Windham County Action Network (WeCAN)

"When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn."
Harriet Beecher Stowe
American abolitionist and author. She came from the Beecher family, a famous religious family, and is best known for her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, which depicts the harsh conditions for enslaved African Americans

 There are quite a few new entries in this week's Update, Friends. Take a moment, grab a chair and your calendar, and do your best to make a commitment to join one or more of these actions. Many hands make light work and we hope that you will consider lending your hands to work worth doing. We hope to see you at an event soon! 

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HAPPENING TODAY, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th, 2020

Brattleboro Mother Up! Meet-Up
Sunday, September 27th, 2020 at Retreat Farm (Farmhouse Square, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 10am-12pm.
Join us for another in-person, outdoor, distanced meet-up at Retreat Farm! Guidelines:
* We would like to keep our group size under 25. You can respond to this FB event, but please email [email protected] to confirm.
* Unless eating, masks required for all adults. Masks at parental discretion for kids under age 5.
* Maintain physical distance
* Snacks (apples, cheese sticks, granola bars, hard-boiled eggs) provided
* Childcare support provided by Mikaela.
We'll share gratitudes, walk up to the forest for an action-oriented discussion including the upcoming election, and end with a song. Can't wait to see some of you in person!
Mother Up!: Families Rise Up for Climate Action is a project of 350 Vermont bringing together families to talk about the tough realities of climate change and to participate in the transition to a healthier and safer world. What Joanna Macy calls the “Great Turning,” or the third revolution, is this unprecedented time where we are called to stop the destruction of our world, to build new life-sustaining practices and ways of being, and to shift our collective consciousness. We especially wish to engage young parents in this vital discussion of how we can make positive changes to protect our planet for our children's future.
Join us on Facebook ~ www.facebook.com/groups/1575656819412318 

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Share the Harvest Stand
brought to you by Edible Brattleboro
Sunday, September 27th, 2020, and every Sunday during the Summer, at the corner of Elm Street and Frost Street in Brattleboro, VT, 05301. 11am-1pm. For more information please email [email protected] Please wear a mask. 
Pick up FREE fresh veggies and/or drop off surplus from your garden to share. Please supply your own bags.  

HAPPENING THIS WEEK, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th, 2020-SUNDAY, October 4th, 2020

Everyone Eats! EXTENDED THROUGH DECEMBER 11th, 2020!!
Monday, September 28th, 2020-Thursday, October 1st, 2020 at the C.F Building (80 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 4pm-6pm. Masks required. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE EARLY. You can pick up meals for up to three households including your own. If you have any questions visit https://www.brattleboro.com/everyoneeats/ or contact Frances Huntley [email protected]. Organizational ordering information is listed under our Free and Nutritious Food in Windham County section further along in this email. 
Everyone Eats! is a program which will distribute meals from Brattleboro restaurants to anyone in need who lives in Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, Putney, or Vernon, free of charge, through December 11th. There will be 850+ meals/day available Monday through Thursday to serve our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pick up for individuals will be at the C.F. Church Building at 80 Flat St in Brattleboro and group/institution orders can be picked up at Mama Sezz in West Brattleboro. All meals are available Monday-Thursday between 4pm and 6pm until supplies run out.
If you have extra produce from your garden, there will be a wheelbarrow you can drop it off in on your way out of the pickup site. Participating restaurants will use the donated produce in making more meals.
The meals are free, but if you would like to make a monetary contribution to help make more meals possible for others, it will be gratefully received. The base cost of each meal is $10 but any amount will be appreciated.
Which restaurants are contributing food? A Vermont Table, Dosa Kitchen, Duo, Hazel, Indian Masala, MamaSezz, Porch Too, The Works, and Yalla. Each restaurant will contribute meals two or more days a week. You will receive one individually packaged cold ready-to-eat or heat & serve dinner for each person you request a meal for. Meals will be distributed cold, so if you are driving a distance, delivering to other households, or distributing through your organization, consider bringing a cooler if you can.

