Weekly Email Update 8.22.22
“Everything was not lost. This was the message we needed to carry forward. It’s what I truly believed. It wasn’t ideal, but it was our reality—the world as it is. We needed now to be resolute, to keep our feet pointed in the direction of progress.”
Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Becoming
We hope you are enjoying these hazy days of Summer, WeCAN friends, and are perhaps beginning to think about what your Fall activism will look like. Will you spend some time helping get the word out with Planned Parenthood about the Reproduction Liberty Amendment here in VT? Will you dedicate your focus and efforts on Midterm elections in VT and in our neighboring red state of NH, with Lean Left VT? Or will you perhaps stay close to home and volunteer with one of the many local organizations that are headquartered right here in Windham County? If you’re in need of some activism inspiration, take a look at the list of events below and let them guide you to your new local passion. Your talents and efforts are needed now more than ever!
REMINDER: Organizational leaders, please send us your Fall events ASAP! We are also accepting events for early 2023(!). Thank you.
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Lean Left Action of the Week
New Hampshire: November Midterm Elections
Reaching out to young people in New Hampshire to help them make a plan to vote is critical for the September 13th Primary and the November elections! We know that building the power of the youth vote is crucial to our democracy, and that starts by getting youth to the polls during midterm and local elections.
Join the NextGen America text team this week, Monday, and Wednesday & Friday from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. They will provide the script, texting platform, training, and a community to connect with other NextGen volunteers! It is a blast. SIGN UP HERE!
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HAPPENING TODAY,
SUNDAY, AUGUST 21st, 2022
Share the Harvest Stand
brought to you by Edible Brattleboro
Sunday, August 21st, 2022 at the Corner of Elm Street and Frost Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301. 11am-1pm.
Questions or need a different time to drop off veggies? Email Marilyn at [email protected].
Pick up fresh, local veggies for free!
Do you have extra veggies from your garden? Drop them off at the stand between 10:30am-11:30am to share with your community!
Vegan/GF Everyone Eats! meals will be available as well, first come, first served.
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HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
MONDAY, AUGUST 22nd, 2022-SUNDAY, AUGUST 28th, 2022
Silent Vigil of Loving Kindness
Monday, August 22nd, 2022 at Wells Fountain (298-250 VT-30, Brattleboro, VT 05301). 4:30pm-5:30pm.
For further information and to be on the mailing list for future vigils, please contact Tim Stevenson, [email protected].
Under a banner that reads, “Holding a Spaceof Loving Kindness for All Living Beings,” we conduct a silent vigil every other Monday, 4:30pm-5:30pm, at Wells Fountain across from Brooks Library and the Municipal Building, downtown Brattleboro
Our purpose is to serve as a living reminder of the inherent goodness of each of us, as well as our inextricable connection with one another.
For a few minutes or the entire hour, all are welcome to join us in extending sentiments of loving kindness to all living beings: to family and friends, neighbors and strangers, kindred spirits and adversaries, human and non-human beings, alike. And to ourselves, as well. People may choose to stand, kneel, or sit in a chair they bring, or on one of the stone benches circling the Fountain.
Tim Stevenson
Founding Director
Post Oil Solutions
www.postoilsolutions.org
802.869.2141
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Guilford Cares Food Pantry
Thursday, August 25th, 2022 at the Guilford Fairgrounds (163 Fairground Rd, Guilford, VT 05301). 3pm-4pm.
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].
Guilford Cares Food Pantry has moved! The Pantry has moved to the First Aid building at the Guilford Fairgrounds. We will be fully stocked with all our usual grocery items.
The Fairgrounds are on Fairground Road, just off Weatherhead Hollow Road. From Guilford Center Road turn onto Weatherhead Hollow Road. Travel 1.7 miles down the road. The Fairgrounds are on the left and there will be a sign directing you up the hill for about .2 miles. The red building is on the left with a sign out in front. Please remain in your car; we’ll greet you, and give you a shopping list as we have been doing for the past year.
If the Pantry will be closed for any unexpected reason, the closure will be announced on WKVT, WTSA, and Front Porch Forum.
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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A Night for Ukraine at Saxtons River Distillery
Thursday, August 25th, 2022 at Saxtons River Distillery (155 Chickering Drive, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 5:30pm.
For more information, visit: https://docs.google.com/.../1Bakkwpl8.../edit
Hosted by siblings Christian Stromberg, Saxtons River Distillery and Kerry Secrest, Honorary Consul of Lithuania to Vermont
$50/person if purchased by August 16; ($60 afterward. Limited to 75 tickets).
Includes:
One complimentary cocktail/mocktail
Light fare provided by Andrzej’s Polish Kitchen, Grafton Cheese and other local establishments.
Silent Auction
Good company, Good cause!
Online Silent Auction opens August 4th
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Share the Harvest Stand
brought to you by Edible Brattleboro
Sunday, August 28th, 2022 at the Corner of Elm Street and Frost Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301. 11am-1pm.
Questions or need a different time to drop off veggies? Email Marilyn at [email protected].
Pick up fresh, local veggies for free!
