Weekly Email Update 2.1.21
"Everyone has the power to follow the stock market. If you made it through fifth grade math, you can do it."
Peter Lynch
American investor, mutual fund manager, and philanthropist
(posted in honor of GameStop's meteoric stock market rise, thanks to Reddit)
There are quite a few new events this week, WeCAN readers, so please take a moment and scroll down through the entire email to see what's happening in and around Windham County this week. We would like to remind organizational leaders to please submit their February, March, and April events to [email protected] as soon as you are able for early publication. We hope to see you at an event soon!
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HAPPENING THIS WEEK, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1st, 2021-SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7th, 2021
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.
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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2021 James Baldwin Lecture: Young People Fighting for Climate Justice with Vanessa Nakate and Varshini Prakash
Co-presented with the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies, UMASS Amherst
Monday, February 1st, 2021, Online, 12pm-1:30pm.
To register, please click HERE. For more info contact: [email protected]. This event will be live and recorded on the Feinberg Series website, with a livestream on Facebook and YouTube. Spanish interpretation and closed captioning will be available.
Young people have transformed the climate and environmental movement. Youth of color and youth from the Global South have been especially central in this process.
Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate and executive director of the Sunrise Movement Varshini Prakash ‘15 will reflect on their personal experiences in the movement and share their organizing strategy, insights, and visions for the world they’re fighting to win.
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Everyone Eats!
Monday, February 1st, 2021-Thursday, February 4th, 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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Brattleboro Democracy Forum: Democrats and Democracy After Trump
Monday, February 1st, 2021, Online. 6:30pm. For more information, please contact [email protected] or 802 464 3154.
Nick Biddle PhD. will offer brief comments assessing the nature of the Trump presidency and its consequences. In light of those consequences, how might Democrats repair democracy's damage as they face pandemic, economic turmoil, un-civil cultural war and raging climate crisis? Democratic leaders compare this moment to World War II. What bold steps will work to repair ourselves and our world? General discussion will follow.
Please join the conversation.
Nick has lived in Brattleboro since 2013. He is a retired professor of Latin American History.
This meeting will be recorded and posted on WVEW and BCTV.
To join the Zoom meeting copy this URL into your search bar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86082341850...
Meeting ID: 860 8234 1850
Passcode: 761744
Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 860 8234 18
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Windham County Democrats Meeting
Monday, February 1st, 2021, Online. 6:30pm-8:15pm. Meetings of the Windham County Democrats are open to the public and can be accessed at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrdeihqTkuGdbT2n0t5R2DSzDa5qU-P7Bv
Along with the usual county business, we will receive a presentation by Steve Crofter on the Community Asylum Seekers Project (CASP) and we will be discussing a reverse rummage sale to help refugees in our area.
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Winter Book Study with The Women’s Freedom Center
Tuesday, February 2nd, 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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251 in ’21: Empowering Vermont’s Town Committees
presented by Vermont Democrats
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021, Online. 6:30pm. To RSVP and get login details, go to https://www.vtdemocrats.org/events.
Democrats now occupy the White House and have majorities in both chambers of Congress. Yet, there is an enormous amount of work to be done on issues like climate change, racial justice, and economic equity. All of these require a more capable, a more inclusive, and a re-energized Democratic Party.
Join us on Tuesday, February 2, at 6:30 PM to learn about how Vermont Town Democratic Committees can lead our state forward. Town committees are the roots of democracy, allowing Vermonters to connect with their community, respond to local issues, hold their legislators accountable, and prepare for vital elections.
The Vermont Democratic Party is committed to supporting and empowering voters in towns across the state to be part of this great rebuild. We're calling this initiative "251 in '21" for the two hundred and fifty one towns and cities across our state. Each and every town, no matter how big or small, has a role to play as we work to push VT forward.
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Vermont Humanities First Wednesdays Talk: Female Husbands and Their Wives
organized by Brattleboro Memorial Library
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021, Online. 7pm.
To register, please click HERE.
Some people, assigned female at birth, transcended gender and lived as men in the 18th and 19th centuries, despite tremendous risk of violence. Amherst history professor Jen Manion provides examples of such people and the women they married. Press reports on these relationships exposed dynamic, contested, and varied stories of love, courage, and loss.
Jen Manion is Associate Professor of History at Amherst College and author of Liberty’s Prisoners: Carceral Culture in Early America.
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Vermont Humanities First Wednesdays Talk: Slow Democracy and the Power of Neighborliness
organized by the First Congregational Church of Manchester
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021, Online. 7pm.
To register, please click HERE.
Author and advocate Susan Clark explains the Slow Democracy movement in which ordinary people mobilize to find local solutions to local problems. In the process some find they can bridge the “us-them” divide so prevalent in our national politics.