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

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

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Guilford Cares Food Pantry
Thursday, October 1st, 2020 (and every Thursday) at Broad Brook Community Center (3490 Guilford Center Road, Guilford, VT, 05301). 5pm-6pm.  If you have questions, concerns or would like to donate groceries or monetary gifts please contact Pat Haine 802-257-0626. For additional questions or more information call 802 579 1350 or email [email protected]
The Guilford Cares Food Pantry will continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure food security for all our citizens and vulnerable populations. They are well stocked with the staples you need for your family and are following viral guidelines to limit risk.
They ask that shoppers to remain in their car. A volunteer will greet you and give you a "shopping list" for you to  mark with the items you would like. Another volunteer will fill your bag  and bring it to porch where you will be asked to pick it up. Please  bring a bag for the items and a pen to fill out the shopping list. If you have questions, concerns or would like to donate groceries or monetary gifts please contact Pat Haine 257-0626
If you cannot come to the Pantry due to illness or high risk, you can call also call Pat to arrange for food delivery by a volunteer.
We know that supplemental food can make such a big difference in one's budget. That is why we are stocking our shelves for our neighbors. All are welcome to come and take home fresh produce, staples, meat, dairy.
Guilford Cares welcomes anyone in need of supplemental food for themselves or their families.

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Art for Social Change
sponsored by The Root Social Justice Center, River Gallery School and In-Sight Photography Project
Friday, October 2nd, 2020 (and every Friday) at the River Gallery School (32 Main St #201, Brattleboro, VT 05301). 1pm-4pm. Masks are required. Drop-ins are welcome, come by and make some art on Fridays and help spread messages of transformation, unity and justice all over the town of Brattleboro. 6 person maximum in studios. For more information: Jess Weitz, [email protected].
River Gallery School is offering a free open art studio at 32 Main street on Fridays from 1-4pm for people to use printmaking, drawing, and painting to create art around issues of the pandemic,
social and racial justice, the 2020 election, and the climate crisis.
All materials available for free.
In addition, River Gallery School will have an art table at the
Solidarity Friday rallies in Pliny Park for art and sign making from 5pm-6:30pm.
Paste ups will be put up in town October 15 thru November 15, 2020.

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Solidarity Fridays: Our Struggles Are Connected
organized by Brattleboro Solidarity, The Root Justice Center, Tenants Union of Brattleboro, Lost River Racial Justice, and 350 Brattleboro
Friday, October 2nd, 2020 (and all Fridays) at Pliny Park (the corner of High Street and Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 5pm-6:30pm. Masks are required. 
Weekly protest at Pliny Park focusing on a variety of current local and national issues. Bring your signs, banners, chalk & noise makers to Pliny Park and rally for the world we want.
(This week we will make signs in yellow and black to promote consistency and solidarity among our coalition).
This week, we make connections between the struggles of the people on a global scale. From the annexation of land and occupation of Palestine, to brutal weaponized tactics of Federal agents against Portland protesters, to the systemic racism rampant across the world, and to local efforts toward examining police brutality and safety in Brattleboro, in the diversity of our struggles we are all united!
Show Up! Participate! Discuss!
For the safety of ourselves and others, masks are REQUIRED at Pliny Park! We will have extra masks to pass out to those without one. Hand sanitizer will also be available.
This week, consider bringing a donation for Groundworks Collaborative! See their wishlist below!
-Deodorant
-Disposable Razors
-Umbrellas
-Mens belts
-Notebooks and pens
-Playing cards and classic board games like chess
-Benadryl
-Sunblock
-Bugspray

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Weekly Community Conversation with State Representative Emilie Kornheiser
Saturday, October 3rd, 2020 (and every Saturday), Online. 10am-11am.
Join me to talk about what matters for our community and the type of government that will represent you and your needs
Open conversation format-- come for the full hour or just stop by for a few minutes.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85066825128...
Meeting ID: 850 6682 5128
Passcode: WestB
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,85066825128#,,,,,,0#,,270507# US
Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US
Meeting ID: 850 6682 5128
Passcode: 270507 

