Weekly Email Update 1.18.21

Weekly Email Update 1.18.21

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.
– Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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HAPPENING TODAY, SUNDAY, JANUARY 17th, 2021

The Intersectionality of Gender-Based Violence
sponsored by Windham World Affairs Council
Sunday, January 17th, 2021, Online. 4pm-5:30pm.
Register for this event: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_bhVmY1XTSZSR_2zMDDlShQ. This talk is free and everyone is welcome to attend.
The Windham World Affairs Council is pleased to announce an online Zoom panel discussion by five panelists – Willow O’Feral (Haptic Pictures), Aida Oualate (Justice and Dignity for the Women of Sahel), Patricia Pedroza González (Keene State College), Mei-Ling Ellerman (Brandeis University), and an advocate of the Women’s Freedom Center. They will dialogue about the intersectionality of gender-based violence (GBV), answering the questions:
How do patterns of social injustice, marginalization, discrimination and cultural bias shape GBV? How have these dynamics shifted in the context of the pandemic?
Examined through multiple lenses – race/ethnicity, refugee, LGBTQ, religion, and rurality/urbanity, panelists share their stories, perspectives and experiences. We hope you will join us for this important and timely discussion. The panel will begin promptly at 4:00 PM and last until 5:30 PM. A recording will be shared on WWAC social platforms.
Panelist Biographies:
The Women’s Freedom Center is a Brattleboro-based domestic and sexual violence resource organization, representing Windham & southern Windsor counties. They support survivors of gender-based violence of all genders, and have been doing this work in our community for 46 years.
We welcome your donations to support our panelists. Please especially consider donating to Justice and Dignity for the Women of Sahel, and The Women’s Freedom Center. Donations to WWAC can be made on our website.

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HAPPENING THIS WEEK, MONDAY, JANUARY 18th, 2021-SUNDAY, JANUARY 24th, 2021

National Day of Service/Official PIC Event
from the Biden Inaugural Committee
Monday, January 18th, 2021, Online. 9am-8pm.
Join us for the National Day of Service on January 18 in honor of #MLKDay in giving back and serving our communities.
We’re partnering with service leaders and organizations to organize safe events that focus on COVID-19 relief and address challenges exacerbated by the pandemic: hunger, racial injustice, homelessness, and more.
Learn more and sign up to volunteer in your community at biden
Shop Official Inauguration Merch: https://store.bideninaugural.org/
Follow the Biden - Harris Presidential Inaugural Committee!Twitter: https://twitter.com/BidenInaugural
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bideninaugural
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bideninaugural

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Celebrating Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at the Brattleboro Food Coop
Monday, January 18th, 2021-Sunday, January 24th, 2021, Online. All Day. 
Check out these wonderful, local non-profits all week on our social media handles: @BrattleboroFoodCoop on Facebook and Instagram!
For the last four years the BFC has welcomed organizations from our community into the store on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This year, instead, we will dedicate all our social media presence to MLK Day for the entire week starting January 18th.
We’ll be featuring one of seven organizations each day with a short video and other informative posts, and we hope you’ll tune in, donate some money, and perhaps some time, too - our Commitment to Community program allows our Shareholders to receive work credit towards their Working Shareholder discount through volunteering at community organizations.
Thank you to our incredible community!

 

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Everyone Eats! 
Monday, January 18th, 2021-Thursday January 21st, 2021 at the C.F Building (80 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 4pm-6pm. Masks required. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE EARLY.  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.

 

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Youth 4 Change Community MLK Day Celebration Celebrating BIPOC
Monday, January 18th, 2021, Online. 5pm-7pm.

The Zoom link can be found here: https://ascvt.org/MLK-day
We are having a discussion followed by a Q&A with a group of BIPOC panelists who will answer a set of questions provided by us, that will touch on their experiences of the past year, how it feels to educate others as a BIPOC, as well as sharing their personal tools for healing. Following that we are holding breakout rooms for BIPOC and for White Folks so that we can decompress from the panel and share our thoughts.
We will wrap up our time together by coming back into shared space for music and dancing!! We hope to see you there! 

