Windham County Action Network (WeCAN)

"[White anguish.] I know how that feels. I promise you, I know how that feels. Everyone knows how that feels. But here’s the difference between me and you. You guys hate each other for it. And I don’t hate anybody. I just hate that feeling. That’s what I fight through. That’s what I suggest you fight through. You got to find a way to live your life. Got to find a way to forgive each other. Got to find a way to find joy in your existence in spite of that feeling.”
Dave Chappelle, comedian
Saturday Night Live, November 7th, 2020

     Wow, WeCAN Friends...just wow. A Biden/Harris presidency is on our doorstep and it is thanks to YOU, grassroots organizers, for making that happen! Thank you for the time, energy, emotion, and ingenuity you've poured into shifting governments both big and small to the Left. Thank you for the long hours, for the meals on the run, for the countless zoom meetings, for the text and phone banking, canvassing, and voter registrations. Thank you for caring, for empathizing, and for listening. Your hard work has led to celebrations worldwide and an outpouring of support from world leaders welcoming us back into the fold. Thank you!!

     The work, alas, still continues; this time, in Georgia. From The Nation:
     "Unlike most states, Georgia allows for runoff elections when no candidate for the US Senate receives a majority of the votes in initial balloting. The state had two Senate elections on November 3rd—a regular contest for the seat held by Republican incumbent David Perdue and a special election for the seat held by appointed Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler. The special election pitting Loeffler against the inspired candidacy of the Rev. Raphael Warnock is definitely headed to a runoff on January 5, and it now appears the regular election for the Perdue seat will go the same direction.
If both seats flip, as is a real possibility in the suddenly competitive state of Georgia, McConnell’s numbers no longer add up. At best, he’s got 50 of 100 seats—and this is where the Constitution comes in. If the Senate is tied 50-50, the vice president has the authority to tip the balance to one party or another." 

     In the coming weeks, we will be featuring actions you can take to get involved with the Georgia runoff race and help Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock win their seats in the Senate. 
This week, consider donating to their campaigns via ActBlue here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/2020gasenaterunoff.
Also, if you are able, please consider sharing this piece of info on your social media pages and with friends or family you may have in Georgia: 
"A run-off election means that Georgia residents who are currently 17 years old — but will turn 18 by the time of the run-off election — will have the opportunity to participate and register by December 7th. You can find more information here: https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/Elections/register_to_vote." 

     Once again, CONGRATS Friends! We have accomplished a huge goal and are more prepared than ever to push Biden and Harris towards Medicare for All and a Green New Deal. Have a safe and joyous celebration weekend! 

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HAPPENING THIS WEEK, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9th, 2020-SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15th, 2020

Everyone Eats! EXTENDED THROUGH DECEMBER 11th, 2020!!
Monday, November 9th, 2020-Thursday, November 12th, 2020 at the C.F Building (80 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 4pm-6pm. Masks required. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE EARLY. You can pick up meals for up to three households including your own. If you have any questions visit https://www.brattleboro.com/everyoneeats/ or contact Frances Huntley [email protected]. Organizational ordering information is listed under our Free and Nutritious Food in Windham County section further along in this email. 
Everyone Eats! is a program which will distribute meals from Brattleboro restaurants to anyone in need who lives in Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, Putney, or Vernon, free of charge, through December 11th. There will be 850+ meals/day available Monday through Thursday to serve our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pick up for individuals will be at the C.F. Church Building at 80 Flat St in Brattleboro and group/institution orders can be picked up at Mama Sezz in West Brattleboro. All meals are available Monday-Thursday between 4pm and 6pm until supplies run out.
If you have extra produce from your garden, there will be a wheelbarrow you can drop it off in on your way out of the pickup site. Participating restaurants will use the donated produce in making more meals.
The meals are free, but if you would like to make a monetary contribution to help make more meals possible for others, it will be gratefully received. The base cost of each meal is $10 but any amount will be appreciated.
Each restaurant will contribute meals two or more days a week. You will receive one individually packaged cold ready-to-eat or heat & serve dinner for each person you request a meal for. Meals will be distributed cold, so if you are driving a distance, delivering to other households, or distributing through your organization, consider bringing a cooler if you can.

