From the Desk of Paul Dragon, 11/6/25
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!
Head Start Funding Update
Federal funding for CVOEO’s Head Start program ended on November 1st. We will be able fund our Head Start team and our classrooms through November with CVOEO funds. We are also looking into other options for December and beyond to keep our classrooms open.
CVOEO Recovery Shelter
CVOEO will receive funding from the Office of Economic Opportunity and the Vermont Department of Health to operate its first (and one of the first) recovery shelter in Vermont. This will be a 12-bed recovery shelter in Burlington. This is a level two recovery shelter and requires CVOEO to be certified. Burlington was the only option for this shelter according to the state.
Why now? First, CVOEO operates low-barrier shelters and some of our guests request a substance free and recovery-oriented environment. This new shelter allows us to refer people from our low-barrier shelters to the recovery shelter, thereby opening additional beds for the unsheltered. This additional shelter is a vital component in our continuum of services. Also, in a time of uncertain federal funding, this state funding is more reliable, helping us to fulfill our mission to the community as we continue to challenge ourselves and do more even in tough times. We will be partnering with the Howard Center who will provide co-occurring services and groups at the shelter. We value this opportunity to partner and integrate services in our community. We will begin hiring in the next several days and hope to open by February 1st, 2026.
Community Resource Center (CRC) Update
The CRC continues to be a hub for services during renovations at 228 North Winooski. Most recently, the CRC and Champlain Place partnered with the Brave Little State podcast which will air on Vermont Public in December. The CRC team thrives, taking care of each other and our community.
- Ryan recently housed a CRC client who had been homeless for nine years. The client assured Ryan and the team, saying that, “I’m still going to come and check in with you guys because you’re my friends.”
- Eliza helped a household of two people obtain vital documents and sat with them through a moment of crisis. A few days later, the client told Brenna, “if it were not for your space and Eliza, my partner and I would be hungry and hopeless.”
- Kolby reversed an overdose that happened at the CRC last Friday afternoon, administering Narcan and CPR, and Brenna reversed an overdose two weeks ago.
- People continue to come in and ask for Sam on a regular basis, and several people have shared that Sam is the best case manager they have ever worked.
We are incredibly fortunate to have this team at CVOEO and in our community. We have hundreds of people each month at the CRC, but this team focuses on each person, one person at a time.
Thanksgiving Community Meal at CVOEO
Feeding Champlain Valley and the Community Resource Center are holding their annual Thanksgiving community meal on Wednesday, November 26th from 9:30 am – 12:30 pm. Please see the flyer and join us if you can. Thanks to both teams for hosting this for our community.
Congresswoman Balint Visits CVOEO
Congresswoman Becca Balint joined the Feeding Champlain Valley and Community Resource teams on Monday to raise awareness about food insecurity, the federal shut down, and SNAP cuts. Explore media coverage, a photo of Congresswoman Balint with the coolest culinary team ever, and another with our amazing CRC team below.