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Candlelight Vigil at Home to Honor Lives Lost to Covid19 with President-Elect Biden
Tuesday, January 19th, 2021, at Your Home. 5:30pm.

To set the tone for his inauguration the next day, President-elect Biden will lead a memorial to remember and honor lives lost to COVID-19, with church-bell ringings and light shows across the country on Tuesday, January 19th, at 5:30 p.m. According to the Presidential Inaugural Committee, the ceremony will feature the first-ever lighting around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. to memorialize American lives lost. 
The committee is asking cities and towns nationwide to participate in the event by illuminating buildings and ringing church bells at the same time, "in a national moment of unity and remembrance." 
With the resumption of post holiday COVID precautions in Vermont that ask us to avoid gatherings of people who don’t know each other, we ask people to gather at their own homes at that time and not gather collectively in town.

 

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Winter Book Study with The Women’s Freedom Center
Tuesday, January 19th, 2021 (and on Tuesdays thereafter until February 16th, 2021), Online. 6pm-7:30pm.
Contact the WFC at 802-257-7364 or advocates@womensfreedomcenter.net to sign up. 
The Women's Freedom Center is facilitating a 5-week Winter Book Study.  We will meet Tuesdays 6pm-7:30pm via Zoom starting January 19th.  
Coming on the heels of the Community Safety Review, we will read the 2020 book Prison by Any Other Name by Victoria Law and Maya Schenwar. The purpose of the book study is to analyze the very systems we work within -- and how to do better.

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The Official Presidential Inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris
Wednesday, January 20th, 2021, Online. 12pm-6pm.

Join us virtually to watch the 2021 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The 59th Presidential Inauguration will be a historic and exciting event that showcases the strength and diversity of our nation — and one that every American can enjoy from their home.
While the inauguration will look different, we will continue to honor the inaugural traditions Americans have always known: an official outdoor swearing-in ceremony, community service events, a reimagined parade, and virtual celebrations that bring the country together.
We're inviting all Americans to be a part of this inauguration by watching from home, rather than traveling to Washington, DC, in accordance with public health guidelines.
Make sure to RSVP and share with your friends and loved ones. Stay tuned for more updates on this event in the coming weeks!
Learn more about the Inauguration: bideninaugural.org
Shop Official Inauguration Merch: store.bideninaugural.org
Follow Along:
twitter.com/BidenInaugural
instagram.com/bideninaugural
youtube.com/bideninaugural

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Statewide LGBTQ+ Town Hall Series
a collaborative project series with the LGBTQIA+ Alliance of VermontOutright VermontPride Center of Vermont, and the Rainbow Umbrella of Central VT
Thursday, January 21st, 2021-Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021, Online. 7pm. For more information and registration go to pridevt.com
Join for a Statewide LGBTQ+ Town Hall Series starting on January 21st and going through March 2nd. There will be weekly Town Hall Sessions on- Health Justice, Housing, Rural Queerness, Youth, Aging, and Racial Justice. We'll be culminating the series with a Statewide LGBTQ+ Town Meeting.
Join to share what is important to you and explore ways we can build together across the state! We're looking forward to seeing you there.

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Marlboro Community Food Share
hosted by the Marlboro Community Center
Thursday, January 21st, 2021, 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 802-258-3030 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, January 21st, 2021 (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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Vermont Food Bank’s Veggie Van Go Upcoming Schedule
The First and Third Mondays of Every Month in the parking lot across the street from the main entrance to Brattleboro Union High School (131 Fairground Road, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 10am-11:30am. 
Veggie Van Go is a program through the Vermont Foodbank that gives out free produce and local food for people to take home.
Friday, January 22nd, 2021 (This is a Friday) 
Monday, February 1st, 2021
Monday, February 15th, 2021
Monday, March 1st, 2021
Monday, March 15th, 2021
Monday, April 5th, 2021
Monday, April 19th, 2021
Monday, May 3rd, 2021
Monday, May 17th, 2021
Monday, June 7th, 2021
Monday, June 21st, 2021

Important information:

  • Drive through model- please stay in your vehicles
  • If you are walking there: see a Vermont Foodbank associate but please make sure to stay 6 feet back.
  • There are no income requirements, registration or paperwork to participate
  • You do not need to be present to get food: you may ask someone to pick up on your family's behalf.

