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Directory of Burlington Vermont
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Social Services
There are 188 Society and Culture links for you to choose from!
Burlington Emergency Shelter
has a three fold mission:
To provide temporary shelter, food and other services to all men and women in need who come to us professing a willingness to help themselves.
To help these individuals become productive members of society.
To demonstrate God’s love so that people in need might find hope and peace within our doors.
Our shelter is located at 89 North St. in Burlington, VT. Our Intake hours are from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and guests must speak with our Operations Manager prior to spending the night. The shelter operates from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. every day and our office is open from
8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m. Monday through Friday.
new
Click here to read more.
Alcoholics Anonymous
is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
popular
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Baird Center for Children and Families to Receive ,000 Grant,
according to U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords. At the request of Senator Jeffords, the funding was included as part of the fiscal year 2001 spending bill for the Department of Education.
The "Campaign for a Caring Community" for the Baird Center, a division of The Howard Center for Human Services, will support greatly expanded services to children with serious emotional and behavioral problems, and their families. Last year, more than 4,500 children and families were served by Baird, quadruple the number served in 1996 when Baird merged with The Howard Center.
popular
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Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf
(CEFS) is dedicated to supplying emergency food to low-income individuals lacking adequate food supply or nourishment in Chittenden County. In total, the four Food Shelf programs distributed approximately 1,783,209 pounds last year [2001] to our hungry neighbors. The Hot Meals Program serves approximately 5,000 hot meals every month to hungry individuals and families. During the summer, the program distributes 40 brown bag lunches daily. The Grocery Distribution Program provides a five-day supply of emergency food once a month to approximately 1,500 households. All households participating in the grocery distribution service are screened for possible USDA food assistance programs and Food Stamp eligibility. The Homebound Grocery Delivery Program was developed in direct response to elderly and disabled client requests for assistance receiving their emergency staples. Groceries are delivered monthly to eligible low-income homebound senior citizens and disabled adults.
popular
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The Baird Center for Children & Families
provides support to families in:
Child care, consultation, crisis intervention, respite and outpatient therapy.
We also provide essential assessment, treatment and educational services to severely troubled or vulnerable youth and their families.
From the Pine Street Child Care Center to Intensive Family Support Services to Community Friends, Baird is there to meet the needs of children and their families.
popular
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United Way of Chittenden County
has been building a stronger, healthier, more compassionate community with the help of individuals, businesses and their employees and local non-profits.
... Since 1942, we’ve provided a grassroots approach for people to work together toward a common goal: making our community a better place to live. We work in partnership with businesses, schools, government, non-profit agencies, religious organizations, volunteers and donors to meet the human care needs of our friends and neighbors.
To achieve its goals, United Way of Chittenden County:
Raises and distributes charitable contributions where they have the greatest impact through a citizen review process.
Encourages collaborative approaches to community problem-solving.
Fosters volunteerism through a comprehensive volunteer clearinghouse.
Provides training in non-profit and volunteer management.
The United Way of Chittenden County is an independent non-profit organization governed by a local volunteer Board of Directors.
popular
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Vermont Tenants, Incorporated
was established in 1981 as a program of CVOEO and so remains today. The VTI office is located at 294 North Winooski Avenue in Burlington, Vermont. VTI serves tenants statewide through a variety of activities and services that include the following:
Women Helping Battered Women
(WHBW) exists to address the problems of battering in Chittenden County. WHBW began in 1974 and has evolved into the largest shelter for battered women in Vermont. It is one of only 2 confidentially located shelters in the state. WHBW offers three direct service programs to aid families.
popular
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242 Main
is a substance free, youth run facility that provides a safe environment and resources to foster music, activism and the arts. ... Even though 242 Main is partially supported by the City of Burlington, the majority of our funds
come from events revenue and fundraising such as grants and donations. We, through our outreach,
events and programs provide a service to the youth of Burlington, Chittenden County and the State of
Vermont, which is beneficial to all ages here in the northeast. We invite area businesses and
organizations that see the importance in provideing to the community, a place for youth expression
through the Arts and other forums, to assist 242 Main to continue in providing these services. ... The 242 programming board meets every month to develop programs for 242 Main. The general public is invited to attend and offer any thoughts on any variety of meetings, classes and events that can take place at 242 Main.
Green Mountain Prevention Projects
believe that prevention is the most powerful deterrent possible. Ours is the only residential program in Vermont that takes on the drug problem before it's a problem. We give teens the information, personal skills, and self esteem they need to cope with the pressures of an increasingly complex world -- without alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. These teens are prepared to be role models and leaders in prevention in their schools and communities.
GMPP is a private non-profit organization, established in 1982, providing education and training for individuals, organizations, and schools on issues relating to substance abuse prevention. The agency offers a series of affirming, informative, and experiential programs that help youth build strength of character, camaraderie, a broad network of support and lives that are dependency free.
Click here to read more.
A lot of people went bald in Burlington Friday night,
but it was all on a volunteer basis. A group of Vermont public safety workers shaved their lids to help kids. It's an annual fundraiser put on by CuffCancer, or Cops United for Fighting Cancer. The non-profit holds the annual head shaving event to raise money for Camp Ta-Kum-Ta-- a summer camp for Vermont kids fighting cancer.
"The camp relies solely on donations to keep the place running. And we're doing this for our seventh year and now with our fundraising event efforts tonight, we have raised in the last seven years over ,000 for Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, which is something we never thought we'd accomplish," said Sgt. John Flannigan, a Vermont state trooper and president of CuffCancer. ...
And it wasn't just the guys getting in on the clipper cuts. Heather Gibbs sacrificed her lengthy locks for the cause.
And the head shaving started right at the top; Vermont Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie is also sporting a new 'do.
Click here to read more.
A new Vermont Boy Scout policy that allows gay Scout leaders or members
guidelines contradict national Scout rules.
The shift in policy could make it easier for Scouts to recruit new members in schools and communities.
At least one school district plans to reconsider its ban on Scout literature in the schools. A state lawmaker and Eagle Scout calls the move a good first step. A local Scout leader in Shelburne says it's about time.
A tougher economic climate prompted the United Way of Chittenden
County to lower the bar for its 2002 fund-raising effort at the annual campaign kickoff Thursday.
