From the Desk of Paul Dragon, 2/13/26
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!
Weekly Update:
Black History Month
Did you know that Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, a Black American surgeon, was among the pioneers of cardiac surgery? In 1893, he performed one of the world’s first successful heart surgeries, repairing the sac around the heart of a patient who survived—at a time when heart surgery was considered impossible. His groundbreaking work not only advanced modern cardiac care but also transformed medicine worldwide, benefiting people of all backgrounds.
Dwight DeCoster talks Weatherization
Here is the link to a podcast Dwight did with Burlington Electric. CVOEO offers homeowners AND renters weatherization services to improve home energy efficiency and comfort, and to decrease heating bills at little or no cost to qualifying residents. Check it out and thanks Dwight. Great photo!
Listen here: https://www.burlingtonelectric.com/podcast/cvoeo-weatherization-dwight-decoster/
Lunch for Lenders Success as an Online Event
CVOEO’s Financial Futures and the Office of Racial Equity & Community Inclusion welcomed seventy participants in the Lunch for Lenders event. We pivoted this event to an online platform because of the large numbers of newcomers to this country who participate annually in this event. The event was a major success as first time online platform for lenders and participants. We appreciate all the lenders who showed up and our community ambassadors that supported the people we serve in home online events. A special shout out to Rachel for excellent leadership and Sofija for the logistical support!
Integrating Medical Support into CVOEO’s Champlain Place Emergency Shelter
“Duck” came to UVM Home Health and Hospice Medical Respite Program as he was in the process of being evicted from his home/trailer. Duck had significant wounds on his foot. So much so, that it required a wound vacuum to be attached to his foot 20 hours a day. As you can imagine, leaving his home was traumatic and transitioning to Champlain Place was difficult for him to accept. However, due to the positive environment created by the team at Champlain Place, including daily support from Home Health and Hospice Medical Respite, Duck was able to settle in, feel safe and ready to heal. Duck transitioned into the program in November 2025 and has recently transitioned to his own apartment at Cathedral Square.
CVOEO’s Emergency Cold Shelter Update
So far, we operated on twelve nights, and have served eighty-seven people with an unduplicated count of 239 people (unique individuals) with a total of 773 bed nights. This unduplicated number continues to confirm the high rate of unsheltered people in Burlington experiencing homelessness even in the deep winter in Vermont
3Squares,VT and the new Federal Work Requirements
We are sharing this Community Partner Guide to help support you in your work with individuals receiving 3SquaresVT who are subject to a work requirement. As you know, there is a new federal law, H.R.1, that expands the number of individuals receiving 3SquaresVT who have a work requirement. This guide contains information about the 3SquaresVT work requirement and resources available to Vermonters who are seeking jobs, training, education, or volunteer opportunities. This guide also has information for partners about exemptions from the work requirement and the role of the community partner in supporting individuals in these exemptions. 3SquaresVT recipients with a work requirement only have three months during a three-year period where they don't have to meet the requirement or be exempt. The first round of benefit closures for individuals who do not meet the work requirement following the passage of this new law happens at the end of February 2026. 3SquaresVT food benefits will not be available on March 1 for this group. Community partners collaborating with an individual can utilize this guide to help assist an individual to call Economic Services Division for help and/or to update their case status with current employment, training, volunteering, or exemption information.
Feeding Champlain Valley Supporting the Extreme Cold Weather Shelter
Feeding Champlain Valley has now supported 12 nights of meals and food at the Miller Center for 50 to 87 people! See the story below and photo of Justin who cooks up a storm (no pun intended) for our guests at the Extreme Cold Weather Shelter.
Learn more: VT Digger
Photo of Culinary Manager Justin Pflanzer in article on Emergency Cold Weather Shelter
The Burlington Food Shelf Welcomes Students from Burlington High School Students
Burlington City & Lake Semester. Staff member Anthony provided a tour of our facility and shared information on distribution, meal production, and community outreach.
Addison Food Hub and the Housing Advocacy Program Working Together
On February 2nd, Erold from Vermont Tenants visited the food hub and chatted with food shelf visitors about tenants’ rights and housing resources offered by CVOEO. Anna Purtell, the new AmeriCorps member, visited that same day and spent the morning working with Alicia receiving our monthly Vermont Foodbank delivery and packing orders for home delivery.