Everyone Eats! Info From Putney Mutual Aid
Have you taken advantage of Everyone Eats? Here's how Putney folks can participate:
1. CURBSIDE PICKUP IN PUTNEY!!! We will be distributing meals in Putney for curbside pickup on Monday evening. Pick up at the Putney Community Center from 5-5:45. First come, first served. No need for advance reservations. (Be sure to drive up in your car and wait for instructions. We will bring the food to you.)
2. DELIVERY IN PUTNEY!!! Putney Mutual Aid volunteers can deliver a meal to you on Monday evenings -- PM us, comment here or email [email protected] to make arrangements
3. CURBSIDE PICKUP IN BRATT!! You can journey into Brattleboro (Mon-Thurs, 4-6) to pick up a meal. The program runs through mid-December. (more info in the link below).
4. VOLUNTEER!!! If you are interested in helping with delivery of meals as a volunteer with Putney Mutual Aid, contact us! Comment below, PM or [email protected].
Just a reminder... this program is meant to be an economic stimulus as well as an innovative way to address food security. Please feel free to participate and grab a meal! It helps our local restaurants and gives us all delicious food. Putney Food Shelf https://www.brattleboro.com/everyoneeats/.

Marlboro Community Food Share
hosted by the Marlboro Community Center
Thursday, November 12th, 2020, and every Thursday, at the Marlboro Community Center (524 South Road, Marlboro, VT, 05344). 4:30pm-5:30pm.
Every Thursday from 4:30pm-5:30pm the Marlboro Community Center invites you to fill a grocery bag with non-perishables and fresh local produce. No registration or eligibility required. This weekly opportunity is available for anyone who could use an extra bag of groceries or knows someone who does.
Food will be set up in the entry-way to the Marlboro Community Center. For proper social distancing, please enter one person at a time. Bring a grocery bag or use ours. Masks are required. Deliveries will be made through Marlboro Cares for those needing assistance. Please call Marlboro Cares at 258-3030 in advance to arrange a delivery.
To donate food:
Leave non-perishable food in the donation box at the Marlboro Post Office. It will be collected on a weekly-basis. (Please note that this box previously supplied the Deerfield Valley Food Pantry, which is now distributing food exclusively from VT Food Pantry) 
Gardeners and farmers are welcome to donate produce. Wear masks and wash hands when harvesting and handling food. Fresh produce can be dropped off at the Community Center on Thursday between 1pm and 4pm. (Any leftover produce will be taken to FoodWorks the following morning)

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Guilford Cares Food Pantry
Thursday, November 12th, 2020 (and every Thursday) at Broad Brook Community Center (3490 Guilford Center Road, Guilford, VT, 05301). 5pm-6pm.  If you have questions, concerns or would like to donate groceries or monetary gifts please contact Pat Haine 802-257-0626. For additional questions or more information call 802 579 1350 or email [email protected].
The Guilford Cares Food Pantry will continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure food security for all our citizens and vulnerable populations. They are well stocked with the staples you need for your family and are following viral guidelines to limit risk.
They ask that shoppers to remain in their car. A volunteer will greet you and give you a "shopping list" for you to  mark with the items you would like. Another volunteer will fill your bag  and bring it to porch where you will be asked to pick it up. Please  bring a bag for the items and a pen to fill out the shopping list. If you have questions, concerns or would like to donate groceries or monetary gifts please contact Pat Haine 257-0626
If you cannot come to the Pantry due to illness or high risk, you can call also call Pat to arrange for food delivery by a volunteer.
We know that supplemental food can make such a big difference in one's budget. That is why we are stocking our shelves for our neighbors. All are welcome to come and take home fresh produce, staples, meat, dairy.
Guilford Cares welcomes anyone in need of supplemental food for themselves or their families.

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Environmental Policy in Historical Perspective: The 2020 Elections and the Future of the Planet with Bill McKibben, Robert Pollin, Ashwin Ravikumar, Thea Riofrancos, and Eve Vogel
hosted by Feinberg Series, UMASS Amherst History Dept.
Thursday, November 12th, 2020, Online. 6pm-7:30pm. Spanish interpretation and closed captioning will be available. Registration is required to participate by Zoom.
We have only a few years left to make deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions. This event will reflect on the implications of the U.S. election results for meeting this imperative. What are the prospects for a Green New Deal and other urgently needed measures, in the United States and beyond? How can the destructive power of the fossil fuel industries be neutralized? The panelists will analyze the current moment while also offering a historical perspective on environmental policy and movements.
--
LIVE AND RECORDED ON ZOOM, FACEBOOK, AND YOUTUBE
REGISTER HERE TO JOIN BY ZOOM: https://blogs.umass.edu/feinberg/environmental-policy-in-historical-perspective/?fbclid=IwAR2ntmcra71lcN3qW1888FYXs37zTR_jZLoxdREnVxQizsTOChqrTdKvF74