Campaign Chairman Paul Ode announced a goal of .65 million for the 10-week drive at a breakfast attended by 300 people at the Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center in South Burlington.
"That goal is ,000 less than we raised last year, but it will still be a stretch," said Ode, a lawyer with the firm of Downs Rachlin Martin. "It's a tough year to raise money, but it will be an even tougher year for people in need."
The United Way's annual fund drive raises money to help support more than 60 programs and services offered in the county by local nonprofit groups, such as the Visiting Nurse Association, the YMCA and the Howard Center for Human Services. Last year, the United Way raised .75 million as well as an additional ,000 for a Sept. 11 appeal.
American Red Cross
is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. It does this through services that are consistent with its congressional charter and the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
... The Northern Vermont Chapter
is located at
29 Mansfield Avenue
in
Burlington.
Click here to read more.
Apartment owners helped place COTS families.
Lynn Bissonette knows something about partnerships. She works with her brothers, Bill and Lee Bissonette, at their restaurant, Al's French Frys. She also acts as the administrative property manager for their company, Bissonette Properties, which owns more than 100 rental units in Burlington. Bissonette's most recent collaboration with the Committee on Temporary Shelter has moved eight families from homelessness to housing.
Are United Way Dollars Reaching September 11th Victims?
The philanthropic organization United Way has been collecting money for those hurt by the September 11th terrorist attack in a special program called the September 11th Fund. Now, questions are arising over whether the money is reaching the victims in a timely and appropriate manner.
On the Fox News' show "The O'Reilly Factor," Bill O'Reilly complained this week that, "up to this point, the United Way has received million for its September 11th Fund. Only .9 million has been allocated so far. And get this, the allocated money doesn't go directly to the families, it goes to local organizations who can then give the money out as they see fit." His show featured some victims of the attack who claimed not to have seen any assistance from the September 11th Fund administered by United Way.
Click here to read more.
Arthritis Foundation
is the only national not-for-profit organization that supports the more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions with advocacy, programs, services and research. Learn more about what we can do for you. Meet our President & CEO, Tino J. Mantella and our Chair, Pattye Moore.
... Our mission, to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control, and cure of arthritis and related diseases, drives the work of our volunteers and staff. We serve Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Northern New York as our chapter area. In this geographic area, nearly 500,000 people are affected by arthritis.
Our Chapter is very active in providing programs and services. Please see the Programs and Services section to learn about programs in your area. We offer land based and aquatic exercise classes, support and education groups, self-help courses, information and referral, public education forums, informational brochures, and individual and group advocacy.
Click here to read more.
Boys & Girls Club of Burlington
is open every day after school, on Saturdays, and during school and summer vacations.
... Our mission at the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington is to enable young people to live as responsible community members. We provide a safe place to learn and grow, ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals, life-enhancing programs and character development experiences through afterschool, evening, weekend and summer programs.
Our programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling:
A sense of competence - the feeling that there is something boys and girls can do well;
A sense of usefulness - the opportunity to do something of value for other people;
A sense of belonging - a setting where young people know they "fit" and are accepted; and
A sense of power and influence - a chance to be heard and to influence decisions;
Click here to read more.
Boys and Girls Club
was established in the same year as the United Way of Chittenden County, which launched its annual fund-raising campaign last week with a .65 million goal. The club is one of more than 60 programs and services allocated funds from the United Way.
... The Boys & Girls Club provides after-school and vacation programs to more than 1,470 children and young adults from age 6 through 18. These include educationally enriching activities, arts and crafts, technology, games and leadership training. ...
"This year we have programs in four locations in Burlington and Winooski," Herrick said. "It's the stability that United Way helps bring to us that enables us to even look at an expansion."
The majority of children enrolled in the club are from families with lower than average income, and they live in the Old North End. Tracy's mother, Penny Terry, said she's glad her daughter has somewhere safe to hang out.
Champlain Valley Agency on Aging
(CVAA) is a private, non-profit, United Way organization. We support people 60 and older in their efforts to remain active, healthy, financially secure, and in control of their own lives. CVAA connects older people with the services they need to live independently for as long as possible.
Our staff and volunteers know how to put older people in touch with a wide range of services, programs, and benefits. We can be a valuable resource for older people as well as for family and other caregivers.
... Since 1974, CVAA has been providing nutrition and supportive services to seniors. Anyone who is sixty or older (or a spouse) is eligible to participate in programs provided by CVAA and for most services we can serve people regardless of their income. We do not charge for any services provided, but we do encourage people to contribute toward the cost of the service if they are able.
Click here to read more.
Champlain Valley Weatherization Service
is the service provider for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) in the Champlain Valley of Vermont, including Addison, Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties.
WAP is a national program which began in the 1970s to help low-income households cope with dramatically rising fuel prices. Prices are rising again, and low-income households again are being squeezed the hardest. The low-income typically must spend three to five times more, as a percentage of income, on utilities than do median-income households. And they’re still not warm: such households typically occupy the worst housing— uncomfortable, unhealthful, and even dangerous. The need for a program to assist with cost-effective, well targeted, long-term investments is greater than ever.
Click here to read more.
Charities often receive little from paid fund-raisers.
They call during dinner. They are not selling anything. They are alerting you to an urgent need in your community. They ask you to support a worthy charity. What they don't tell you is that most of your money never reaches the charity. The callers are what are known as paid fund-raisers, profit-making companies hired by small nonprofit organizations to raise money. They represent a fraction of the world of charitable giving. Yet each year, thousands of Vermonters hear these fund-raisers' pleas and reach for their wallets without knowing that barely one-third of their money reaches the intended charity. Only 34 percent of the money Vermonters gave wound up in the hands of the intended organization, according to a Free Press review of 1,599 fund-raising reports filed since 1993. Charities should receive at least 60 percent, according to the American Institute of Philanthropy. Instead, Vermonters' donations covered fund-raisers' fees, staffed phone banks, printed magazines, even paid a magician to perform tricks. Only after each of these interests took its slice did the charity collect the remaining share. In 16 cases the charity received nothing. In another 39 fund drives, the charity ended up receiving none of the money Vermonters gave -- and had to pay the hired fund-raiser. Meanwhile, some of these firms profited handsomely. The president of one company amassed seven properties in Florida and on Cape Cod, including an oceanside vacation home with 14 bedrooms in Falmouth, Mass.