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How Are Racial Justice and Climate Justice Connected?
presented by 350 VT; It will be co-facilitated by Abby Mnookin and Hal Colston.
Sunday, October 4th, 2020, Online. 3pm-6 pm. Space is limited so click here to register today. This workshop is provided as "Pay What You Can”. Since space is limited, we require a deposit of $5 to hold your space OR please email [email protected] directly if that doesn't work for you. If you're able to financially support this work beyond that, you'll be directed to a link after registration to pay a fee of $5-$30. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
This 350VT workshop is designed to support individuals and groups to dig into the roots of the climate crisis and explore how and why working for climate justice necessitates the dismantling of racism and white supremacy culture.
Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences and consider next steps to support their own learning and concrete actions they can take within their own activism.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Ticket to Work Open House: Jobs for Disabled Vermont Residents
hosted by America Works of Vermont, Inc.
Thursday, October 1st, 2020 at the Brattleboro Retreat (1 Anna Marsh Lane, Brattleboro, VT, 05301), Birches 2nd Floor, Room E225. 10am-12pm.
Are You Between 18-64 Years of Age? Are You Receiving SSI OR SSDI Benefits? Are You Looking For A Job? If So, America Works  Ticket To Work Employment Program May Be Able To Help You!
Services We Offer:
1. Developing of An Individual Work Plan
2. Resume Writing Services
3. Mock Interviewing
4. Employment Placement Services
5. Transportation Assistance
6. Long Term Career Retention Services
CALL US TODAY AT 855-268-1935 FOR MORE INFORMATION!
Our Services Are Free Of Charge!

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Brattleboro Democracy Forum: Wither the United States-The Health of Democracy
presented by Tim Kipp, organized by We Celebrate Democracy/Civil Rights for All
Monday, October 5th, 2020, Online. 12pm. Details for the Zoom meeting are below. For information please go to wecelebratedemocracycivilrightsforall.org.
The current crises: the rise of authoritarianism under the Trump regime, the nation’s reckoning with racism, economic collapse and the pandemic has stimulated a necessary and long overdue public examination of the health of the country’s governing systems. Will this be a watershed moment leading to a rescuing and strengthening of our country or will we continue on the path of democratic decline?
Our founders effectively articulated noble values of liberty, equality and democracy. However, Jefferson’s words in the Declaration stand in brutal contrast to the realities of a country built on the colonization and near annihilation of Natives and the enslavement of Africans. Such disparities between theory and reality have always plagued our history. The Constitution itself was designed to quell the democratic impulses of the people in order to centralize power and consolidate the position of the elites who after all knew best how to run a country.
This presentation will explore fundamental weaknesses of our political economy from a structural, not a leadership and policy perspective, thus moving from a liberal complaint to a more thorough radical analysis. Identifying and examining historical flaws provides focal points for restructuring our system in order to build real democracy.
Tim Kipp is a retired history and political science teacher of 39 years and a political activist since the 1960s.
Zoom Meeting Details:
Topic: Wither the United States – the Health of Democracy.   
Time: Oct 5, 2020 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
To join the Zoom meeting copy this URL into your search bar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88555617406?pwd=MlVkVTdrYlViMlZkeHZYS3dwaW5nUT09
Meeting ID: 885 5561 7406
Passcode: 541435
Dial by your location
        +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 885 5561 7406
Passcode: 541435
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbLmLzT583