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Criminal Case Expungement
hosted by Vermont Legal Aid, Code for BTV, & the Windham County State's Attorney 
Friday, November 13th, 2020, Online. 10am-2pm. Call at 802-503-0005 x255 to schedule your free appointment today.
There's a free expungement 'tele-clinic' happening on Friday, November 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Vermont Legal Aid, Code for BTV, & the Windham County State's Attorney to host the clinic, which will focus on expunging criminal charges and convictions from Windham County and will be open to the public by telephone appointment.
Expunging Vermonters' criminal records is a vital tool for increasing access to jobs, housing, and education. It gives people a fresh start by providing the opportunity to be a part of their community, to get a job, to further their education, and to provide for their families.
Participants will need access to:
telephone (either landline or mobile);
internet; and, computer or smartphone to download a free app to electronically sign documents.
When scheduling a clinic appointment, Legal Aid will provide instructions on downloading the free app, and help identify free public Wi-Fi hotspots, if needed.
If you do not have access to the necessary technology on the day of the clinic, we mail you documents to sign. 

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Art for Social Change
sponsored by The Root Social Justice Center, River Gallery School and In-Sight Photography Project
Friday, November 13th, 2020 (and every Friday) at the River Gallery School (32 Main St #201, Brattleboro, VT 05301). 1pm-4pm. Masks are required. Drop-ins are welcome, come by and make some art on Fridays and help spread messages of transformation, unity and justice all over the town of Brattleboro. 6 person maximum in studios. For more information: Jess Weitz, [email protected].
River Gallery School is offering a free open art studio at 32 Main street on Fridays from 1-4pm for people to use printmaking, drawing, and painting to create art around issues of the pandemic,
social and racial justice, the 2020 election, and the climate crisis.
All materials available for free.
In addition, River Gallery School will have an art table at the
Solidarity Friday rallies in Pliny Park for art and sign making from 5pm-6:30pm.
Paste ups will be put up in town October 15 thru November 15, 2020.

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Solidarity Fridays: Our Struggles Are Connected
organized by Brattleboro Solidarity, The Root Justice Center, Tenants Union of Brattleboro, Lost River Racial Justice, and 350 Brattleboro
Friday, November 13th, 2020 (and all Fridays) at Pliny Park (the corner of High Street and Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 5pm-6:30pm. Masks are required. 
Weekly protest at Pliny Park focusing on a variety of current local and national issues. Bring your signs, banners, chalk & noise makers to Pliny Park and rally for the world we want.
(This week we will make signs in yellow and black to promote consistency and solidarity among our coalition).
This week, we make connections between the struggles of the people on a global scale. From the annexation of land and occupation of Palestine, to brutal weaponized tactics of Federal agents against Portland protesters, to the systemic racism rampant across the world, and to local efforts toward examining police brutality and safety in Brattleboro, in the diversity of our struggles we are all united!
Show Up! Participate! Discuss!
For the safety of ourselves and others, masks are REQUIRED at Pliny Park! We will have extra masks to pass out to those without one. Hand sanitizer will also be available.
This week, consider bringing a donation for Groundworks Collaborative! See their wishlist below!
-Deodorant
-Disposable Razors
-Umbrellas
-Mens belts
-Notebooks and pens
-Playing cards and classic board games like chess
-Benadryl
-Sunblock
-Bugspray

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Weekly Community Conversation with State Representative Emilie Kornheiser
Saturday, November 14th, 2020 (and every Saturday), Online. 10am-11am.
Join me to talk about what matters for our community and the type of government that will represent you and your needs
Open conversation format-- come for the full hour or just stop by for a few minutes.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85066825128...
Meeting ID: 850 6682 5128
Passcode: WestB
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,85066825128#,,,,,,0#,,270507# US
Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US
Meeting ID: 850 6682 5128
Passcode: 270507 