Do you have extra veggies from your garden? Drop them off at the stand between 10:30-11:30 to share with your community!
Vegan/GF Everyone Eats! meals will be available as well, first come, first served.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Summer of Solidarity
Friday, September 2nd, 2022 at Pliny Park (corner of High Street and Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 5pm-6pm.
Solidarity Fridays: A collective action focusing on connected global, national, and local outrages. These actions are organized by a coalition of organizations: Brattleboro Solidarity, The Root Social Justice Center, Lost River Racial Justice, Tenants Union of Brattleboro, and 350 Brattleboro. We act with these shared principles:
- Everyone should have what they need.
- People's lives must be valued over profit.
- All of our struggles are tied together.
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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-11am.
Please, no early birds.
Questions? Call 1-800-585-2265 or email [email protected].
Veggie Van Go is a program through the Vermont Foodbank that gives out free produce and local food for people to take home.
ATTENTION: Starting in May, the VT Foodbank asks that participants arrive at the Brattleboro Union High School no earlier than 9:45am. Cars that arrive early will be turned away until the start of the event.
September 5th, 2022 (Labor Day week dates TBA)
September 19th, 2022
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.
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Pierce’s Summer Food Pop-Ups!
hosted by the Putney Foodshelf and Food 4 Kids
Wednesday, September 14th, 2022 at Pierce’s Dance Hall (121 East Putney Falls Road, Putney, VT). (The image attached is incorrect and should read 121 East Putney Falls Road). 1pm-2:30pm.
All are welcome.
Free Summer food for all. Putney area families and individuals are encouraged to attend. Fresh produce and other groceries are available!
*the correct address is 121 East Putney Falls Road
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New Community Food Initiatives
Free Summer Meals for Kids and Teens
Find a site near you! Text “Summer Meals” to 914-342-7744 or go to www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids
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Have You Heard of Farm Stand Together?
Find more info and apply here: https://www.farmstandtogethervt.org/
Delicious Food on your Terms in your Community! From their site:
"We believe that everyone should have access to the delicious foods Vermont farmers are growing and making.
The Farm Stand Together mutual food aid program will be providing gift cards for use at a small selection of farm stands across Vermont. The program is in trial and access in this first round will be limited.
Gift cards will work like regular credit cards at participating farm stands, and can be used to purchase any items at the stand. They can be spent all at once or over time."
Buy what you want and need – there are no strings attached to your gift card. Shop at the location that's most accessible to you.
Use your Farm Stand Together gift card to reduce the cost of buying local food.
Buy food grown and produced thoughtfully to provide nutritious – and delicious – food.
Keep Vermont money in the Vermont community. Shop for your groceries from farmers and producers in your own area.
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ONGOING EVENTS
Recovery Families
hosted by Turning Point
Fridays at Turning Point of Windham County Recovery Center (39 Elm Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 10am-11am.
Young children welcome!
Join other caregivers for connection and support of your own recovery journey or that of someone you love.
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Taking Steps Brattleboro, a program of Brattleboro Area Hospice is offering Advance Care Planning Weekly Zoom Information Sessions on Wednesdays from 10am-11am.
If you are interested in attending the Zoom info session, or want more information about Advance Care Planning, please contact Ruth Nangeroni, Advance Care Planning Program Coordinator at 802-257-0775 ext 101 or [email protected].
Advance care planning ensures that your loved ones and health professionals know what you want in a medical emergency when you are unable to speak for yourself. It’s a process of creating a written health care plan(advance directive) that tells others what you would want if you couldn’t tell them yourself.
Advance Care Planning includes discussing choices about end-of-life (EOL) care with your medical provider, family and others. It involves choosing and educating your Health Care Agent and making informed decisions to complete an Advance Directive. Join us and learn more. Find out if adding a COVID-19 or Dementia provision would be beneficial to include or add to a previously completed Advance Directive.
Brattleboro Area Hospice (BAH) is an independent, non-profit organization that provides non-medical support to dying and grieving community members and volunteer-staffed assistance with Advance Care Planning. BAH is 100% locally funded, and provides services free of charge. Services are available to anyone living in southeastern Vermont or bordering New Hampshire towns.
Advance Care Planning: It’s how people care for one another.
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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESOURCES
Winter Farmers' Market: Call for Vendors
Vendor applications are now being accepted for the 17th season of the Brattleboro Winter Farmers' Market. Our mission is to support sustainable agriculture by providing a viable winter-season direct market outlet for local community-based farms while building community and promoting regional sustainability.
The Winter Market will open for the 2022-23 season on Saturday November 5th and will operate through March 25, 2023. Weekly market hours are 10 am to 2 pm.
A wide array of products are typically offered including locally grown and produced fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, baked goods, handcrafted items such as clothing, jewelry, pottery, soaps, lunch menus and more. Preference is given to regional agricultural vendors, particularly those bringing new unduplicated products to market.
This is a juried market. New vendors or returning vendors with new craft, prepared food or value-added products will need to complete a jury process.
The Market’s sustainability mission places an emphasis on local sourcing for prepared foods sold at the market meaning that our prepared food vendors are expected to feature ingredients sourced from local and regional growers and producers.
