We live in uncertainty as the federal government shutdown continues. The real worry is for the 63,000 low-income Vermonters who rely on 3SquaresVT for food. Recent changes to eligibility and ongoing questions about funding have made it harder to know what’s true. ?In moments like this, clear information and community support make all the difference.
A highlight of autumn events, including Wheels for Warmth, benefitting the Warmth Support Program administered by CVOEO and all community action agencies across Vermont.
Alisha Wescott of Burlington, Vermont, is trying to get her online nail business off the ground. In August, she started selling her own custom kits, which is why she’s spent a lot of time in John Gergely’s office, an advisor at the microbusiness development program at CVOEO.
The director of Addison Community Action said their new Industrial Avenue office will help them better address community needs.
CVOEO, which hosts 11 programs it says help “people meet their basic needs, achieve economic independence, and grow a future in which we all thrive,” is holding an open house at its Addison County office next week.
In recent years, our country has experienced a significant rise in homelessness, with Vermont experiencing a 300% increase in homelessness over the last five years. The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO), which includes Franklin & Grand Isle Community Action, Samaritan House and Voices Against Violence, has been actively supporting a growing number of individuals and families. The homelessness crisis has been exacerbated by the shortage of safe and affordable housing and rising inflation.
The Trump administration's slash-and-burn campaign against "wokeness" and government spending is coming for the few services that work to curtail discrimination in Vermont's housing market. Late last month, the first swing of the ax struck a grant that funds a program at the CVOEO, which supports renters, homebuyers and landlords on issues related to state and federal fair housing laws.
Money can sometimes be a taboo conversation topic, but a local organization wants to advance Vermonters’ financial education. Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s head financial coach, Ilir Hasa, manages the organization’s “Growing Money” program, which offers personal finance classes free of charge.
Burlington will open an emergency shelter this President's Day weekend as a widespread winter storm looks to bring dangerously cold conditions to the area. The emergency shelter will be at the Miller Center at 130 Gosse Court and will be open from Monday evening at 5 p.m. to Tuesday at 8 a.m.
Every year, 500 new people use services to help them through incidents of domestic and sexual violence in Franklin and Grand Isle counties. However, shelters are running out of room, so a new space is being opened to hold the overflow.