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Winter Farmers Market
Saturday, November 14th, 2020 (and every Saturday this Winter) at the C.F. Church Building (80 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 10am-2pm. Masks are required. COVID19 social distancing directives will be observed.
Join us this season at the Brattleboro Winter Farmers Market!
The Brattleboro Winter Farmers’ Market is home to a diverse mix of market vendors bringing local farm produce, meats, syrup, fresh baked goods, local cheeses, fruits, cider, pickles, preserves, handmade soaps and artisan crafts. Pre-COVID19 delicious lunch menus and live music rounded out our weekly market experience but that is not happening this season.
We have a lean but mighty market in store for you this season. We'll have half the number of vendors usually found at our market, and thus we'll be well spread out around the space, allowing for plenty of social distance! You might even find a few hardy souls set up to serve you just outside our door.
Our market's operation mode for this season will be "Shop 'N Go" so sadly that means no cafe' space to gather with friends, no live music, and a closed Kid's Room. But, you will still find a wide variety of all things local - produce, greens, fruits, meats, syrup, honey, fresh baked goods, preserves, tea blends, coffee, handmade soap and more!
Masks are required, and as we will be limiting the number of customers in the market at one time to allow everoyone adequate space, we encourage you to shop alone or in twos, and when possible, leave the little ones at home.
Thanks to generous support from C & S grocers, New England Grassroots Environment Fund, Brattleboro Savings & Loan and Post Oil Solutions, they will be adding a new match for customers using SNAP/EBT. Similar to the Crop Cash program, the "Boost your Bread" will help put more healthy local food on the tables of those who receive SNAP/EBT benefits, while supporting local farmers, bakers and other food producers at the winter market. With both Crop Cash and Boost your Bread, $10 will be triple your buying power, allowing you to purchase $30 worth of food at the market.
For more information, visit their website at https://www.brattleborowinterfarmersmarket.org

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Inaugural Vermont Civil Rights Conference
hosted by the Vermont Human Rights Commission 
Fair Housing: The Consequences of Housing Segregation and Where We Go From Here
Tuesday, November, 17th, 2020-Thursday, November 19th, 2020. Online. To register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKNMb0XjiiY-HP1oys6eE_fZJni4XgY-DuVXHrXsNy3sYnjg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Schedule for Tuesday, November 17th
1pm to 1:15pm: Welcoming 
1:15pm - 3:15pm: Racial Justice and Collective Liberation with Sarika Tandon, Equity Strategist and Racial Justice advocate 
3:30pm to 5pm: Housing Barriers in Vermont: Community Challenges & Collective Solutions

Wednesday, November, 18th, 2020
1pm to 2:30pm: Vermont's Housing Crisis: What Are We Doing About the State’s Consolidated Plan?
2:45pm to 4:15pm: The Fair Housing Act: Critiques and Implications

Thursday, November 19th, 2020: 
3pm to 4pm: The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America with Richard Rothstein
4pm to 5pm: Community Reflections on the Consequences of Housing Segregation and Where We Go From Here

The first 70 individuals to register will receive a copy of The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein - complete this form and we'll be in touch if you're on one of the lucky book recipients https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKNMb0XjiiY-HP1oys6eE_fZJni4XgY-DuVXHrXsNy3sYnjg/viewform?usp=sf_link

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Queer Voices in the Climate Movement
Tuesday, November 17th, 2020, 2020, Online. 7pm.
Register here: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/were-heading-for-extinction-and-what-to-do-about-it-3/. This event will be a queer-focused discussion on the climate crisis and climate activism, but is open to everyone. Please invite any queer or non-queer friends you think may be interested. 
Join us for an online presentation and discussion about queer representation and action in the climate movement. 
• History of LGBT+ social movements: How has the queer community had to come together to effect change in the past?
• Recent climate science: Where do we stand today? What is the reality of our current projections? How does this affect the queer community?
• Climate action: What can we do about it? How do our personal choices and our activism make a difference? What is non-violent direct action (NVDA)?
• Climate, Racial, and Social Justice: What is Climate Justice and how does it relate to racial and social justice? How can we support the intersectionalities of climate justice?

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ICE and Policing in Windham County
hosted by Community Asylum Seekers Project
Thursday, November 19th, 2020, Online. 6:30pm-8pm.
Folks can register for the free event here to receive a link by email.  
Please join the Community Asylum Seekers Project, Migrant Justice, and the Windham County No Más Polimigra campaign for an online workshop on "ICE and Policing in Windham County." This event will will feature a Vermont farmworker and is open to everyone.

