housing Advocacy Programs (HAP), organized the “Fueling the Cause” networking reception on the Friday evening of the Summit, which brought together more than sixty attendees with delicious food and drink, creative activities, and community partner tables. Corrine Yonce, Marketing & Events Specialist, and our HAP intern Meryl Hartmann assisted with the Friday reception, HAP team members Maggie Merriam and Karin Ames attended on Saturday, and several other CVOEO folks attended sessions remotely.

• The Summit was engaging and inspiring, with 270+ people attending sessions (in person and virtually) on civil rights defense, including housing discrimination, the rights of the unhoused, equity in education, disability justice, queer and trans rights, immigrant justice, fair and impartial policing, incarceration and civil rights, racial justice, and voting access. All sessions were recorded and will be available for viewing.

Challenging Times and the United States Definition of Poverty
The ACA team received an email from a teacher in Orwell. The husband’s illness and inability to work have put the family behind. They are like many working families not eligible for services and benefits and like so many others they teeter on the edge of disaster. They need fuel and are a month behind on their mortgage. The ACA team has not given up. As Mark Demers the ACA Director says, “has anyone looked realistically at the Federal Poverty Level lately? Two hundred percent (200% of FPL) for a family of four in 2025 is $64,300. This means the poverty level (100% FPL) is $32,150. Now see what you need to get by as recommended here by “Make It” and our Financial Futures budget coaches. This will also challenge us to figure out how not just to help people live better in poverty but to create a pathway out of poverty.”

Addison Community Action and Mountain Community Health Partnership Update
Mountain Community Health (MCH) has operated our Mobile Clinic every Tuesday since August 12^th at the CVOEO location on Industrial Avenue in Middlebury. In that time MCH has conducted 147 patient appointments focused on the treatment of substance use disorders, averaging approximately ten appointments per day. Many of the patients utilizing our Middlebury location have historically faced barriers to transportation and other essential needs that impact daily living. According to the Mountain Health team, the partnership with CVOEO has been instrumental in helping their team address complex patient needs in real time. Patients experiencing financial hardship have been able to attend appointments with a physician and a licensed drug and alcohol counselor, and leave not only with clinical support, but also with essential items such as coats, socks, and canned food, as well as thoughtful, morale-boosting items like scented candles and incense. Additionally, for patients experiencing housing insecurity, the seamless coordination between the clinical team and CVOEO’s Housing Specialist has provided immediate and compassionate support during times of uncertainty. The collaboration between our teams continues to evolve naturally and effectively, allowing us to deliver truly holistic care to those we serve.

High Demand at CVOEO Food Shelves
NorthWest Family Foods had one of the busiest first weeks of the month, with a 46% higher volume of visitors than normal. Thank you to Danielle and Lisa for their diligence and creativity, and for the support of the Franklin & Grand Isle Community Action team. Thank you to all of Feeding Champlain Valley for their work during this challenging time. See story below.

https://www.mynbc5.com/article/food-shelves-see-high-demand-for-the-holidays/69481382

Head Start and Holistic Services
Last week, Head Start held their second annual vision event at our Family Connections Program. The event was attended by 8 CVHS families for further vision screening with Dr. Singh, Sheila Chamberlin, and 3 UVM medical students. Dr. Singh is the only Pediatric Ophthalmology in the state of Vermont and has a yearlong wait list. Dr. Singh and Sheila generously donate their time to offer additional vision screening for children who do not pass CVHS’s vision screenings in the fall. This helps to reduce barriers to vision follow-up and will get children the treatment they need.

Mobile Home Team Fast Tracks Furnace Repair
The CVOEO Mobile Home Team helped secure a policy change with the Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair Program (MHIR) partners to fast-track furnace applications, reducing delays and improving resident safety ahead of winter. Way to go team!

New England Community Action Partnership Young Professionals
If you are interested in joining the Young Professionals please email Isabella and she will add you to future communications. The next meeting will be held on January 8, 2026, 3:00pm-4:00pm.

Young Professional CoP description: We aim for this group to be an ongoing space for professional development, information and resource sharing, peer coaching, and community for Community Action young professionals across New England. This will be a place to share successes, ask for advice and feedback, provide and receive training, and brainstorm together what the future of Community Action can be. This will also be an opportunity to network and build community and collaboration around the region for the next generation of Community Action leaders. All are welcome to join the Young Professionals CoP, though we especially encourage participation from those ages 18–35, as our intention is for the discussions and activities to be by and for young professionals.

December 26^th Holiday
A reminder that December 26^th is an additional holiday this year!