Child Care Resource's toy van is like a lending library
for child care programs providing everything from manipulative toys and hollow blocks to snowshoes and resource materials for child care providers. The nonprofit organization lends the toys free of charge and provides mentoring on van day visits to help providers navigate through the often isolating experience of running a child care center alone.
"We loan high-quality items that can withstand a lot of wear, as well as expensive learning materials that providers can't afford to buy on their own. We also provide support," Development Director Candelin Whal said.
... Wooden hollow blocks and snowshoes are top items on childcare centers' wish lists this week and will probably continue to be in demand in the new year. The blocks are large and sturdy enough to build large structures that children can walk on. The wooden blocks sell for about for a starter set.
Click here to read more.
Child Lures, Limited
are (1) to raise public awareness concerning the prevalence of childhood sexual exploitation & related crimes against children and (2) to make prevention of these crimes a national priority.
Our staff works closely with schools and community leaders to provide the tools necessary to prevent crimes against children, including sexual exploitation, abduction, Internet crime, and school violence. We take great pride in the exceptional quality of the educational materials we've researched and developed in our quest to safeguard children and youth.
Child Lures Prevention is a family-run, self-sustaining entity. Revenue generated from sale of its educational materials covers operating expenses and allows us to carry on our advocacy and prevention efforts, i.e. over twenty appearances before the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. Our headquarters in Shelburne, Vermont is sole source for all Child Lures Prevention materials.
Click here to read more.
Chittenden Community Action
provides a broad base of services and programs for low income residents of Chittenden County. Emergency services include; fuel/utility assistance, housing assistance, transportation, pharmacy co-payments, Farm to Family coupons, assistance obtaining identification, furniture vouchers, free plants, seeds and seedlings, etc. Other services that we provide include; advocacy, information and referral, forms assistance, food stamp outreach and eligibility screening, tax preparation, nutrition education activities for children and adults, car loan application assistance, etc. Please call 863-6248 for more information.
191 North Street;
Burlington VT; 05401
(802) 863-6248 or 1-800-287-7971 (Voice/TDD)
Peggy Treanor, Director: mtreanor.org
Click here to read more.
Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf
(CEFS) is dedicated to supplying emergency food to low-income individuals lacking adequate food supply or nourishment in Chittenden County. In total, the four Food Shelf programs distributed approximately 1,783,209 pounds last year [2001] to our hungry neighbors. The Hot Meals Program serves approximately 5,000 hot meals every month to hungry individuals and families. During the summer, the program distributes 40 brown bag lunches daily. The Grocery Distribution Program provides a five-day supply of emergency food once a month to approximately 1,500 households. All households participating in the grocery distribution service are screened for possible USDA food assistance programs and Food Stamp eligibility. The Homebound Grocery Delivery Program was developed in direct response to elderly and disabled client requests for assistance receiving their emergency staples. Groceries are delivered monthly to eligible low-income homebound senior citizens and disabled adults.
Click here to read more.
Committee On Temporary Shelter
have been offering a wide range of services to individuals and families who are without homes or who are marginally housed. These services include case management, vocational training, immediate referrals for medical and mental health care, outreach to the street and encampments, and transitional and permanent housing.
COTS served hundreds of families in 2001, families who came to us because they had no housing options whatsoever. And, more than half of those families had a least one parent employed full time!
Click here to read more.
Community Action Programs
of CVOEO provide a wide range of important services to the low-income residents of Vermont's Champlain Valley. These include housing assistance, emergency fuel and utility assistance, emergency food shelves (Addison, Grand Isle and Franklin Counties), transportation assistance, food stamp outreach, food and nutrition education, gardens programs, furniture vouchers, farm-to family coupons, tax preparation assistance, assistance in filling out various application forms, information/referral services, case management, advocacy, and other locally based services. The Community Action Programs work closely with other local service providers, state agencies, faith-based charities, and the private sector, to maximize available resources available to help move low-income people out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency.
Walk-ins are welcomed at all three Community Action offices.
Click here to read more.
Community Asked to "Think a new Way” as .75M United Way Campaign Begins.
United Way of Chittenden County has set a goal of 3.75 million dollars for its 2001 Community Care Fund annual fund-raising campaign. The campaign runs September 6th though November 16th.
The goal, announced September 6th at United Ways annual kick-off celebration at Burlington Town Center, is an increase over last year’s campaign that raised 3.7 million dollars. United Way’s 2001 Chair Lisa Ventriss, president of Vermont Captive Insurance Association, knows there are many challenges ahead this fall.
Click here to read more.
Dean has sent a letter to the Red Cross criticizing them
for not spending all the donations for the September 11 victims -on the victims. As pointed out in an earlier DSR, the United Way has also been under fire for this practice - collecting millions of dollars from donors who probably fully expect the money to go directly to aiding victims, and then dribbling out the money to agencies, some of which have a minimal impact on the victims' lives. -- end --
Essex Meals on Wheels needs volunteers.
It is 6:30 a.m. on a Monday, and at a time when most people are still bundled up in blankets asleep, Cheryl Quesnel, Patty Smallwood and Jenny Schultz are preparing food.
No, the trio are not getting breakfast ready for their families, the women are cooking meals for home-bound seniors who might not otherwise have a nutritious meal.
Based out of St. James Episcopal Church in Essex Junction, the women work with Essex Meals on Wheels, a group helping to feed seniors in six Chittenden County communities -- Essex Junction, Essex, Jericho, Underhill, Westford and Williston -- who cannot leave their homes. Quesnel, the head cook, said the organization puts out 107 hot meals daily.
Since the program started 34 years ago, the organization has survived mainly through volunteer efforts. The Essex organization has eight routes with 40 volunteers who help on a weekly basis, said Schultz, Essex Meals on Wheels coordinator.
Click here to read more.
Fair Housing Project
is a program of the Statewide Housing Services division of the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO), a non-profit community action agency. The FHP works to eradicate housing discrimination in Vermont through education, outreach, and enforcement of fair housing laws. The FHP assists victims of discrimination, investigates complaints, and works with attorneys to pursue litigation when necessary.