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No Place Like Home: Housing in Windham County
hosted by the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center and Groundworks Collaborative
Wednesday, October 7th, 2020, Online with Facebook Live. 7:30pm. The FacebookLive can be accessed here: https://www.facebook.com/events/324562942305878/
Josh Davis, Executive Director of Groundworks Collaborative, moderates this panel discussion of housing issues in Windham County. Join us on Zoom or Facebook Live as expert panelists explore local housing challenges and opportunities from different perspectives.
Elizabeth Bridgewater is the executive director of Windham & Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT). WWHT provides housing opportunities for residents in Windham and Windsor Counties through its housing development work, rental apartments, shared equity homes, and homeownership counseling and education program.
Adam Grinold is the executive director of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC), Vermont’s largest Regional Economic Development Corporation. Grinold has a background as a real estate owner, developer, and Realtor as well as a business owner. Prior to joining the BDCC, Grinold was a founding member and executive director of Wilmington Works.
Bill Murray has been a full-time realtor with Berkley & Veller Greenwood Country since 1981. In 2004, his colleagues on the Southern Vermont Board of Realtors named him Realtor of the Year. A former teacher, Murray has been active in the Brattleboro community as a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the Brattleboro Food Coop and as a former trustee of BMAC.
Dan Yates is the president & CEO of Brattleboro Savings & Loan (a Certified B Corporation), a position he has held since 2007. Before returning to Brattleboro in 2005, he was executive vice president of Ledyard National Bank. He is a past president of the Vermont Bankers Association, where he currently chairs its government relations committee, and also served on the Taxation and Regulation subcommittee of Governor Scott’s Marijuana Commission.
This event is presented in conjunction with two exhibits related to homelessness, STEVEN KINDER: 522,830 and COFFEE AND CONVERSATION: STORIES OF HOMELESSNESS, both on view through October 12, 2020.
Taking its name from the number of people who were unsheltered in America in 2018, 522,830 features portraits of people experiencing homelessness whom Kinder has met over the years in New York City.
Brattleboro artist Liz Lavorgna began working on COFFEE AND CONVERSATION in 2015, in collaboration with filmmaker Wyatt Andrews and with support from Groundworks Collaborative. For this exhibit, LaVorgna revisits the project. 

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17th Annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser
hosted by Empty Bowls Southern VT,  Brattleboro Community TV, and  Groundworks Collaborative
Saturday, October 10th, 2020, Online. 6pm-7pm. For more information and for tickets, please visit www.GroundworksVT.org/EVENTS.
As Vermonters continue to be discouraged from gathering in large numbers, there will not be a soup dinner at Landmark College this fall. Rather, we have designed a number of ways supporters can continue to participate without holding an in-person event:
The Empty Bowls Dinner typically raises between $25,000 and $30,000 to keep the shelves stocked at Foodworks for families and individuals in need of emergency food.
Local potters are busy handcrafting scores of bowls as they do each year for the fundraiser and sponsors continue to line up in support.
Bowls are now available for purchase online through Groundworks’ website (https://groundworks.rallybound.org/emptybowls2020/Donate/Tickets) and can be picked up curbside at one of three pickup locations in Brattleboro and Putney on the weekend of October 3rd and 4th: 
Saturday October 3rd, 9am-noon at The Memorial Park Skating Rink Lot, Brattleboro
Saturday October 3rd, 1-4pm at River Valley Credit Union on Putney Road, Brattleboro
Sunday October 4th, 1-4pm at River Valley Credit Union on Rt. 5 in Putney
Bowls picked up at these locations will be pre-packaged for curbside pick up with receipt and can also be purchased with cash or check at those locations.
Bowls are also on display and available for purchase in local business storefronts beginning September 1st—including the Brattleboro Food Co-op, Zephyr Designs, Everyone's Books, Vermont Artisan Designs, The Shoe Tree, Putney Food Coop, and the Putney General Store!
Individual bowls will be sold for $25 each and a Party Pack of 12 bowls and soup recipes will be available for $250. Party Packs are designed to allow people to “Host your own Empty Bowls” with a small group of friends and family. Party Packs come with free delivery anywhere within a 30-minute drive of Brattleboro.
On Saturday, October 10th at 6pm—the evening the dinner would have otherwise been served—Groundworks will host a livestream broadcast on YouTube and Brattleboro Community TV featuring staff, volunteers and Board, as well as music and the latest updates on Foodworks’ impact in the community.
More information about the livestream broadcast and bowl sales will be available here and on both the Groundworks Collaborative and Empty Bowls - Southern Vermont Facebook pages, as well as at GroundworksVT.org/EVENTS.
We look forward to gathering as usual once the Coronavirus pandemic is over!
“We are grateful for all of the potters, restaurants, businesses, and volunteers that come together each year to make this event possible, and to Landmark College for hosting us year after year,” said Groundworks Executive Director Josh Davis. “We will miss the opportunity to see and greet all of the familiar faces and friends of this organization who come out every year for the Empty Bowls Dinner and we are grateful for all of the ways this community is coming together to help us in supporting our neighbors when we all need the help more than ever.”
A number of sponsors have graciously and generously supported the event this year despite a challenging economic landscape, including: Silver Forest, Trust Company of Vermont, Brattleboro Food Co-op, Brattleboro Savings & Loan, Champlain Valley Dispensary, Inc., King Arthur Baking Company, Southern Vermont Wellness, Rod's Towing and Repairs, Savings Bank of Walpole, Dead River Company, Farnum Insulators, Abbiati Monuments, A.L. Tyler & Sons, Howard Printing, Inc., Sidehill Farm, The Marina, Downey, Pieciak, Fitzgerald & Co, PC, Burrows Specialized Sports, Costello, Valente & Gentry, PC, and Richmond Auto.

