Founding Community Investors Generously Launch Fund to Support an Inclusive, Healthy, and Vibrant Stowe
Stowe Community Fund A group of local business and community leaders announced today the launch of the Stowe Community Fund, a permanent philanthropic asset designed to build upon and evolve the work of the Stowe C19 General Relief Fund that was established to meet essential needs of our community throughout the COVID19 pandemic.
Specifically, the Stowe Community Fund will honor donor intent for gifts previously designated to continue the essential needs work that ensured the people of this community remained food secure and healthy throughout the pandemic, while evolving that work over time into a broader effort to meet further needs of the workers and families of this community, as well as the broader aspirations of the community at large.
“While our community’s response to the pandemic in the form of the Stowe C19 General Relief Fund has concluded, we have come to understand throughout these last 19 months that having supports in place for our workers and families helps strengthen our town as an inclusive and thriving place,” said Stowe Community Fund Board Chair Leigh Pelletier. “At the same time, we are committed to developing the capacity to connect all people who care with the issues and causes that matter to our community. It is this knowledge, aspiration and the commitment by so many in our community, that led to the Stowe Community Fund.”
“As a business owner and employer, I can tell you that our most important assets are our employees,” added Rachel Vandenberg, co-owner of Sun and Ski Inn and Suites and a founding community investor in the Stowe Community Fund. “We count on our employees every day to serve our customers and meet their expectations. So, when our employees are in need, we do all we can to assist.”
“The Stowe Community Fund is an important effort to which we happily contributed and will continue to contribute, because it will be an easy, well-structured source of funds for my employees who are in need, in addition to other individuals and families throughout this community who are facing an unexpected financial challenge,” concluded Vandenberg.
“We are very pleased to join the Stowe Community Fund as founding community investors,” added Bill and Charla Davis of Idletyme Brewing Company and Stowe Cable Systems. “Like the other investors, we understand well the needs of our community and believe a structured fund like this one, funded by the community itself, and with a volunteer citizen board in place to disburse the funds, is a logical and important step forward. We look forward to seeing the fund make a difference for the people of our community and to seeing it continue to grow.”
The following businesses have generously stepped up to seed a total of $41,000 to help launch the Stowe Community Fund:
Davis Family Provisions
Idletyme Brewing Company
Stowe Cable Systems
Stowe Mercantile
Alchemist Foundation
Coldwell Banker Carlson Real Estate
Edelweiss Mountain Deli
Grey Fox Inn
Pall Spera Company Realtors
Scheuermann Properties
Sun and Ski Inn and Suites
Talta Lodge
Green Mountain Inn
Willie’s Village Auto
The founding community investors and the Stowe Community Fund Board of Directors invite you to consider investing in Stowe’s future through the Stowe Community Fund.
Stowe Community Fund will initially be housed at local nonprofit Stowe Vibrancy and invested by The Vermont Community Foundation. The Stowe Community Fund will benefit from the Vermont Community Foundation’s 35+ year philanthropic counsel and investment services expertise, helping us develop a permanent philanthropic asset that will grow and evolve to best support the needs and aspirations of our town.
Ways to join the effort by investing now:
- Checks payable to Friends of Stowe Vibrancy, with “Stowe Community Fund” written in the memo line, sent to Stowe Vibrancy, P.O. Box 482, Stowe, Vermont 05672;
- GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/bd2faab8;
- Donations of stocks, mutual funds, or bequeathals may be arranged through the Vermont Community Foundation.
For additional information, please contact SCF Board Chair, Leigh Pelletier at [email protected] or (802) 253-5623.
Stowe Community Fund Board of Directors
Leigh Pelletier – Chair, Billy Adams, Leslie Anderson, Jeff Clarke
Candace Elmquist, Elise McKenna, Heidi Scheuermann