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Brattleboro Mother Up! Meet-Up
hosted by 350 Vermont
Sunday, November 22nd, 2020 at the Retreat Farm (Farmhouse Square, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 10am-12pm. Unless eating, masks required for all adults. Masks at parental discretion for kids under age 5.
Join us for another in-person, outdoor, distanced meet-up at Retreat Farm! We'll share gratitudes, walk up to the forest for post-election reflections and next steps, and end with a song. And if it's cold, we have permission to make a fire. Covid guidelines:
* Unless eating, masks required for all adults. Masks at parental discretion for kids under age 5.
* Maintain physical distance
* Snacks (apples, cheese sticks, granola bars, hard-boiled eggs) provided
* Childcare support provided by Mikaela and Max.
* RSVP helpful but not required, either here or email [email protected]
Mother Up!: Families Rise Up for Climate Action is a project of 350 Vermont bringing together families to talk about the tough realities of climate change and to participate in the transition to a healthier and safer world. What Joanna Macy calls the “Great Turning,” or the third revolution, is this unprecedented time where we are called to stop the destruction of our world, to build new life-sustaining practices and ways of being, and to shift our collective consciousness. We especially wish to engage young parents in this vital discussion of how we can make positive changes to protect our planet for our children's future.

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Ecodharma, A Buddhist Path for the Climate Crisis: A Talk with David Loy
hosted by the VT Insight Meditation Center (VIMC)
Sunday, November 22nd, 2020, Online. 1pm-4pm.
Registration and scaled fee are required by contacting the VIMC at https://vermontinsight.org. Zoom log-in details will be emailed to all registrants.
The Vermont Insight Meditation Center (VIMC) will host via  Zoom a talk by activist, writer and Zen teacher David Loy, on the subject of “Ecodharma, A Buddhist Path for the Climate Crisis.” 
Many people have suggested that the ecological crisis is as much a spiritual challenge as a technological and economic one. Does Buddhism offer any special perspective on this imminent catastrophe? Loy argues that Buddhist teachings have important implications for how to understand and respond to the greatest challenge that humanity has ever faced. His talk will focus on the parallels between the usual Buddhist predicament of personal liberation while pointing the way to resolving our collective dilemma.
A national and international  lecturer and prolific author, David Loy’s latest book is Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis. Many of his writings, as well as audio and video talks are available on the web. He is also one of the co-founders of the Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat center near Boulder, Colorado. For more information: www.davidloy.org.

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The Legacy of Nicholas Black Elk
hosted by Vermont Humanities Council and Brooks Memorial Library
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020, Online. 7pm-8pm.
Tickets can be accessed here: https://www.vermonthumanities.org/event/the-legacy-of-nicholas-black-elk-2/.
Historian Damian Costello explores the life of the man behind the famous book Black Elk Speaks. Nicholas Black Elk’s Lakota philosophy can help us see the natural world as a unified whole, and his continued hope amidst great tragedy can inform how we approach contemporary crises.
Damian Costello is a historian and the author of Black Elk: Colonialism and Lakota Catholicism.
This is a free, digital event. Please use the link to register and find additional resources for this session.
Series Underwriter: Chroma Technology Corp.
Statewide Underwriters: Vermont Department of Libraries & Institute of Museum and Library Services

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Red Cross Blood Drive at NECCA
Monday, December 21st, 2020 at NECCA (10 Town Crier Drive, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 12:30pm-5pm.
Give the gift of life! It's easy and so worth while. There are lots of protocols in place to make sure it's very safe with limited appointments, required masks, and on-site temperature checks. Find more info and schedule a time here: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/donation-time 

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COMMUNITY SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES

LGTBQIA+ Resources via Out in the Open

Out in the Open is offering a lot of resources & virtual spaces for rural LGBTQ folks in this time, friends. The full list and calendar is on our website here. We have a Community Care Offers & Asks list, and a list of Rural New England Mutual Aid opportunities, with specific resource links for LGBTQ and QTPOC folks. Out in the Open also has a Slack channel for rural LGBTQ folks to share resources and connect outside of social media. Email [email protected] for more information.

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SURVEY: RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS INTERNET SURVEY FROM THE STATE OF VERMONT
The Vermont Department of Public Service is asking Vermont residents to complete this survey to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected your usage of and need for telecommunications services for telehealth, telework, and remote learning. You can find the survey here:
https://publicservice.vermont.gov/content/residential-and-business-internet-surveys-and-speed-test

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For MASK information, please see our permanent resource here: https://www.wecantogether.net/masks

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Online Religious Services

All Souls U.U. Sunday Services
Sunday Mornings at 10am. 
To get the current information on an upcoming service or vespers check the All Souls web page at www.ascvt.org.

