From the Desk of Paul Dragon, 9/2/26

Foundations Family Shelter Renovations Complete – Open House Coming Soon

Construction is wrapping up at Foundations Family Shelter. The new playground has been installed, the fence is up, and the building’s historic original door has been restored. Although the waitlist remains long, the shelter continues to house many families, and two families received vouchers this week and are now actively looking for new homes.

We do not yet have a confirmed date, but we expect to host an open house in the next month or so, and hope the community and CVOEO colleagues will stop by to enjoy the renovated space.

Addison Community Action – Collaboration that Works

A single mother with two boys was referred to Addison Community Action in March after her furnace broke and her pipes burst, leaving her home with significant moisture and mold issues. Although she was working full-time, she was struggling and behind on rent. With assistance from three partner organizations and four CVOEO programs, including Weatherization, the family returned home in August. This week, our client was offered a new job earning three dollars more per hour, and her youngest son is thriving, excited for school to start, and happy to have his own bedroom again.

This effort began with a call from the Vermont Permanency Initiative to Addison Community Action and grew to include CSAC, the New Community Project in Starksboro, KidsSafe Collaborative, and a local carpenter—all working to keep a youth and family safely housed. After several weeks of coordination, a home was repaired, and the collaboration demonstrated what is possible when partners work together toward a shared goal.

Housing Advocacy Programs (HAP) Update 

HAP continues to advance fair housing and housing stability across Vermont through advocacy, community partnerships, and direct support to renters, homeowners, and residents facing displacement. This week’s work included support for Green Mountain Mobile Manor residents, fair housing and New American engagement initiatives, statewide tenant assistance, leadership development, and Head Start family engagement.

Feeding Champlain Valley (FCV) Update

FCV continues to strengthen food access through partnerships, volunteer support, and fresh local food. Soon, UVM Medical Center outreach staff will begin weekly visits to the Burlington Food Shelf to offer medical consultations, and Stony Loam Farm donated 200 pounds of fresh heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers. In July, volunteers moved more than 57,000 pounds of food across Burlington and Addison and contributed more than 629 hours. Staff member, Justin, also completed Spanish language training for food shelves and meal sites, along with a baking class at King Arthur Baking School, supporting stronger communication and future programming. Thank you to everyone helping keep this work welcoming, responsive, and connected to community needs.

Bridges Recovery Shelter – Community and Therapeutic Activities

As part of her work with guests at Bridges, Jenal Dumas collaborates with Director, Lacey, and the Bridges team to provide pro-social community and therapeutic activities. Last week, guests visited Shelburne Farms. 

Welcome Back Head Start Team!

Champlain Valley Head Start recently completed five days of pre-service focused on professional development, connection, and wellness in preparation for the 2026–2027 program year. Training topics included health services, first aid and CPR certification, food safety and menu planning, curriculum planning, language development, process art, feedback, family communication, housing and other resources, and emergency preparedness. As a connection activity, staff wrote professional and personal goals for the year on ribbons and fabric, shared them in small groups, and wove them together. It was an inspiring way to prepare the team for another successful year serving children, families, and the community.