Susan Clark is a writer and educator focusing on community sustainability and engagement. She is the coauthor of Slow Democracy: Rediscovering Community, Bringing Decision Making Back Home, with Woden Teachout; and All Those in Favor, a book about Vermont town meetings, with Frank Bryan.
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Vermont Humanities First Wednesdays Talk: We Are Still Here
organized by Kellog-Hubbard Library
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021, Online. 7pm.
To register, please click HERE.
In this online Farmers Night program, father and son storytellers and musicians Joseph and Jesse Bruchac of the Nulhegan Abenaki Nation will use drum, flute, rattle, and vocals to address the continued presence and vibrant cultural heritage of the Wabanaki Nations of Ndakinna, with special emphasis on the years of the Vermont Eugenics project and the long struggle for government recognition
Dr. Joseph Bruchac Is an internationally known storyteller, writer, and musician with over 170 books in print, including many titles focusing on Wabanaki history and culture.
Jesse Bruchac is a fluent speaker of the Abenaki language and has performed throughout the United States and abroad as a musician and traditional storyteller. Author of several bilingual books and also an extensive dictionary of the Abenaki language, He has worked as a translator and language coach for a number of television and film projects, including the PBS series Jamestown and the National Geographic movie Saints and Strangers.
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Vermont Humanities First Wednesdays Talk: The News About the News
organized by Goodrich Memorial Library
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021, Online. 7pm
To register, please click HERE.
In today’s political and cultural atmosphere, it is vital the public stays informed and the press does its job. Journalists Cindy Skrzycki and Pulitzer Prize winner David Shribman examine the current media landscape, distinguishing between fake and real news, amateur and professional, slanted and objective.
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Vermont Humanities First Wednesday Talks: Cannabis: Medical Uses and Public Safety
organized by Vermont Humanities Digital Channel
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021, Online. 7pm.
UVM Pharmacology professor Dr. Karen Lounsbury reviews the history of cannabis and the medicinal products derived from it, as well as the benefits, risks, and the therapeutic potential of medical cannabis. She’ll include time for questions and open discussion after this interactive session.
Dr. Karen Lounsbury is a Professor of Pharmacology and the Director of the Foundations Medical Curriculum for the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont.
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Statewide LGBTQ+ Town Hall Series: Rural Queerness
a collaborative project series with the LGBTQIA+ Alliance of Vermont- Outright Vermont, Pride Center of Vermont, and the Rainbow Umbrella of Central VT
Thursday, February 4th, 2021, Online. 7pm. For more information and registration go to pridevt.com. To sign up, please click HERE.
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, February 4th, 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, February 4th, 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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Putney Food Shelf
Saturday, February 6th, 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, February 6th, 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 newsletter. Order 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, February 6th, 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.
Rep Emilie Kornheiser hosts Community Conversations every Saturday. The zoom room will open at 10am and I hope you can join. 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.
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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UPCOMING EVENTS
Seeing and Disrupting Racism
presented by the Peace & Justice Center
Monday, February 22nd, 2021, Online. 6pm-8pm.
Suggested fee is $10 for Vermonters, $15 from those out of state. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Those under 25 are not expected to contribute financially. Not sure if you should pay less, nothing, or more? View our Sliding Scale document on the registration form to choose an amount that feel appropriate to you.
This introductory-level workshop defines racism and white fragility, explores how white fragility perpetuates racism, and challenges participants to consider what steps they can take to disrupt racism at every level. This workshop was developed for predominantly white audiences, but all are welcome. Space is limited, registration is required (register below). These workshops are not recorded.
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Vermont Food Bank Food Drop
hosted by the Putney Foodshelf
Thursday, February 25th, 2021
Thursday, March 25th, 2021
Thursday, April 22nd, 2021
Thursday, May 27th, 2021
Thursday, June 24th, 2021 at Putney Meadows (17 Carol Brown Way, Putney, VT 05346). 9:30am-10:15am. Everyone is welcome. No questions asked!
The Vermont Foodbank will be bringing food to Putney. There will be lots of produce along with other nonperishable food. The Vermont Foodbank truck will park on the side of the road in the big U (Alice Holway Drive).
Drivers: Shoppers will stay in their cars until called. Until further notice, shoppers can pick up for no more than two households.
Walkers: Stay tuned for instructions.
If you have never participated in this before, volunteers will be available to explain how it works!
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Red Cross Blood Drive at the Winston Prouty Campus
Saturday, February 27th, 2021
Saturday, March 27th, 2021
Saturday, April 17th, 2021
Saturday, May 22nd, 2021
Saturday, June 26th, 2021
Saturday, July 24th, 2021
Saturday, August 28th, 2021
Saturday, September 25th, 2021
Saturday, October 23rd, 2021
Saturday, November 27th, 2021
Saturday, December 18th, 2021 at the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development (Austine Drive, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 9am-3pm. To help make these events possible by volunteering, please contact Lisa Whitney at [email protected].