COVID 19 RESOURCES: VERMONT

Money for Past-Due Rent in Vermont During the COVID-19 Crisis
If you need help paying your rent and you have a very low income, call 211. Otherwise, contact your landlord and apply together for the Rental Housing Stabilization Program.
For help with past-due rent, Vermonters should apply for the Rental Housing Stabilization Program through the Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA). VSHA is accepting applications from landlords and tenants, and paying landlords directly to bring the tenant’s rent account current.
The program pays up to the VSHA payment standards. If the landlord wants payment, the landlord must agree to waive rent amounts in excess of the payment standard for all the months paid for. 
When the landlord accepts the money they have to promise to: 

• drop any eviction 
• not start a new eviction for the same number of months (up to six months) in the future as the money pays for
• not raise the rent before January 1, 2021, or the end of your lease term — whichever is later, and 
• make sure the unit is up to code in 30 days.

Important: VSHA has to have applications from both the landlord and the tenant. You should talk to your landlord and agree on the amount you owe. Make sure that amount is on both applications. Apply for this rent help on the VSHA website. If you need help with your landlord, an eviction, or applying for the rent help, contact us at Vermont Legal Aid.

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Statewide Mutual Aid
organized by Brenda for Vermont
Localized Mutual Aid has been organized in Brattleboro and Putney and hyper local neighborhoods in Marlboro.  If your community does not have mutual aid or you can't find it, please sign up to volunteer or if you are in need of help.  All of us will likely be on the side of being able to help and needing help at times.  Please don't hesitate to ask for help.
Sign up here if you would like to help your neighbors or are in need of help:https://www.brendaforvermont.com/cms/help-your-neighbor/
The links below will take you directly to the mutual aid forms. 
To Volunteer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfkRnbDKtNX_SacVaHWPyIAnsSXDGLsDMZE8vys25nzTgUo5A/viewform
If You Need Help: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfw7gg12KNq6n4s7SDUxf1ghMx-0MD3S0RCWQtxqmPTJQI8QA/viewform

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A Message to Vermonters from Senator Bernie Sanders

As a member of the United States Senate, I want to make sure that the citizens of Vermont receive all of the federal benefits and help to which they are entitled. Although I cannot guarantee a particular outcome, I want you to know that my staff and I will do our best to respond to your concerns.
To contact Senator Sanders with a question, concern or comment please use this link: https://www.sanders.senate.gov/services/casework/.
If you want to contact me about your views and concerns regarding legislation and other issues important to you please use the COMMENTS FORM
If this is an emergency, please call: 802-862-0697 (Out-of-State 800-339-9834).
Note: We are currently experiencing a high volume of inquiries. As we do our utmost to assist vulnerable Vermonters, please only complete the form above if you are requesting assistance. Go to General Comments to leave comments and opinions.

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Social Justice Resources

ROOT SOCIAL JUSTICE CENTER MUTUAL AID & SUPPORTIVE NETWORK
The Root Social Justice Center is collecting a list of contacts and resources to help support and assist with the needs of their Root community members. Join if you are in need or are able to help.

RURAL RACIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZING STUDY GROUP TOOLKIT FROM LOST RIVER RACIAL JUSTICE AND OUT IN THE OPEN
     Exciting new resource available to rural communities and beyond who are fighting for racial justice. Lost River Racial Justice and Out in the Open have put together this Rural Racial Justice Organizing Study Group Toolkit to support communities in running their own study groups.
Find the full toolkit on our website here: weareoutintheopen.org/zines--toolkits, link to PDF HERE.
     This toolkit was crafted and created in 2018 and revised after our 2019 Rural Racial Justice Organizing Study Group. The toolkit was created as an act of love by many individuals within our community and in collaboration with The Root Social Justice Center.
    We are releasing this resource now, in early Fall 2020, after years in the making, fueled from the global uprisings for Black Lives Matter and a global pandemic raging across the globe, which disproportionately impacts Black and Brown people. We continue to mourn the murders of Black trans folks, cis Black women, and cis Black men. We build on the collective outrage, and inspiration of global uprisings for Black Lives with the release of this toolkit to support continued organizing in rural communities and all communities.
     This is the long haul work. This Toolkit and Study Group are intended to take time and intention. In a moment where there is the call to action, for white people to do work in dismantling white supremacy, this Toolkit allows a framework for deep learning, conversation, and commitment to engage in rural racial justice work for the long haul, not just in a specific moment.
     We are sharing this widely as an invitation to use this toolkit as a framework and guideline for supporting the development organizing and continued education opportunities within your rural communities.