" HUD and its state and local partners under the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) received a combined 9,187 housing discrimination complaints, a 13 percent increase over the previous fiscal year." (Emphasis added) Excerpt from HUD's 2005 State of Fair Housing Report
Click here to read more.
Food Salvage
is the lone charitable meal served in Burlington on Sunday nights created ten years ago by UVM students and staffed ever since by their successors at the university of Vermont. A dozen UVM student volunteers heats up the small kitchen of Burlington?s King Street Youth Center. ... Aborn notes that at the end of the dinner, extras will be wrapped and clients will be encouraged to take them. "Be careful not to say, do you want to take some home with you, because you?ll likely get the response "What home? I don?t have a home," Aborn says.
Click here to read more.
Forever Young Treehouses
is a private, non-profit organization that creates, develops and constructs accessible treehouses. We create unique, outdoor opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.
Our mission is to provide accessibility to a treehouse experience for all - regardless of physical, mental or financial restraints. We do this so that everyone will be able to see the world differently and enjoy the freedom and peace that treehouses can provide. In a world where height and size represent strength and power, being "above it all" offers opportunities that generally are not available to everyone.
We are the club that anyone can belong to and everyone can enter!
Francois was putting the finishing touches on a quilt that will be raffled
in the annual February Family Fun Festival, to be held by the VNA Family Room at the H.O. Wheeler School on Feb. 8. The quilt was designed by Francois to include art work of 81 families on the combined theme of sun, water, bread, heart and home.
Brilliant yellow suns are scattered among brown loaves, red and pink hearts, and writing in Arabic, English, Vietnamese, Bosnian, Albanian and other languages. The squares are sewn together with black and red borders. The entire piece is edged with emerald green fabric.
A few parents came to the community room Monday morning to help finish hemming the quilt and be entertained by musicians Robert and Gigi. ... This is the fourth quilt made by the community for the annual raffle, which benefits the VNA Family Room and its programs.
Free Thanksgiving Dinners is served annually.
How's this for a grocery list?
Seventy turkeys, 700 pounds of stuffing, 800 pounds of mashed potatoes and 1,200 dinner rolls.
That's what is being served at Sweetwaters on Church Street.
"Faaaaaan-tastic!" was the review from Jean-Pierre Benoit Gagnon.
The restaurant expected to dish out turkey and all the fixings to as many as 1,000 people on Thanksgiving.
The free dinner is open to everyone -- including many people who might not have anywhere else to go.
"It's the tradition," Robert Bordeau said. "These people are very nice, very gracious to open their doors."
Thanksgiving dinner been a tradition at Sweetwaters for seventeen years.
Kate Duffy - WCAX News
Click here to read more.
Good News Garage
promotes economic opportunity by providing affordable and reliable transportation options to people in need.
1-877-GIVE-AUTO (448-3288)
The Good News Garage:
Good News Garage thrives on the generosity of its donors.
The garage takes in old cars, fixes them up, and gives them to people in need. It takes in almost 300 cars a year, and sees a rush of donations come in at the end of the year from people looking for a tax break.
Like most other charitable donations, a filer can deduct to for every of the donated car's value. ... The Good News Garage does not value cars that it takes in, but it does try to help donors figure out what the automobile is worth. "We refer them to the blue book, the NADA, the Kelly, or Edmunds or they can go to their bank or car dealer, to get the book value," Ellen Rubenstein of the Good News Garage says. "And there is a range of book values, so we do suggest that people kind of look at what they are donating to us. But it is totally up to them, and it is actually between them and the IRS to determine exactly what the value actually is."
Health Care for the Homeless
is a federal program that covers the very neediest through the Community Health Center. It's one of 140 similar programs around the country and has the backing of the Bush administration. Here, the outreach is coordinated with several local agencies, including the Committee on Temporary Shelter and Howard mental health services. ... Two weeks ago we reported on a group of homeless people who choose to live outdoors instead of taking advantage of a homeless shelter, even through the long, hard winter. But no one can live totally alone. Social service agencies offer a range of help to anyone who needs it -- even some who don't want it.
As winter settles in, the disadvantaged face a growing challenge just to stay warm and healthy. A small minority of the homeless make it harder on themselves by choosing to live outdoors year-round.
Click here to read more.
Henry's Diner made its free-Christmas-dinner debut.
Tuesday, Henry's staff comprised family and friends of the proprietors, William and Naomi Maglaris, who have been running the diner since the fall of 2004. They'd put out a free Christmas meal in the late '90s at a restaurant they owned in North Carolina, Naomi recalled, and "there was something magical about it," with family members coming down from Vermont and church members volunteering and delivery drivers donating turkeys. It even snowed.
Having settled in at Henry's, William Maglaris said, they thought about doing it again here. Reinhart Foods agreed to be a sponsor.
At 11 a.m., the door opened and several diners wandered in. Before long, there were as many people in the booths, about 15, as there were volunteers to serve them. The fare included ham, mashed potatoes, peas, squash, pumpkin pie.
"We're grateful; it's very good," said Robert Burnham of Burlington, who said he eats at Henry's occasionally. He smiled. "It's the same stuff they charge for."
Click here to read more.
HomeShare Vermont
is matching services for homesharing and caregiving. This non-profit organization assists elders and persons with disabilities to live independently in their own homes by bringing them together with persons who seek affordable housing and/or caregiving opportunities. HomeShare Vermont provides a comprehensive screening and matching service and our services are available to anyone in Chittenden County, Vermont.
Click here to read more.
Howard Center for Human Services
Center is a private non-profit organization committed to providing effective and accessible mental health services in the community, for the benefit of the community.
The Howard Center's evolution, from its humble beginnings as a ladies' aid and relief society in 1873 to its current status as Vermont's largest non-profit human services agency, reflects major changes in the way we treat people with mental illness, developmental disabilities, emotional crises and substance abuse issues.
Our goal is to provide services in a manner that recognizes and promotes the self-worth and dignity of every child and adult.
Click here to read more.
It was a chilly Friday evening with the possibility of snow
in the air when Matthew Gilbert joined the line of people waiting patiently at the door of the Friendly Kitchen, the free meal program run by the Salvation Army.
He was there because he knew he could get a hot meal at the end of the day but being there, he said, was about more than just mutton and mash.