For questions, please contact the WSESU VVG Program Coordinator:
Kira Sawyer-Hartigan, WSESU
53 Green Street
Brattleboro, VT 
[email protected]
(802)254-3730

 

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Putney Food Shelf
Saturday, January 23rd, 2021 (and every Saturday until April 4th, 2021) at 10 Christian Square (Putney, VT, 05346). 9am-11am.
Curbside Open Hours. All are welcome - we just ask you to provide your town of residence and number in household for our data tracking purposes.
Stay in your car, please. Volunteers will take your order and bring out boxes of food, including nonperishable items, fresh produce, paper goods, meat, and dairy products.

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Winter Farmers' Market Online Shop
Saturday, January 23rd, 2021 at the C.F. Church Building, 80 Flat Street, Brattleboro ,VT, 05301). For the most up to date info on current market operations or other market information go to www.brattleborowinterfarmersmarket.org, or sign up for our newsletterOrder Monday through Thursday morning for Curbside Pick up from 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. 
SNAP/EBT customers can turn $10 into $40 each week through January with market match coupons thanks to grants from NOFA-VT, C&S Wholesale Grocers, New England Grassroots Fund, Brattleboro Savings & Loan, and gifts from caring community members.  
Due to COVID19 the market is currently NOT open for in-person shopping.  However, you can select from a wide variety of farm products, locally produced foods and other goods from over 20 local producers in one convenient place. While the shopping experience is different, you still go home from your curbside pick up with all the same wonderful local goods market customers are used to! 
For more information, visit their website at https://www.brattleborowinterfarmersmarket.org

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Community Conversations with Representative Emilie Kornheiser
Saturday, January 23rd, 2021, Online. 10am.
Please register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtce-grD4rGNxo9FEE3R8zKpRSj_qBTz03 . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
This Saturday I’ll be hosting my final community conversation of 2020. The Zoom room will open at 10am and I hope you can join. I’ll share priorities for the new year and listen for yours. We’ll discuss what matters for our community and the type of government that will best represent you and your needs. Open conversation format-- come for the full hour or just stop by for a few minutes to share a particular concern or question. 
The legislative session begins on January 6th and we’ll begin hosting weekly conversations again that Saturday (the 9th at 10am.)

 

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Speaking Up: Histories of American Protest and Activism (Part of the 2021 Virtual Winter Lecture Series)
presented by Historic Deerfield
Sunday, January 24th, 2021 at 3pm
Sunday, February 28th, 2021 at 3pm
Sunday, March 28th, 2021 at 3pm
Gain access here: zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4eJ8JhtvSc2UsQkgsZ2M7g. Free, registration is required. This lecture series will be presented live via Zoom webinar. The link to the webinar will be sent to registrants prior to the event. Webinars will be recorded and available to registrants for viewing for two weeks after the live event.
Protest and dissent are an integral part of American political and cultural identity. Join us this winter for three virtual webinars devoted to exploring vibrant, lesser-known histories of American activism including the radical abolition movement of the 19th century, how women of color transformed the women’s suffrage movement, and the raucous electoral politics of the post-Civil War era.

 

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Coffee with Coffey
Sunday, February 7th, 2021, Online. 3pm-4pm.
You can access the Zoom HERE. 
The legislative session begins on January 6th and if you live in my district please join me this Sunday, December 6th for "Coffee with Coffey" 3-4pm over Zoom. These monthly coffee hours (held on the first Sunday of each month) are as a way to stay connected with the issues and our neighbors. I will share my priorities for the coming session, answer questions and listen to your ideas and concerns. If you cannot make it to a coffee hour please don't hesitate to get in touch by phone or email. 
Hope to see you! Be well and take good care, 
Sara Coffey 
State Representative 
Windham-1/Guilford & Vernon 
email: [email protected] 
home phone: 802-257-0288