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FREE HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD IN WINDHAM COUNTY

Brigid’s Kitchen, St. Michael’s Church, 47 Walnut Street, Brattleboro 802-254-6800 or 802-558-6072 
Grab-and-go lunches and fruit/nuts on Mon, Weds, Thus, and Sat, 11:30am-12:20pm.

Loaves and Fishes, Centre Congregational Church 193 Main Street, Brattleboro (802) 254-4730
Grab-and-go lunches on Tuesdays and Fridays at 12pm.

VT Foodbank and Veggie Van Go will be at Brattleboro Union High School (Fairground Ave, Brattleboro, VT, 05301), in the parking lot, on the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month, from 10am-11:30am. Drive up, touchless pickup. Walkers welcome, too. Call VT 211 for more information. 

Foodworks, the food shelf program of the Groundworks Collaborative https://groundworksvt.org (802) 490-2412, [email protected] 
Households in need of food are asked to call or email to coordinate delivery. There is an urgent need for volunteers, and Foodworks has set up protocols to keep staff, volunteers, and clients as safe as possible. Please email us at [email protected] if you are able to help.

Guilford Food Pantry 
Every Thursday at the BBCC (3940 Guilford Center Road, Guilford, VT, 05301). 5pm-6pm.
We know that supplemental food can make such a big difference in one's budget. That is why we are stocking our shelves for our neighbors. All are welcome to come and take home fresh produce, staples, meat, dairy. Guilford Cares welcomes anyone in need of supplemental food for themselves or their families.

NEW: “Everyone Eats!” Food Relief Program Information
If you have questions, contact Frances Huntley at [email protected]
What is this? Everyone Eats!, a food relief pilot program in Brattleboro, leverages federal relief funds to engage local restaurants in making to-go meals for anyone in Brattleboro, Guilford, Vernon, Dummerston, or Putney whose food security has been challenged by the COVID-19 crisis due to unemployment, underemployment, homelessness, and other financial challenges. With eight Brattleboro restaurants, Monday through Thursday, through December 11th, 2020.
When? Monday – Thursday 4pm-6pm
Where?  Individuals/households will be able to pick up meals in the parking lot of the Church Building on Flat Street on a first-come-first-served basis. Organizations will be able to pick up pre-ordered meals at Mama Sezz in West Brattleboro.
Who is eligible? Anyone whose food security has been challenged by the COVID-19 crisis due to unemployment, underemployment, homelessness, and other challenges to well-being who would get relief from receiving meals may participate.
For Individuals
When and where can I receive meals? Meal distribution for individuals is first-come-first-served. Pickup is from 4-6pm on weekdays Monday through Thursday in downtown Brattleboro (location TBA).
Is it free? All who would benefit from a meal are welcome to participate.
Can I give something back to help the program? There is no obligation to pay it back or forward. If what you have to offer in return is your thanks, that’s enough. But if you can share veggies from your garden, there will be a drop-off location on site for bagged or boxed contributions; as much as possible will be used in future meals. And if you would like to make a monetary contribution to help make more meals possible for others, it will be gratefully received. The base cost of each meal is $10 but any amount will be appreciated. Touch-free options for donation include Venmo, Paypal, mailing a check, or providing a donation at the time of pickup.
What will I receive? You will receive one individually packaged cold ready-to-eat or heat & serve dinner for each person you request a meal for.
Do you have vegetarian or vegan/GF options? Yes, you will request your meal choice at the time of pickup.
Is there a limit to how many meals I can get? You can request one meal per person per day for each person in your household. Please note that there is a limit to how many meals will be produced each day. We hope to serve everyone who makes a request but we cannot guarantee it. Meals will be first-come-first-served.
Can I pick up meals for another household? Yes, you can pick up meals for up to three households including your own.
Will my meals be hot or cold? Meals will be distributed cold, so if you are driving a distance, delivering to other households, or distributing through your organization, consider bringing a cooler if you can.
For Organizations
As a representative of an organization, can I request meals on behalf of my clients? Yes. We invite organizations to do bulk pickups for distribution to those they serve.
Is there a limit to how many meals I can pick up? No, but you will need to reserve meals in advance each week using this form.
What will I receive? You will receive individually packaged COLD ready-to-eat or heat & serve dinners for each person you are willing to distribute a meal to.
What options are available? You will choose how many of each type of meal (omnivore, vegetarian, vegan/GF) and which days you will pick up meals for distribution.
Who will be making the food? These meals are being made by independently-owned local restaurants.
Will I need to pick up our meals, or will you deliver to my location? You will need to pick up your requested meals and distribute them to your clients. We cannot deliver them to you.
When and where do I pick up my meals? Pickup for organizations is from 4pm-6pm on weekdays Monday through Thursday in West Brattleboro at Mama Sezz, 127 Marlboro Rd.
How do I request meals for bulk pickup? Organizations must submit their request forms two weeks before the first distribution week and one week before the second, third, and fourth distribution weeks. To get more information about participating and request a form for the first week, contact Frances Huntley at [email protected].
Will I receive a confirmation? After your meal request form is received, you will receive an automated email via Google Forms.
When do you need my form by? Meal request forms must be submitted by the Thursday prior to the week they are for (except for the first week, which must be submitted two weeks prior). You will need to submit a new form each week. If you have already received meals in a prior week, you will receive an email reminder for later weeks.

