Current News

Vermont Business Magazine ReSOURCE is once again providing $150,000 in essential goods to alleviate poverty in Vermont through the Essential Goods Program. By obtaining vouchers, individuals and families in need can receive donations of those durable goods essential to safe and comfortable living such as cookware, mattresses, bed frames, dressers, books, washing machines, ranges, toys for kids, and even desktop computers. ReSOURCE’s Essential Goods Program also supports sister nonprofit organizations, helping them meet their own organizational needs for information technology, office furniture, and appliances.

Vermont Business Magazine Valener Inc, the public investment vehicle in Gaz Metro Limited Partnership, today reported normalized operating cash flows of $10.4 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2016, or $0.27 per common share, compared to $9.9 million or $0.26 per common share in the first quarter of 2015. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.27 per share, in line with the plan announced in autumn 2015. The Energy Distribution segment in Vermont, through its subsidiaries Green Mountain Power Corporation (GMP) and Vermont Gas Systems Inc. (VGS), recorded net income attributable to Partners of $18.3 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2016, up $2.4 million or 15.1%, year over year. 

Vermont Business Magazine Citizens Bank has again contributed $10,000 to the Vermont Foodbank, to make more food available for Vermonters in need.  This most recent gift marks the fifth consecutive year Citizens Bank has supported the Vermont Foodbank.

“Corporate partners are essential to the work of ensuring our Vermont neighbors have enough healthy food,” said John Sayles, Vermont Foodbank CEO. “Citizens Bank has time and time again demonstrated their commitment to enriching our communities—we are so grateful for their loyal support.”

“Many of our neighbors lack reliable access to food on a daily basis. At Citizens Bank, we work to address this need by supporting innovative programs and organizations that provide access to nutritious food,” said Joe Carelli, President, Citizens Bank, Vermont.  “That is why we are proud to support the Vermont Foodbank in their work to fight hunger in our communities across the state.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Chittenden County ECOS Partnership has released its 2015 ECOS Annual Report. New this year, the Annual Report is an infographic that visually displays some of the most interesting trends and notable accomplishments from 2015 relating to people, place, and prosperity in Chittenden County.

[View the 2015 ECOS Annual Report]

The ECOS Annual Report summarizes progress toward the goals set in the 2013 Chittenden County ECOS Plan, the combined Regional Plan, Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for Chittenden County.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Advisory Council on Historic Preservation announced grants totaling $68,880 to support historic preservation efforts in six Vermont communities. Funding for the grants is provided through the Certified Local Government (CLG) program, a federal initiative administered by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. "This program is a valuable tool that can document our state's historic resources and provide individual communities the opportunity to protect and enhance their local heritage," stated Commissioner Noelle MacKay of the Department of Housing and Community Development. "The CLG project awards enable local governments to continue ongoing preservation efforts by increasing awareness, educating the public, and providing opportunities to plan for the future while recognizing the past."

Vermont Business Magazine The Board of Directors at Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) is pleased to announce Jane Campbell as the organization’s new Executive Director. Campbell, who begins her tenure at VBSR on February 15th, will be the organization’s 6th executive director since its founding in 1990. “We are thrilled to make this announcement,” said VBSR Board Chair Sara Newmark of New Chapter, the Brattleboro-based vitamin and herbal supplement company. “We celebrated VBSR’s 25th anniversary last year and are confident that Campbell’s talents will help us ensure that VBSR is a force for good in the business world for another 25 years.”

I welcome the President’s proposal to invest more than $1 billion to combat the nationwide opioid and heroin epidemic.  His proposal reflects the range of challenges and needs that Vermont faces.  Overdose deaths, particularly among young people, are dramatically rising, and communities across the country are struggling to address this corrosive threat.  This epidemic is a national emergency, it is a public health crisis in Vermont, and the President’s plan acknowledges that we cannot arrest our way out of this problem.  We must support prevention, treatment and recovery programs, as well as law enforcement.  I will continue to work on shaping these and other efforts to address this epidemic as the President’s plan goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration and action.

Vermont Business Magazine The People’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, announced today that it has awarded $3,500 to The Mentor Connector in Rutland, Vermont.

The Mentor Connector, a formal mentoring program, pairs youngsters in the Rutland area with adult mentors of the same community.  Mentors and mentees are matched according to their similar interests and the mentor becomes a trusted adult friend with a long-term, consistent commitment to provide guidance and support.

The funding brings the total grant amount awarded by People’s United Community Foundation to the organization to $19,000.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation announced that it awarded more than $16.7 million in grants in Vermont and beyond in 2015, one of the highest levels of grantmaking in the Foundation’s 30-year history. The great majority of the grants were made by individuals, families, and businesses who work through the Community Foundation, while more than $1 million of the total was awarded through staff-guided grant programs. Many nonprofit organizations also have some or all of their endowment at the Foundation.

The grants addressed a broad range of issue areas including the arts, the environment, education, local food, health and human services, economic development, and more.

Vermont Business Magazine For the second consecutive year, Sterling College has been confirmed as the top college in the United States that serves food on campus that is local, sustainable, humane, and fair-trade.

This ranking comes from the Real Food Challenge, which surveyed over 200 colleges and universities throughout the United States. After analyzing all of the food used in the Sterling College kitchen from July 2014 to June 2015, the college found that 75% of its food met the real food qualification for production methods. Last year, Sterling College was at 74% real food. In comparison, the next-highest ranked institution only eats 66% real food.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Dairy Promotion Council and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets have partnered to launch a new website and video highlighting the economic impact of the state’s dairy industry. The site, which features the findings of the 2015 Milk Matters report, also includes historic data, resources, and dairy farmer profiles. The accompanying video provides a topline summary of key facts from Milk Matters, and was designed to be shared through social media. Both projects were funded by Vermont dairy farmers, through the milk check-off program, administered by the Vermont Dairy Promotion Council.

Vermont Business Magazine Offers Low-Income Assistance Program, WARMTH support, access to energy efficiency to Vermonters on fixed incomes

As cold weather cycles back into the northeast, Vermont Gas reminds its customers about resources available to Vermonters in need. Vermont Gas offers a low-income assistance program, support for the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s (CVOEO) WARMTH program, and access to cost-saving energy efficiency programs.

These programs support those most in need, including low-income and fixed-income Vermonters who are in need of emergency heating assistance, ongoing support, and efficiency services to bring down heating costs.