Winston Prouty and the American Red Cross are hosting monthly blood drives throughout 2021.The Red Cross has over 135 years of experience providing humanitarian aid including more than 75 years of supplying blood to those in need. Each pint of blood we collect can help save up to three lives and will touch the lives of so many more. What a great way to pay it forward and make an impact on people in our community and across the country.
You can participate by donating blood or by volunteering to help support the event (set-up/clean-up, registration, parking, etc).
Sign up to DONATE blood here:
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=
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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, 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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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 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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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.
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Brattleboro Community Safety Review Key Findings
courtesy of Out in the Open and Brattleboro Solidarity, amongst others
Tuesday was a big day at the Selectboard meeting, where some big steps towards taking action around the Key Findings and Recommendations of the Brattleboro Community Safety Review took place.* As a community we have long haul work to do towards these recommendations and we are so grateful to be working with a group of Brattleboro Town and area residents involved in diverse and collective movements for liberation and social justice.
In a continuing effort to make the content and information for the Brattleboro Community Safety Review Report more accessible to folks, take a listen to the the audio recording of the Key Findings and Recommendations document, a 22 page excerpt of the 223page Final Report.
Listen on our website or wherever you listen to podcasts by searching Out in the Open Radio Hour: weareoutintheopen.org/radio-hour
Follow the audio along with Key Findings and Recommendations Document. And through these images, produced to also support visual with accessibility.
Take Action: add your name to the over 250 individuals and 37 businesses and organizations, calling upon the Brattleboro Selectboard to adopt the recommendations of the Final Report on the Community Safety Review Process in full and to direct Town staff to begin implementing them as written."
Thank you so much to our community members HB Lozito, Jo Lum, Eli Coughlin-Galbraith, and one anonymous community member for taking the time and energy to record this important document!
*At the 1/19/21 Selectboard meeting, the Selectboard voted 3-2 to not increase the BPD training budget from the already existing budget. (The BPD had a %40 increase in the training budget requested).
Additionally, at the 1/19/21 Selectboard Meeting the Selecboard passed the motion 5-0, that "The SB gratefully accepts the Community Safety Report and directs staff to provide additional info regarding the recommendations in that report to help the SB make decision in Town actions to move forward in this work."
Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Brattleboro Solidarity and Out in the Open for the fantastic, easily accessible information on Facebook.
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COVID 19 RESOURCES: VERMONT
CURRENT COVID19 CASE INFORMATION as of 12pm, January 29th, 2021
New cases: 133 (11,658 total) (-50 from last week)
Currently Hospitalized: 57 (+14)
Hospitalized in ICU: 11 (+5)
Hospitalized Under Investigation: 3 (-2)
Deaths: 172 (+5)
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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 VACCINE INFORMATION
More than 48,000 People Now Vaccinated in Vermont
There are now 48,220 people who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Vermont, including nearly 5,000 who are age 75 and older, according to the Vaccine Dashboard.
At Friday’s press conference, state officials said more than 32,500 Vermonters age 75 and older have made appointments at community clinics, which began vaccinations this week.
“I can’t pass up the opportunity to again say how proud I am of our teams, especially in our local health offices,” said Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD. “Even though the COVID- 19 vaccine rollout is an unprecedented effort, this is part of what we do, bringing health services to our communities.”
“When you think about this total undertaking — that involves so many moving parts and details — it can be easy to lose sight of the big picture,” Dr. Levine said. “But I hope many of us got a glimpse of that big picture this week... on the faces of our own parents or grandparents we are that much closer to hugging... of our older neighbors who will no longer feel isolated in their homes... and of our friends and co-workers sharing their own relief that their loved ones will be protected from this virus.”
“We have many more people to reach with these vaccines, but each of these moments helps us look ahead with hope,” Dr. Levine added.
And remember, when you do get vaccinated, it takes time for the vaccine to train your body to fight COVID-19, so you may not be protected by the vaccine until a few weeks after your second dose. This is similar to the flu vaccine, which can take up to two weeks to be fully effective. In the meantime, keep up all the same precautions including wearing a mask, keeping a distance from people you don’t live with, and avoiding gatherings and travel.
New on healthvermont.gov
Of the more than 1,100 child care programs in Vermont, there have been 6 outbreaks. Learn more about COVID-19 in Child Care Settings in the latest Weekly Data Summary Spotlight.
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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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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
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.
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.
Everyone Eats! 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, Monday-Thursday through June 2021.
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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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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Have a great week, WeCAN Community! Please remember to get those February, March, and April events into [email protected] ASAP!
Your Friendly WeCAN Admins
Joanna and Sam
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