The low-barrier homeless shelter at Burlington's former Champlain Inn will have new management this fall. On October 2, the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity will take the reins from ANEW Place, the nonprofit that has owned and operated the Shelburne Road shelter for the past four years. The Champlain Housing Trust will assume ownership of the building and manage the property.
According to one of Vermont’s largest anti-poverty organizations, about one-third of Vermonters fall below the poverty level. To help spread awareness, an art project depicting personal stories is being shared with communities across the state.
Every day, it’s getting harder to help people experiencing homelessness in St. Albans. To better help, Ben Kaufmann needs more affordable housing. With few residential vacancies in the state, the people he serves – Vermont’s homeless population – can’t always find an affordable place to stay even if they have the funds.
Vermont has programs that shelter people during the coldest of winter days, but to keep people safe during the hottest days of summer the state’s plan is still a patchwork.
Social service organizations across the Champlain Valley are feeling the crunch as the housing crisis continues. That includes the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s Feeding Chittenden and Community Resource Center where they are breaking records with the number of people walking in the door.
The organization collects more than 2 million pounds of food and feeds more than 12,000 people a year. But its vast array of offerings is what separates it from other food relief operations in the area.
On Saturday, June 10, community members are encouraged to learn what it’s like to be homeless in Franklin and Grand Isle counties. “A Walk in Their Shoes” aims to educate the broader community about homelessness by offering an opportunity to see and hear about the daily challenges unhoused neighbors encounter. Starting at 1 p.m., Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity staff will guide participants on a three-mile walking tour of emergency service and food providers in St. Albans.
On Saturday, June 10, community members are encouraged to learn what it’s like to be homeless in Franklin and Grand Isle counties. “A Walk in Their Shoes” aims to educate the community about homelessness by offering an opportunity to see and hear about the daily challenges unhoused neighbors encounter.
A new project presenting the stories of individuals facing homelessness and the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity advocates who help them is traveling to several towns in Franklin County this summer. Produced by Vermont Folklife, the exhibit made its first stop in Burlington’s City Hall Park on Saturday, May 13. ‘In our words, in our community,’ holds space for 15 community members' stories through photographed portraits and audio recordings of interviews. Each person’s story is displayed on a yard sign, with a portrait on one side and a QR code leading to audio recordings of their story on the other.
Tucked away in Burlington’s South End, one of the city’s pocket parks Wednesday got a little TLC as part of Community Action Day. There was a little love for a little park Wednesday as part of the second annual Community Action Day put on by a handful of Burlington organizations. The goal was to breathe a little life into the Champlain Street Park.