 

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Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holliday by Angela Y. Davis
presented by the Pioneer Valley Project Racial Justice Book Group
Monday, March 8th, 2021,
Monday March 22nd, 2021
Monday April 12th, 2021
Monday, April 26th, 2021, Online. 7pm-8:30pm.
The book group is free for PVP members. We request a $25 donation (or other amount that works for you) from non-members. Please register here: https://forms.gle/ihScrVQ3Ydjh5ZNm6.
We invite you to join this multi-racial and anti-racist, liberty filled space to learn, share and build community. "From one of this country's most important intellectuals comes a brilliant analysis of the blues tradition that examines the careers of three crucial black women blues singers through a feminist lens. Angela Davis provides the historical, social, and political contexts with which to reinterpret the performances and lyrics of Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday as powerful articulations of an alternative consciousness profoundly at odds with mainstream American culture."

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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Parenting for Social Justice: Tips, Tools, and Inspiration for Conversation and Action with Kids
A New Book by Local Author Angela Berkfield
Additional Information: For more information and to pre-order the book visit the Parenting for Social Justice site (direct link: https://www.parenting4socialjustice.com
Looking for support in talking with kids about topics like immigration, racism, homelessness, and gender identity?
Check out this new book, Parenting 4 Social Justice: Tips, Tools and Inspiration for Conversation & Action with Kids, due out in March of 2021.
Written in collaboration with other parents by local activist, social justice educator and parent, Angela Berkfield
Overview: This heart-centered book provides tips and tools, including plain-language conversation starters, to use with children ages 0–10. Stories from diverse parents across the U.S. are woven into chapters on race, class, gender, disability, and collective liberation. Whether in your family or your wider community, the time has never been better to introduce kids to the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to show up for social justice.

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From State Representative Emilie Kornheiser:
The legislative session begins on January 6th and I will be sworn in remotely from the same spot in my house that I’ve been sitting since we came home on March 13th, 2020. I’m glad we made the decision to continue remotely for the sake of our community’s health and the health of all the incredible people who work to support the legislative process. Unfortunately it also means that our work will be slower, less collaborative, and good compromise might often be hard to reach. 
The renewed transparency makes it almost worth the awkwardness: you have more opportunities to follow our work without driving up the highway! You can watch any committee hearings or floor sessions via youtube (here) and testifying is easier. If there is an issue that you’re knowledgeable about— either because of your life experience or your work— please let me know. I also know that figuring out what’s happening in the legislature is a full time job and you probably have some other things to do. To keep you updated:

  • I’ll be hosting weekly conversations registration link here); 
  • Unpacking legislation with Olga Peters on the Montpelier Happy Hour each Friday; and
  • Sending out regular newsletters as well as updating my social media feeds. 

Please let me know if there is a topic of particular interest to you and I’ll do my best to keep you informed.
Please keep in mind, too, I’m still available for help navigating any services (or lack) with you: unemployment insurance, housing challenges, health care. I know that it’s really hard right now, and I’m humbled to be right here in it with all of you. Call, email, message my website-- whatever works.
All my contact information and links can be found at emiliekornheiser.org

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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 hereWe 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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120 Birge Street Collective
The 120 Birge St.  collective is a group of local artist/musician/poets/builders etc that have been sharing a collective art/music space in one of the old Estey buildings. It has been a wild year; Winter is on it's way and although there are so many causes we all need to be giving to in this world, we could definitely use a bit of help to keep our space alive and come out the other side of this all ready to host and promote and foster and keep the lights and heat on! People can donate via Venmo @minions. Thanks for your consideration/support!