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Red Cross Blood Drive
hosted by NECCA- New England Center for Circus Arts
Friday, October 16th, 2020 at NECCA (10 Town Crier Drive, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 2:30pm-7pm.
Give the gift of life! It's easy and so worth while. And there are lots of protocols in place to make sure it's very safe, with limited appointments, required masks and on-site temperature checks.

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Red Cross Blood Drive at the Winston Prouty School
Saturday, October 24th, 2020 at The Winston Prouty School (20 Austine Drive, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 10am-3pm.
Winston Prouty and the American Red Cross are hosting monthly blood drives for the next three months.
Blood levels are historically low and this is our chance to help.
We have much faith in the Red Cross and their protocols and ability to help us create a safe environment for this essential event.
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=
To help make the event possible by volunteering, please contact Lisa Whitney, [email protected]

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

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COMMUNITY SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES

The Putney Food Coop is looking for front door volunteers!  They are collaborating with Seth Knopp and Catherine Stefan (who we know from Yellow Barn) to coordinate volunteers who will be stationed at their front entrance during the busiest hours (Saturday and Sunday, 10-3). Volunteers will remind folks to put their mask on, sanitize their hands, and to introduce them to the Co-op's process for entrance (you must wait until a basket or cart is free).  Seth and Catherine did this volunteering last weekend and report that it went quite smoothly!  It really, really helps to have someone reminding people of the Co-op's safety protocols -- both locals and out of towners. 
If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to [email protected]!  And you can sign up via this signup sheet: HERE.

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

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Online Religious Services

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

COVID 19 RESOURCES: VERMONT

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

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

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

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

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A Message to Vermonters from Senator Bernie Sanders

