Opinion: CVOEO ready to help those in need

I keep two winter coats in my office year round now: a man’s and a woman’s coat. The “why” takes me back to last winter when Jonathan came into the office to ask for help. I’ve known Jonathan for five years. I’ve seen him in the worst of times under the influence of drugs and alcohol with no place to lay his head for the night and little hope for the present. I’ve known him in times when he was working a plan for safety and security. At this visit he had spent a very short time in jail and just needed a bus … (read more)

She is a single mom with a toddler who was living at the Lund Family Center. Brittany was surrounded by people who were pulling for her to succeed. Making a $50 a week stipend, though an extremely small amount, didn’t stop Brittany from looking for a way … (read more)

I remember the cold coming on when I lived in the Northeast Kingdom. Seeing the first of the early morning frost and hearing trucks backing up to homes and dumping loads of cut logs. The logs were split into manageable sizes and tossed down bulkheads into … (read more)

“I hungry, Gamma”, said my two-year-old granddaughter. I would rend heaven and earth to make sure she had something to eat. And it was easily done with good options. Still, my heart stopped when I heard her words. Vermont is in a struggle to feed 4,619 ch … (read more)

On any given Sunday evening volunteers at a local church in Burlington feed between 80 and 130 hungry people. The food is homemade, nutritious and delicious. The crowd is intergenerational. Some are homeless, some are food insecure and some appreciate the … (read more)

She is a single mother of two children aged 8 and 10 years. The family became homeless initially due to domestic violence. She coped by staying at a motel while occasionally couch surfing at a family member’s home for nearly four months. The family found … (read more)

It was Damber who told the story. “Although my mother has chronic migraine headaches, she loves to work and wants to help. My father works the night shift so that he can help in the store during the day. My youngest sister, who is in Essex Middle School, … (read more)

It was Damber who told the story. “Although my mother has chronic migraine headaches, she loves to work and wants to help. My father works the night shift so that he can help in the store during the day. My youngest sister, who is in Essex Middle School, … (read more)