From the Desk of Paul Dragon, 9/3/25
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!
CVOEO’s Complex Care Initiative
We are excited to announce CVOEO’s complex care initiative. Shannon McMahon will be CVOEO’s Manager of Transformative Care and Social Change, embedded within CVOEO’s Community Action Network. In the next few weeks, Shannon will be setting up a format for care coordination meetings with programs in CVOEO to discuss clients that you are serving in which you want further to support through mutual discussion, advocacy, education, and coordination. Shannon will also be setting up training and education opportunities for CVOEO programs and eventually for our community partners focusing particularly on trauma, effects of violence, and deep poverty. Kris Lukens is the Interim Director of Voices Against Violence as we are taking this opportunity to leverage Shannon’s expertise and to advance our case management/client service/care coordination work.
CSBG Monitoring – Organizational Standards
CVOEO met 100% of the fifty-eight organizational standards required of Community Action Agencies, which is a testament to each one of you doing this workday in and day out. We do did receive feedback on the need to improve our Client Recordkeeping and Income Verification where CSBG funds are used to support a program in whole or part, income verification must include a review of family size, review of income, and a comparison to current Federal Poverty Guidelines. We will continue to work on this. Thank you to all the staff, board members and the administrative team who participated in this in-depth state and federal monitoring. We will continue to improve!
255 Food Market and Community Hub Update
We are moving forward with a new food market and hub at our central office in Burlington. We continue to also pursue a lease-to-own opportunity at the Independence Block with our neighbors and partnering agency Mercy Connections. The first phase will be a new food market at the back of our office at 255 South Champlain Street (on Battery Street). This will include ample warehouse space and parking, and an accessible storefront. This market will continue a long history of food distribution that dates to the 1800s in this building. Feeding Champlain Valley hopes to open the new market sometime in the summer of 2026.
Fair Housing and the Tomorrow Project
The Tomorrow Project is a civic engagement initiative that grew out of the Young Writers Project (YWP) community’s interest in writing and making art around current issues of human rights, democracy, values, community, and climate. The project includes challenges, contests, publications, and exhibits. In spring 2025, as part of Fair Housing Month, YWP partnered with CVOEO and A Revolutionary Press of New Haven, VT, to exhibit work from The Tomorrow Project at Burlington City Hall. Below is a print that illustrates YWP writing.
Feeding Champlain Valley’s Healthy Roots Collaborative Receives Grant
Feeding Champlain Valley’s Healthy Roots Collaborative received a $5,000 Animating Infrastructure Grant through the Vermont Arts Council. This funding will support the design of a mural at the Sheldon Food Hub along the Missisquoi Valley & Lamoille Valley Rail Trails celebrating Northwest Vermont’s agricultural roots. Elements from the mural design will adorn the Healthy Roots gleaning truck and refrigerated trailer!
Burlington Food Shelf Volunteers
UVM Go, a first-year student orientation program within UVM’s Agroecology Department, volunteered at Feeding Champlain Valley’s Burlington Food Shelf. Volunteers cut Shelburne Farms cheese, stocked shelves, brought fresh food out to the market, and deep cleaned the building. The volunteers were all so genuinely curious about our work and the local food system, and we hope to continue the connection going forward. Thanks to our amazing volunteers!
Head Start is Back to School
Champlain Valley Head Start just completed two weeks of successful pre-service training and preparations to welcome children and families for the start of the new year. A highlight of the week was welcoming a panel of five parents who shared their experiences as part of Head Start. During the week, the team focused on teachers preparing for the first six weeks of curriculum; setting up intentional environments for children; de-escalation and redirection with children; and exploring effective teacher/child interaction practices. Head Start welcomed children on September 2nd! Excitement is in the air for a wonderful new school year!