... Like many of the dozens waiting for the kitchen to open, Gilbert, 31, was there because he found himself between a rock and hard place. He is between jobs and has nowhere to live -- without the one, he can't afford the other.
So at the end of the day he wants to go somewhere he can get a meal and be among friendly faces. That place is the Friendly Kitchen for Gilbert and for up to 100 other people every night Monday through Saturday.
The program has been offered since 1984, said Maj. James Fletcher of the Salvation Army.
Joint Urban Ministry Project
is an interfaith collaboration of Chittenden County congregations. The mission of JUMP is to promote the physical, emotional, and spiritual well being of people by providing pastoral care (including hospitality, counseling, and referral), direct assistance to meet basic needs, and advocacy.
JUMP is a project of the Cathedral Square Corporation
Junior's Italian Restaurant in Colchester opened its doors
to those in need. Ethan Allen coach brought families to the restaurant in a stretch limo.
Costco donated baked goods and salads, and people in the community donated toys for kids.
They served more than 250 people. Junior's is already planning next year's Christmas dinner, and owner Frank Salece said it will be even bigger.
In Burlington, Henry's Diner offered hot meals for a community dinner. They served baked ham, side dishes, and homemade pumpkin pie for dessert.
Family and friends staffed the dinner, cooking and serving the food.
This was the first year Henry's has opened its doors for the community on Christmas. The owners said they hope to make it a tradition.
Click here to read more.
King Street Youth Center
(KSYC) was born of meager resources amidst tremendous need in the heart of Burlington, Vermont. With a few dedicated parents, a group of volunteers from the University of Vermont, and a budget of , the program began in a van parked next to the former King Street Laundromat. Our mission was to provide community-based support for children and their families through educational and recreational programs.
Over the past thirty years, King Street has grown into a full-fledged community center that includes educational space, art facilities, a gymnasium, a kitchen, and more.
... The purpose of The King Street Youth Center is to develop responsible and productive children, teens and families.
... The mission of The King Street Youth Center is to promote personal and social wellness through educational, recreational and social programs.
Click here to read more.
Lab's pop tab collectors helping families in need.
A co-worker's stay at Ronald McDonald House motivated Lt. Artricia McDaniels (Security) to contribute to the Ronald McDonald House Pop Tab Collection Program. Now McDaniels' generous contribution is helping families in need and inspiring other Argonne employees.
The Ronald McDonald House Pop Tab Collection Program is one of Argonne Combined Appeal's (ACA) many programs dedicated to supporting nonprofit health and welfare agencies. ACA collects and recycles the pop tabs and gives the proceeds to the Ronald McDonald House in Hyde Park.
The Ronald McDonald House provides a "home away from home" for families that have seriously ill children receiving care at University of Chicago hospital. The program also provides health care to underserved children.
Click here to read more.
Leaders of a Burlington nonprofit agency will receive a ,000
grant from the Ford Foundation at an awards ceremony in New York today.
... The Land Trust has improved housing availability in the Champlain Valley for those who might otherwise never afford their own home, Lipsky said.
... Torpy and Houghton will use the money to fund a staff position and on computer upgrades, said Houghton, who has worked for the group for 15 years.
The Land Trust, founded in 1984, provides prospective homeowners with a subsidy and help obtaining low-interest loans in return for an agreement on how the home will be resold. The homeowner agrees to take only 25 percent of the resale profit, Torpy said. The organization then rolls the remaining 75 percent into the subsidy attached to the house enabling the next owner to purchase the home below market value, Houghton said.
Lund Family Center
has been helping children thrive by serving families with children, pregnant teens and young adults, and adoptive families.
Helping Families For Over 110 Years.
The Lund Family Center (LFC) services include: our state's only therapeutic residential program for pregnant and parenting teens and young women; a powerful teen pregnancy prevention program; comprehensive and personalized adoption services; and a full range of Parent/Child Center services including child care, playgroups, parent education and support, and more.
Click here to read more.
Main Street house
, with its bright purple and lemon yellow walls, polished hardwood floors and spacious kitchen, will be a temporary home to 10 families for up to six months while they try to regain their footing.
The Committee on Temporary Shelter, which has a goal of million for the project, has raised more than ,000 from private donors and received ,000 from the state of Vermont.
The remarkably generous donations are a reflection of Vermonters' concern for people in trouble. "Vermont is not the sort of place that lets kids sleep on the streets," said Rita Markley, executive director of COTS.
The care and attention given the renovation of the 1806 Federal-style house reflects the COTS attitude toward its clients. "No matter what happened to you before you got here, at least here you are safe and we care about you," Markley said.
Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Vermont
grants the wishes of children in Vermont living with life-threatening ilnesses to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
Click here to read more.
Micro Business Development Program
provides technical assistance and training to low to moderate income Vermonters who own or intend to start a small business.
We provide free one on one business counseling for our clients. Business development counseling involves, getting started, creating a business plan, creating marketing plans and finding funding.
Recently, MBDP has become much more; expanding its services to include financial classes and asset development for all low-moderate income Vermonters, while still providing small businesses counseling and services.
MBDP is a statewide program administered by Vermont’s five Community Action Agencies. The Micro Business Development Program of CVOEO, serves the Champlain Valley counties of Addison, Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle. Counselors are available to meet with clients in Burlington, Middlebury and St. Albans.
Click here to read more.
Mobile Home Project
is a program of the Statewide Housing Services division of CVOEO.
MHP Staff: Corey Beach, Program Coordinator
The Mobile Home Project (MHP) works with mobile home park residents throughout the state of Vermont. We know that mobile homes provide an important affordable home ownership opportunity for many Vermonters.
The mission of the MHP is to help mobile home park residents to achieve and maintain good housing situations for themselves individually and for mobile home park residents as a whole. We work to accomplish these goals through resident organizing and by providing advocacy, information and counseling for groups of residents and individual households. We also publicly promote mobile home residents' interests by participating as mobile home park experts in the legislative process and other policy making processes in Vermont.
Click here to read more.
ReCycle North
is a non-profit organization with a 3-part mission to (1) reduce the amount of reusable and repairable household items dumped in landfills, (2) give individuals in transition, including people who are homeless, valuable job skills, technical training, and a second opportunity at life, and (3) alleviate the effects of poverty by making vital household goods available to the poor.
Click here to read more.
