For those who may not have seen it yet—and with many thanks to those who’ve already given—I wanted to share our recent appeal letter. 
It’s the most important letter I have written in my time with this organization.  

- Josh Davis, Executive Director

 

Friends of Groundworks,

Our staff are on the front lines—managing the COVID-19 response to protect some of our community’s most vulnerable people:  our neighbors experiencing homelessness and living with food insecurity.  As we double down in commitment to the work, we’re scrambling to make it all possible, and we need your help now, more than ever.  

The cascading events of COVID-19 are having an unimaginable impact on Groundworks’ services as our staff are working around the clock to provide the best protections and support for the people we serve.  

This pandemic will create an unprecedented financial challenge for Groundworks—as we’re spending resources to pivot programs and support staff to stay safe in this time of crisis.  Additionally, events we rely on to support our vital services are being cancelled, re-imagined, or delayed indefinitely.  We’re facing potential decisions that we hoped we would not have to make: decisions that would completely upend our programs.

The critical services we provide 24/7/365 in this community will not come to a halt as this pandemic runs its course.  Rather, our dedication to the people we serve—whether they’re calling our shelters “home” at this time or receiving emergency food through our food shelf program (Foodworks), working with our Case Management team or relying on the services of our Representative Payee—has only grown with this myriad of challenges.  We’re taking extraordinary measures to follow social distancing guidelines in order to protect our clients who are particularly vulnerable—closing our Seasonal Overflow Shelter and moving everyone into motel rooms to allow for isolation. Foodworks has moved to a delivery model—mobilizing volunteers and working to source enough food to deliver to anyone with need in our community. 

Many of us never imagined we would live through anything like this.  Social distancing is putting physical barriers between us and yet bringing people together to connect in powerful and exceptional ways.  We cannot thank our volunteers and staff enough for all they’ve done to help make our strong response possible.  There are everyday heroes among us—giving time and making impactful strides and donations to keep us flexible in our response. 

If you are in a position to give at this time, please consider supporting Groundworks with a generous monthly or one-time gift.  We need your help now, more than ever, to keep this important work and construction of the new shelter moving forward.  

Thank you for being there for Groundworks and our neighbors in need.  Be well and stay safe!

Josh Davis, Executive Director 
        and
Ann Fielder, Board President

P.S.  We acknowledge that this may not be a good time for many of our supporters to give generously.  If that is you, please know that we’ll still be here—providing for the basic needs of our most vulnerable neighbors—when you are ready to give.  Thank you.

Spotlight:  Our Community's Emergency Food System

On March 16th, Foodworks—our food shelf program—began an unprecedented shift to safely deliver food boxes to anyone with need in our region.  This shift is made possible by dozens of volunteers who stepped up to help make deliveries and donations that have allowed us to purchase additional food, as well as an initial influx of donated food to help meet increased demand.  

Since March 16th, we’ve delivered two weeks worth of food to over 900 people—this is twice as many households as would typically visit Foodworks in that period of time.  

Our increased demand also includes three deliveries each week to each of the four local motel shelter sites and Groundworks Shelter, where Groundworks is supporting nearly 100 people who are otherwise without housing.  To support social distancing efforts, we are providing 3 meals each day to guests with amazing support from volunteer Meal Teams—preparing dinners each night for our neighbors sheltering in local motels. 
THANK YOU MEAL TEAMS!

Foodworks is a leader in our region’s community emergency food system and has been agile in adapting to handle the increase in demand.  Christine and the Foodworks team have built a robust network of partners and volunteers working together to get food into the hands of our neighbors who need it.  Foodworks is the only area food shelf delivering food and essential items such as toilet paper and pet food to homebound people in our region; and as a result we’re serving additional people in further reaching towns who cannot pick up items at their local food shelf. 

Foodworks, along with other organizations such as Loaves & Fishes soup kitchen, the Agape Church, and Brigid’s Kitchen and food pantry are all network partners of the Vermont Foodbank, and as such can purchase large quantities of food at reduced wholesale cost as well as receiving many items that the Foodbank makes available for free.  Foodworks has spent years building long-standing relationships with area grocery stores (as far away as Wilmington) to regularly rescue perfectly good food before it can go to waste and get it to people who need it.  

We leverage every dollar donated to feed as many people as possible and we’re in need of additional funds to help sustain this increased need.  Groundworks stretches every dollar by purchasing bulk foods from the Vermont Foodbank at below-market wholesale prices.

For each $25 we raise, we can provide a family of five with items for two weeks.  As grocery shelves are becoming increasingly bare, our hope is that people who want to be helpful will make monetary donations for food so that we can make our purchases at the Vermont Foodbank, thereby not contributing to the demand at our community’s grocery stores.  

Foodworks serves anyone in the community that needs food. Our process to set up a food delivery is quick and easy. If you or someone you know could use some extra food support though this crisis, please don't hesitate to reach out. Our goal is to make sure our entire community is as strong and healthy as possible, especially at this time.  

As more people in our community are filing for unemployment every day, Foodworks will continue to be here to support the need for emergency food.