The Brattleboro Winter Farmers' Market is a project of Post Oil Solutions, a grassroots citizen sustainability group based in Windham County, VT. Our goal is to raise awareness about sustainable practices for our homes, neighborhoods, and larger communities, and help create the infrastructure needed in our region as we deal with our changing climate. The creation of a community-based food system is a critical component of that infrastructure.
If you are interested in the upcoming Winter Farmers' Market season, we urge you to send in an application soon. The application and market policy information can be found at www.brattleborowinterfarmersmarket.org. For more information call Sherry at (802) 275-2835 or send an email to f[email protected].
Sherry Maher
Co-Manager
Brattleboro Winter Farmers' Market
802-275-2835
a project of
Post Oil Solutions
www.postoilsolutions.org
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Endorse Vermont’s Reproductive Liberty Amendment
Have questions? Please contact Charlie Gliserman, Policy & Prop 5 Campaign Manager at [email protected] or (802) 338-6811.
The Reproductive Liberty Amendment, previously Prop 5, will be a ballot measure in Vermont's 2022 General Election. If passed, it would amend Vermont's constitution to protect every person's right to make their own reproductive decisions, like whether and when to become pregnant, use temporary or permanent birth control, or seek abortion care.
An endorsement is a public statement of support for the Reproductive Liberty Amendment, which may be featured on the Vermont for Reproductive Liberty website (reprolibertyvt.org) and its campaign communications.
An endorsement is a powerful way to show Vermont that you or your organization is proud to support the Reproductive Liberty Amendment. Join us in this campaign, powered by and for Vermonters, to protect reproductive freedom for all.
You can find the endorsement form HERE.
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The Village Closet
on the Wintson Prouty Campus (60 Austine Drive, Brattleboro, VT, 05301), in Croker Hall.
Open Wednesdays from 4pm-6pm and Saturdays from 10am-12pm, or
by appointment. For more information, please email [email protected].
Your source for free baby, children, and pregnancy clothing/items. Donations of gently used items accepted. We are collecting new and "like new" children's coats and winter gear for our Kids in Coats partnership with United Way of Windham County. If you have items to donate, please stop by today if you are able!
On Wednesdays, Everyone Eats will be distributing free dinners on campus from 3:30pm-4:30pm.
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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-11am. 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]
Foodworks has open hours for curbside pickup on Mondays 11am-4pm, Wednesdays 1pm-6pm, Fridays 12pm-4pm, last Saturday of each month from 9am-12pm. Deliveries are available onTuesdays across Windham county. Please email [email protected] or call 802-490-2412 with any questions!
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.
Marlboro Community Food Share
hosted by the Marlboro Community Center
Wednesday 10am-2pm; Thursday 10am-5pm; Friday 10am-12pm; Saturday 10am-12pm at the Marlboro Community Center (524 South Road, Marlboro, VT, 05344).
The Marlboro Community Center invites you to fill a bag with non-perishable grocery items. Food is set up in the main space and is available during our open hours. Eggs and produce on Thursdays as available. No registration or eligibility required. Deliveries can 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)
Guilford Food Pantry
Every Thursday at the Guilford Fairgrounds. 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.
Putney Foodshelf Weekly Open Hours
Fridays at Christian Square, Putney, VT, 05346. 1:30pm-3:30pm.
Saturdays at Christian Square, Putney, VT, 05346. 9am-10:30am. (NEW HOURS!)
We also have a food drop at the Putney Meadows parking lot every 4th Thursday, from 9am-9:45am.
Message us on our FB page HERE, call 802.387.8551, or email [email protected] with questions. www.putneyfoodshelf.org
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.
Everyone Eats continues, including grab-and-go meals at these times and locations:
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There is no longer an Everyone Eats distribution at Turning Point on Sundays, as Edible Brattleboro is dormant in the winter.
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The meals at Retreat Farm are stocked in their farm stand for pick up anytime, first come first serve. We are planning to stock on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Folks receiving services through Foodworks, Loaves and Fishes, and the Brattleboro Community Justice Center can obtain free meals through those organizations.
You can also order Everyone Eats! meals directly from participating restaurants using the Localvore App.
Our Place Drop-In Center at 4 Island Street, Bellows Falls, VT, 05101. Call us at 802-463-2217 for assistance. Email at [email protected]. Please wear a mask to keep our employees and yourself safe.
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Wednesday: 8:30am-4pm
Thursday: 8:30am-1pm
Friday: 8:30am-4pm
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Our Place Drop-In Center operates a food pantry and meal site where they serve breakfast with to-go meals that are ready for pickup by 9am. Lunch is ready by 11:30am.
Everyone is welcome to stop by to get a meal. At this time we are allowing only employees in the building.
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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 1pm 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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We want to remind you, once again, that Covid 19 is still a very real issue here in VT and throughout New England. Please take the necessary precautions to stay healthy, including masking when in crowds or indoors, staying up-to-date on vaccinations, and staying home if you don’t feel well or have been exposed to Covid. Thank you for keeping those who are most vulnerable in our community safe!
Your Friendly WeCAN Editor,
Joanna
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