Refugees such as the two dozen men, women and children
staying at the Salvation Army in Burlington are stuck in the U.S. while they wait for a date with Canadian immigration officials.
A policy change in January delayed immediate processing of asylum claims and forced many of them to rely on the helping hand of American citizens and organizations.
But that hand is growing tired.
Click here to read more.
Ronald McDonald House
of Burlington Vermont is a home away from home for families with seriously ill children who seek treatment at the Fletcher Allen Health Care Facility. It is our aim to be a refuge for these families during the stress and pain of their loved one's illness. We try to offer a warm, caring atmosphere with staff and volunteers ready to listen, to relieve some concerns, and be supportive. ... In the beginning.... a group of concerned parents gathered to form the Ronald McDonald House of Burlington which opened February 14, 1984. The First Congregational Church graciously offered their unoccupied parsonage to the founding committee for a 20 year lease at .00 a year. With community support in the way of furniture, wallpaper, paint, and volunteers to do the labor, we created what is known as "The House That Love Built". Our House has nine bedrooms and six bathrooms. Our common areas include a sitting room, TV room, dining room, kitchen, playroom, and basement with a nintendo....
Click here to read more.
Salvation Army,
an International movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church.
Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
Click here to read more.
Sara Holbrook Community Center
serves a diverse community, with families struggling to just get by; in fact, according, to U.S. Census 2000 data, Old North End neighborhoods constitute the highest concentration of poverty in Burlington and the entire state of Vermont.
SARA HOLBROOK COMMUNITY CENTER'S mission is to develop responsible and productive children, youth and families through social development, educational and recreational opportunities. The Center serves Chittenden County with a primary focus being on the North End of Burlington, Vermont.
FOR 70 YEARS , the Sara Holbrook Community Center has been an integral part of Burlington, especially in its North End. Each year 4,000 individuals, including refugees and immigrants, engage in a variety of programs: pre-school, teen activities, English classes, after-school programming, and summer camps.
Click here to read more.
Since 1942, the Boys and Girls Club has played an integral role
in the Burlington community.
Bob Robinson, the executive director of Burlington Boys and Girls Club said, " Kids are forced to make such tough decisions now a days and at a younger age so it is so important to have a place for them to go, where they can feel safe to have connections with staff. To develop relationships and to have a place that cares about them where the doors are always open."
Each year the club opens its doors to more than fourteen hundred kids.
South Burlington New Directions Coalition
...has received a ,500 federal grant to step up its efforts to prevent drug use and to promote youth leadership.
... The grant will be used in part to expand the South Burlington group's programs, coordinator Dennis McBee said. These programs include an in-school mentoring program that pairs adult volunteers with students in grades four through eight; dialogue nights in schools; and youth-leadership and family support programs.
McBee described the coalition as a partnership between youths and adults, with half the group's leadership positions held by people younger than 21. The coalition, founded in 1998 and funded by state or federal grants, seeks to prevent the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
Spectrum Struggles With Troubled Kids.
A killing that police say was motivated by drugs raises questions -- once again -- about the agencies that take care of, and try to keep track of, children and young adults who land in the custody of state social services. The agency involved in this case is Spectrum Youth and Family Services, one of the largest agencies that takes care of troubled kids. It serves 55-hundred kids every year, over three-hundred of them homeless, with shelter and food with a staff of 150 counselors and supervisors. Spectrum's four-point-three million dollar budget comes primarily from the non-profit sector, including the United Way, foundations, contracts, grants and private giving. It gets some from the state. This week one of its kids got into trouble she might not have bargained for.
One of the defendants in the shooting is 18-year old Stephanie Dellavecchio. She's legally an adult but under the care of Spectrum. Counselors consoled her during her court appearance
Click here to read more.
Thanksgiving Day found downtown Burlington with a cold rain,
but warm hearts.
Sweetwaters expected to serve a hot turkey dinner, free of charge, to nearly a thousand people. While that would keep people warm for the day, they were also making sure people stay warm all season long. Outside the restaurant, hundreds of winter coats were up for grabs.
This has been a Thanksgiving tradition for some fifteen years. It's an extension of the annual turkey dinner Sweetwaters serves.
Sweetwaters collected about 2,000 coats this year -- five times what it collected last year.
"People have extra coats and go through their closets and say, 'I don't need this coat anymore,'" he said. "They drop them off, and it's a great example of the great community we live in."
Click here to read more.
The ,000 VT Community Development Block Grant for the Good News Garage
announced Thursday comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The money was part of .5 million in grants going to 10 Vermont communities.
The garage provides donated cars for low-income people and helps with car pooling and automotive job training.
The non-profit Good News Garage is raising money for its .7 million relocation into the old bus barns in Burlington's Old North End, said Ellen Rubenstein, the marketing
and development manager for Good News Garage. The ,000 goes toward the relocation.
The Colchester Community Food Shelf helps local residents in need,
but as requests for assistance mount, organizers hope to attract more volunteers to the site to help clients who need a hand.
Started 20 years ago by Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, the shelf has long been the parish's responsibility. But the increased demand for services means the small volunteer staff is worried some people who need help may be falling through the cracks.
The Rev. Roger Charbonneau, pastor of Holy Cross Church, approached local ministers last month, asking them to see if members of their congregations would volunteer at the agency so it could be open five days a week.
The Food Shelf is open Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. and serves only Colchester residents.
Click here to read more.
The Committee on Temporary Shelter is buying a building
in downtown Burlington to provide housing for as many as 12 families, allowing the group to stop shuttling homeless families between empty college dorms and motels.
COTS has signed a sale agreement with the YWCA to buy its historic building at 278 Main St., with plans to move in this spring. The YWCA will move its offices to COTS administrative home on North Street.
"We have been scouring Chittenden County for nearly two years to find a building that would help us meet the most compelling need in Chittenden County," said COTS Executive Director Rita Markley, referring to the lack of affordable housing.
The number of homeless families has quadrupled in the county since 1999, Markley said. The goal of the new building is to provide temporary shelter as families look for permanent homes.
The Committee on Temporary Shelter relies heavily on donations
to keep its services available. However, it is the efforts of volunteers, who interact with the homeless and handle administration of the organization, that allow the organization to wage its war on poverty and homelessness.