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

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Social Justice Resources

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

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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-2pm. Drive up, touchless pickup. Walkers welcome, too. Call VT 211 for more information. 
Foodworks, the food shelf program of the Groundworks Collaborative https://groundworksvt.org (802) 490-2412, [email protected] 
Households in need of food are asked to call or email to coordinate delivery. There is an urgent need for volunteers, and Foodworks has set up protocols to keep staff, volunteers, and clients as safe as possible. Please email us at [email protected] if you are able to help.
Guilford Food Pantry 
Every Thursday at the BBCC (3940 Guilford Center Road, Guilford, VT, 05301). 5pm-6pm.
We know that supplemental food can make such a big difference in one's budget. That is why we are stocking our shelves for our neighbors. All are welcome to come and take home fresh produce, staples, meat, dairy. Guilford Cares welcomes anyone in need of supplemental food for themselves or their families.
NEW: “Everyone Eats!” Food Relief Program Information
If you have questions, contact Frances Huntley at [email protected]
What is this? Everyone Eats!, a food relief pilot program in Brattleboro, leverages federal relief funds to engage local restaurants in making to-go meals for anyone in Brattleboro, Guilford, Vernon, Dummerston, or Putney whose food security has been challenged by the COVID-19 crisis due to unemployment, underemployment, homelessness, and other financial challenges. With eight Brattleboro restaurants, Monday through Thursday, through December 11th, 2020.
When? Monday – Thursday 4pm-6pm
Where?  Individuals/households will be able to pick up meals in the parking lot of the Church Building on Flat Street on a first-come-first-served basis. Organizations will be able to pick up pre-ordered meals at Mama Sezz in West Brattleboro.
Who is eligible? Anyone whose food security has been challenged by the COVID-19 crisis due to unemployment, underemployment, homelessness, and other challenges to well-being who would get relief from receiving meals may participate.
For Individuals
When and where can I receive meals? Meal distribution for individuals is first-come-first-served. Pickup is from 4-6pm on weekdays Monday through Thursday in downtown Brattleboro (location TBA).
Is it free? All who would benefit from a meal are welcome to participate.
Can I give something back to help the program? There is no obligation to pay it back or forward. If what you have to offer in return is your thanks, that’s enough. But if you can share veggies from your garden, there will be a drop-off location on site for bagged or boxed contributions; as much as possible will be used in future meals. And if you would like to make a monetary contribution to help make more meals possible for others, it will be gratefully received. The base cost of each meal is $10 but any amount will be appreciated. Touch-free options for donation include Venmo, Paypal, mailing a check, or providing a donation at the time of pickup.
What will I receive? You will receive one individually packaged cold ready-to-eat or heat & serve dinner for each person you request a meal for.
Do you have vegetarian or vegan/GF options? Yes, you will request your meal choice at the time of pickup.
Is there a limit to how many meals I can get? You can request one meal per person per day for each person in your household. Please note that there is a limit to how many meals will be produced each day. We hope to serve everyone who makes a request but we cannot guarantee it. Meals will be first-come-first-served.
Can I pick up meals for another household? Yes, you can pick up meals for up to three households including your own.
Will my meals be hot or cold? Meals will be distributed cold, so if you are driving a distance, delivering to other households, or distributing through your organization, consider bringing a cooler if you can.
For Organizations
As a representative of an organization, can I request meals on behalf of my clients? Yes. We invite organizations to do bulk pickups for distribution to those they serve.
Is there a limit to how many meals I can pick up? No, but you will need to reserve meals in advance each week using this form.
What will I receive? You will receive individually packaged COLD ready-to-eat or heat & serve dinners for each person you are willing to distribute a meal to.
What options are available? You will choose how many of each type of meal (omnivore, vegetarian, vegan/GF) and which days you will pick up meals for distribution.
Who will be making the food? These meals are being made by independently-owned local restaurants.
Will I need to pick up our meals, or will you deliver to my location? You will need to pick up your requested meals and distribute them to your clients. We cannot deliver them to you.
When and where do I pick up my meals? Pickup for organizations is from 4pm-6pm on weekdays Monday through Thursday in West Brattleboro at Mama Sezz, 127 Marlboro Rd.
How do I request meals for bulk pickup? Organizations must submit their request forms two weeks before the first distribution week and one week before the second, third, and fourth distribution weeks. To get more information about participating and request a form for the first week, contact Frances Huntley at [email protected]
Will I receive a confirmation? After your meal request form is received, you will receive an automated email via Google Forms.
When do you need my form by? Meal request forms must be submitted by the Thursday prior to the week they are for (except for the first week, which must be submitted two weeks prior). You will need to submit a new form each week. If you have already received meals in a prior week, you will receive an email reminder for later weeks.

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Food Discount Programs

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

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

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

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

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

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Business Grants Available

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

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

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RESOURCE FOR WeCAN

Rapid Response Text Alert System

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

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ONGOING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING 

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