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Food Discount Programs

Food Resources at Brattleboro Food Coop 
Our Shareholder Assistance Grant supports community members who could not otherwise afford to be a Shareholder at the Co-op. It covers $60 of the $80 cost of a Brattleboro Co-op Share. By joining the Co-op and paying the remaining $20 over the course of a year, a community member can enjoy all the benefits of being a Co-op Shareholder and qualify for our 10% Food for All discount. https://www.brattleborofoodcoop.coop/join/become-a-shareholder/shareholder-assistance-grant/

Food for All is our needs-based discount program. It gives eligible Shareholders a 10% discount on all food at the Co-op, with a few exceptions (such as alcohol). Food for All can apply to anyone that fits the criteria - WIC, 3 Squares Vermont, SSI, EBT, referral letter from a local organization. https://www.brattleborofoodcoop.coop/shop/food-for-all-program/ 

Contact the Shareholder Services department at the Brattleboro Food Co-op for assistance at 802-246-2821 or [email protected]

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Vermont WIC is Responding to Covid 19
We are moving to phone appointments to align with social distancing efforts. If you have opted in to email and text notifications, you will receive important program updates, including information about local office hours and changes in operations. Our website will be kept up-to-date as well. Contact your local office with any questions about breastfeeding, nutrition or shopping. Call 1-800-649-4357 or email [email protected] with any questions about WIC nutrition services and enrollment.

P-EBT (Pandemic EBT) is Available in VT
Many families in Vermont were notified that they would be receiving a food benefit called Pandemic EBT (or P-EBT). P-EBT is loaded on a card and can be used to purchase the groceries at many grocers and farmers markets. If you have school-aged kids, contact your school district to apply for free school meals. If approved, you'll automatically receive P-EBT. 
If you’ve already received P-EBT and also participate in WIC, use your WIC benefits first, as WIC benefits do not rollover month-to-month. dcf.vermont.gov/press-releases/P-EBT

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Business Grants Available

SEVCA Microbusiness Grants Available
Grants are available for microbusinesses impacted by COVID19. Eligible business owners may apply for grant up to $5000 through the EMBRACE micro business direct grant program. More information is available at  https://sevca.org/economic-development/micro-business-development, or you may contact Denise Mason, Director of Economic Development, [email protected] or 800-464-9951.

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ADDITIONAL COVID 19 RESOURCES CAN BE FOUND AT THEIR PERMANENT HOME ON OUR WEBSITE, HERE: https://www.wecantogether.net/covid19_resources

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RESOURCE FOR WeCAN

Rapid Response Text Alert System

When WeCAN began, Song & Solidarity set up a Rapid Response Text Alert System for WeCAN Groups. Directions for signing up are on WeCAN's website, here: https://www.wecantogether.net/rapid_response. We are grateful to Song and Solidarity for providing this service.

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ONGOING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING 

Indigo Radio
Sundays at 12pm on Brattleboro Community Radio 107.7FM. To stream live, visit: www.wvew.org 
Indigo Radio, deepening understanding and making connections! IndigoRadio is a group of area educators seeking to learn through engaging with others in our community and throughout the world. We will be talking about educational and social issues both globally and locally and connecting them to our lives and Brattleboro community. Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indigoradiowvew/. For archive recordings of past shows: https://soundcloud.com/user-654648353. 

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    Until next week, WeCAN Friends. Be well and be safe. 

Your Friendly WeCAN Admins,

Joanna and Sam