Judy Dunn, an accountant at KPMG LLC, is one of COTS volunteers who tries to find lasting solutions to homelessness. She has served as treasurer on the board of directors for two years.
... The holiday store is an opportunity for children who live in family shelters to buy gifts for family members. They earn "COTS Bucks" by helping out around the shelters, similar to an allowance. They have a fine selection of new, unopened items to choose from: Barbies, toy guns, books, costume jewelry, bath products, hats, gloves and more. It is a "miracle store" -- the children always seem to have just enough money to buy what they want.
The holiday store was started four years ago to give children a more complete holiday season.
The First United Methodist Church laid out its eighth Christmas luncheon.
-- turkey, soup, squash, salad, home-baked desserts. There was also a gift table -- stuffed animals, clothes, calendars and assorted nicknacks were free for the taking. Church members and community members contributed to the event.
"A real collaborative effort to bring some spirit and warmth to people on this day," the Rev. Richard Hibbert said.
The church luncheon began at 11:30 a.m., and some of the patrons who showed up had already had breakfast at the Unitarian Universalist Church at the top of Church Street -- the first such event of the day.
Click here to read more.
The holiday season compels many to give,
but for three local community members, volunteering time, money and talent is not limited to one time of the year. Their work shows volunteering comes in creative forms -- and makes a mark.
Painting, filmmaking, writing and hairstyling have all helped support Burlington's Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS).
... For Katharine Montstream, Ken French and Stephen Gerard, volunteering is important. All three lend their time and talent to benefit Burlington's homeless.
... For painter Katharine Montstream, color is currency. This year, Montstream painted COTS' new facility and donated her work to the organization. Prints will be used for a greeting card for fund-raising events.
... Stephen Gerard, a local hairstylist and author, knows what it's like to be homeless. Gerard once stayed at COTS for three weeks. When Gerard moved to Vermont, he found himself without a permanent address.
The IBM Employee Charitable Contribution Campaign recorded its best-ever
campaign, raising a total of ,136,293, exceeding the goal of .1 million goal. Retired IBM employees donated and IBM Corp. gave a corporate gift of cash and technology and computer donations totaling ,760, according to Jeff Robinson and Diane Weston, IBM’s ECCC co-chairs. John Cronin was the IBM ECCC Campaign Coordinator.
Hank Geipel, IBM’s Senior Site Executive, thanked the campaign coordinators, canvassers and volunteers who performed a “Herculean task in taking the campaign to 8,000 IBM employees.” IBM Burlington, which encompasses the Essex Junction, Saxon Hill and Williston facilities, earned the top ranking among large IBM plants in improving its charitable contributions. “We left the pack behind us and everyone should feel proud and secure that what we contribute will help our community,” he said.
Click here to read more.
The number of homeless families in Chittenden County
continues to grow. It's a problem the area is trying to solve. There's a new shelter about to open that will help families gain independence. For months workers have sanded and sawed the YWCA building in downtown Burlington into shape.
The Committee on Temporary Shelter, COTS, is using the space as transitional housing for homeless families. COTS serves about 300 homeless families a year and they say the numbers keep increasing. The new shelter has room for ten families. Each will get their own bedroom and share the rest of the house. They can stay their for six months.
... The shelter is in an ideal location because it is across from the elementary school, close to downtown and the bus line. Everything COTS says is needed for the homeless families inside.
The shelter has a children's playroom, full of toys and games. Almost everything in the house was donated. Staff will live in the shelter and help people find jobs and apartments.
Click here to read more.
The number of homeless families is on the rise,
both nationally and in Vermont.
That's posed a challenge to the local homeless shelter. When the Committee on Temporary Shelter was founded a quarter-century ago, it mostly served single men.
It opened its first family shelter in 1988, and a second one in 2002. COTS reported the two shelters housed 269 people in 2007, almost double the number it served a decade ago.
"We have evolved to meet the needs as they've changed," said Rita Markley, executive director of COTS. "It went from single adults, mainly people who were veterans from Vietnam or Korea and people with disabilities. When it shifted to families we found a way with this community's support to meet the need."
Tonight on the Channel 3 News at 6:00 p.m., Kate Duffy has part two of her special report on how COTS has evolved with a look at the increase in homeless families and some insight into the causes of homelessness.
Click here to read more.
The numbers in need have just expanded beyond any other precedent,"
said Rita Markley of the Committee on Temporary Shelter.
That's the message homeless advocates tried to send to legislators at a summit designed to draw attention to the fact that funding for emergency housing assistance is in trouble. More than 700 families in Chittenden County alone are in emergency housing-- double what it was last year. The sudden increase means money for the program is running out and advocates say they're on the edge of a full-blown crisis.
... So they're asking the state legislature for help, hoping that when lawmakers convene next month, they'll give the emergency assistance program enough money to continue through the winter months.
Click here to read more.
Traditionally, this season is a time to get in the holiday spirit
with friends and family.
But for the hundreds of homeless people in the region -- good cheer may be hard to come by.
At least one group is hoping to change that -- with the help of residents.
At Burlington's Committee on Temporary Shelter, they're getting ready for their phone-a-thon.
"Shelter and food are very compelling to people," said Rita Markley of the Committee on Temporary Shelter. "There's nothing confusing about what that means.
"This is the most expensive time of the year, because our heat and electric bills go up," Markley said.
Recently, the demand has shot through the roof. COTS helps more than four times the number of families it did just five years ago, Markley said. At the same time, public support has dropped off. After reaching an all-time high in 2000, donations sank last year.
"As the economy tilts downward, the need for places like COTS increases, and yet the capacity to give is depleted,
Click here to read more.
United Way of Chittenden County expects to meet its 2000 fund-raising goal
and tally .7 million in pledges and donations by year’s end, campaign leaders have announced today.
Michael Flynn, managing partner of Gallagher Flynn and Co., the 2000 volunteer chair of the United Way of Chittenden County’s Annual Community Care Fund Campaign, said the expected total, when all pledges are received, is ,000 more than was pledged last year and will help meet the increasing needs of 32 non-profit member agencies and partners in Chittenden County and northern Vermont.
Click here to read more.
United Way of Chittenden County raises money to support
local human services programs. The group also identifies community needs and the programs that best meet those needs. In its 60 years of operation, United Way of Chittenden County has raised million for local programs focusing on services such as child care, end of life care, and support for the homeless.