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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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COVID 19 RESOURCES: VERMONT

CURRENT COVID19 CASE INFORMATION as of January 15th, 2021

New cases: 142 (9734 total)
Currently Hospitalized: 44
Hospitalized in ICU: 6
Hospitalized Under Investigation: 6
Deaths: 163 (+8 from last week)

 

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Covid 19 Pop-Up Testing

Testing is available for all. 
If you need testing, there are a variety of options available to you: your primary care provider, pop-up test sites and pharmacies. The Test Site Finder below can help you find other testing near you.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT POP-UP TESTING LOCATIONS
Here are the steps to set up a testing appointment at a pop-up testing site:

  • Register to get an account
  • Receive an email with your patient ID and use that to confirm your account (check your spam folder if you don't see the email)
  • Log in with your patient ID
  • Set up an appointment

Register for Pop-Up Testing Here

 

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NEW COVID 19 STATEWIDE GUIDELINES  Effective Saturday, November 14th, 2020 at 10pm.

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COVID 19 VACCINE INFORMATION

COVID-19 vaccine registration for people 75 and older will begin Jan. 25 State officials announced at Friday’s press conference that registration for the COVID-19 vaccine for people who are 75 years and older will begin on January 25. Vaccine clinics will start on January 27. People will register online, or by calling a phone number. The website and phone number will be announced on or before January 25, in addition to other details.
“Now that Vermonters know more about our plans, we are anticipating plenty of interest and questions,” said Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD. “This will be good news for many people, but I again need to ask for your patience and help as we finalize our systems so they can be rolled out as smoothly as possible.”
You will not be able to make an appointment by calling any other Health Department phone number. Please do not call your health care provider or hospital for vaccine appointments. “By waiting until we have more details to share, you’ll be helping our staff focus on the difficult and complex work to prepare for this next phase,” Dr. Levine said.
Dr. Levine also announced that people who have certain high-risk health conditions will be able to receive the vaccine once vaccinations of the 65+ age groups are complete. These are medical conditions that put people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 as identified by the CDC. Severe illness is defined as hospitalization, admission to the ICU, intubation or mechanical ventilation, or death.
These are:

  • Current cancer

  • Chronic kidney disease

  • COPD, also called emphysema

  • Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies

  • Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system)

  • Severe obesity

  • Pregnancy

  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus

  • Down Syndrome

  • Sickle cell disease

    Dr. Levine also emphasized the state’s commitment to addressing the historical and current factors that contribute to health disparities.
    “There is no question that members of certain demographic groups have been disproportionately overrepresented in Vermont’s COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death rates,” he said. “This means we must prioritize these groups to reach our goal of preserving life and protecting those most at risk.”
    “We have been working with community leaders, we have listened, and we are committed to continuing to right past wrongs. We will ensure that this community gets the support they need, in the language they need, in the locations they need, to make informed choices and to get scheduled for vaccinations,” Dr. Levine said.

 

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Free In-Home Covid19 Testing
sponsored by United Way of Windham County
People who are in need of a covid test and do not have transportation should call VT Public Transit at 802-442-0629 or toll free at 1-833-387-7200. VT Transit will contact your provider to confirm and get necessary info. They are using an ambulance service thru VT Department of Health which will do FREE IN-HOME testing and then transport your specimen to a local lab. VT Transit takes initial info and contacts the local EMS and VDH.

 

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School and Child Care Guidance
Strong and Healthy Start: Safety and Health Guidance for Vermont Schools
Mental Health: A Strong and Healthy Start: Social, Emotional and Mental Health Supports During COVID-19
Child care: Health Guidance for Child Care and Out of School Care

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES, DURING COVID 19:

What if you are isolated (or quarantined) with your abuser? Reach out for the help you need. Law enforcement is continuing to respond to calls. Hotlines and shelters will remain open. Contact the Vermont Network for more information about your local organization.

  • Vermont Network(link is external)
  • Vermont Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-228-7395
  • Vermont Sexual Violence Hotline: 800-489-7273
  • LGBTQ+ Survivor Support-line: 802-863-0003
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
  • If you’re unable to speak safely: Log onto thehotline.org(link is external) or text LOVEIS to 22522
  • If you are in an emergency situation: Call 911

 

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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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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.

 

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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.

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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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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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Are you celebrating the Biden/Harris Inauguration with flair? Send us your pics and your info and we'll feature you in next week's Email! Until then...

Your Friendly WeCAN Admins,

Joanna and Sam

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