It all began in 1942 when the Burlington Community Chest collected ,000 during its door-to-door fund drive, helping to support groups such as the Salvation Army, the YMCA and the American Red Cross. The organization expanded and changed its name a few times and today is the largest United Way in Vermont.
... People served by United Way may not qualify for government aid, for example. The federal government has set the poverty level for a family of four at ,267. But according to the United Way, a four-person family in Vermont needs between ,000 and ,000 to live.
United Way, Red Cross and Salvation Army say "be generous, but give wisely"
. The United Way of Chittenden County and Vermont chapters of the American Red Cross and Salvation Army this week together urged people who want to help those communities and individuals hit hard by the terrorist attack to give wisely through established organizations.
Click here to read more.
UVM Senior Wins Vermont Teddy Citizen Award
There are many community service outreach programs in the Greater Burlington Area run by dedicated volunteers. But one program, run by a very special young lady, caught the attention of the Vermont Teddy Bear Company during their annual competition, where they bestow a Citizen Award on a graduating student that is highly-involved in a non-profit organization.
This year, UVM senior Becca Aborn was chosen for her dedicated service to the "Food Salvage: Volunteers in Action" program out of the King Street Youth Center. Every Sunday night, for the past four years, Becca has worked with other students to provide free, hot meals to over one hundred people. Half of the food comes from local eateries, the other half is from donations Becca brings in from the community.
UVM Students run a weekly Food Salvage Program.
Tater Tots in the oven, pasta on the stove, and the work of a dozen UVM student volunteers heats up the small kitchen of Burlington s King Street Youth Center. Outside, a hallway fills with those who have come for the weekly Food Salvage Program dinner. Created ten years ago by UVM students and staffed ever since by their successors at the university, Food Salvage is the lone charitable meal served in Burlington on Sunday nights.
Click here to read more.
Vermont Children's Aid Society
is proud to offer child centered social services which include lifetime adoption services, pregnancy counseling, child counseling, family counseling and birth parent support services.
...
Vermont Children's Aid Society (VCAS) is a private non-profit organization. Our professional staff has been supporting and strengthening families since 1919. Through comprehensive programs, VCAS promotes the physical and emotional well-being of children and helps to build, preserve, and strengthen families. VCAS works to ensure a stable and healthy growth experience for children within their families.
Click here to read more.
We're officially in the holiday season
and local charities are now looking for volunteers and food and clothing donations to help them serve the less fortunate in Chittenden County.
Even though we're in the middle of a recession, local charities are seeing a large increase in the amount of help and support Vermonters are doling out.
If you have a sweater that's too small or too big, the Salvation Army is the place to drop it off.
... There's already bags upon bags of donated clothes and blankets piled up at the warehouse and they're expecting more.
In fact, when Vermont is in the middle of a recession the Salvation Army receives more donations than when the economy is strong.
Bell ringers will be out hoping to meet the charity's goal of ,000.
But this year it may be a bit more difficult.
Click here to read more.
When a paid fund-raiser keeps all the money it collected
collected on a charity's behalf, no law has been broken.
It is illegal, though, for a state to require paid fund-raisers to tell potential donors what share of contributions make it to the charity.
The issue is the U.S. Supreme Court's view of free speech, explained state Attorney General William Sorrell. Several state
laws have resulted, he said, but they are no substitute for people's being informed.
"That makes it all the more important for Vermonters to give money with the same care that they use when they spend it,"
Sorrell said.
Sorrell said the First Amendment protects people from being forced to speak, and the high court has determined that these rights extend to charities and fund-raisers.
Charities can "spend as large a percentage of their receipts on fund-raising by paid fund-raisers as they wish, without having to alert consumers," he said.
With between and billion of the money raised for charity
in the U.S. annually is misused or ends up in the pockets of fraudulent solicitors. Because more than 80% of the money raised by charities comes from individual donors, it is very important that donors be cautious and have sufficient information to make wise giving decisions.
Here are some precautions to ensure that your charitable contributions are used to their maximum benefit:
Click here to read more.
Women Unite to Help Fight Domestic Violence
Vermont women attended a fund-raiser for 'Women Helping Battered Women' on Sunday, because they know their money helps. It helps grant victims of domestic violence a voice in government and a telephone hotline that women can turn to when times are tough.
It takes about 700 thousand dollars a year to keep the program alive. Vermont Lt. Governor Doug Racine, at Sunday's event, says it is money well spent.
The Burlington Police Department has also formed a partnership with Women Helping Battered Women, hoping that effective community policing will help combat domestic violence.
The organization had a tough time getting started initially. At today's gala, state senator Janet Munt told the story of how the organization was able to afford a shelter. It turns out a few years back, the phone company published their phone number, a number that, at that time, was meant to be kept private. The organization sued, won, and was able to get their shelter up and running.
Women's Rape Crisis Center
is dedicated to ending all sexual violence. We are committed to serving the Chittenden County community through the continued provision of our services and to being a leading voice in the State of Vermont for meaningful change in law and society. We provide crisis counseling and advocacy for those whose lives have been affected by sexual violence. Our education outreach work strives to change attitudes and beliefs that perpetuate and condone the cycle of violence. We constantly seek to expand our efforts to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse community and welcome all to our Agency. Support for our mission is actively sought through fundraising, development, and the dedicated efforts of our volunteers. ... The Women's Rape Crisis Center began as a group of women answering a nighttime hotline for survivors of sexual violence in 1973. This group of women called themselves Women Against Rape, or WAR.
Click here to read more.
Women's Rape Crisis Center's
is an annual event to raise awareness and stop violence against women. Over 100 people march in downtown Burlington to raise awareness; and, advocate abuse and violence prevention. As they yell slogans like "Hey hey ho ho violence against women has got to go," and "2, 4, 6, 8, no more date rape." The group marched around side streets, meet at Elmwood Avenue and then marched Church Street from Pearl Street to City Hall, where they formed to hear speakers on the front lines of the issue. ... After the speak-out, the organizers invited people to come into the City Hall Auditorium and see the shirts and brochures on display. Organizers say they feel the event has made a difference in victims' lives for many years; and, it will continue as long as there are women in danger.
Click here to read more.
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