A campaign providing emergency food and heating assistance
Vermont Business Magazine Capstone Community Action’s Fuel Your Neighbors campaign, in partnership with VSECU, raised over $325,000 to support emergency food and heating assistance to struggling Central Vermonters.
This winter has once again been a challenge for Vermonters with low income. While warmer than some previous winters, the dramatic price increases in food and fuel costs continue to put many families at great risk. In spite of the extra assistance available through federal pandemic aid, more Central Vermonters are in need of support for food and heat than in previous years.
Capstone Community Action (Capstone) was able to provide over 1,230 people with heating assistance, distributing over $302,778 in funds already this winter. In addition, Capstone had over 2,300 visits to the food shelf between October 1, 2022 and March 8, 2023. Without public funding for Capstone’s Food Shelf, the Fuel Your Neighbors campaign is critical to keeping the food shelf stocked to meet the community need.
“We are delighted with the community’s generous response to help struggling Central Vermonters who have benefited from our Fuel Your Neighbors campaign, “stated Sue Minter, Capstone Community Action’s executive director. “The hardships faced by many continue, and we are lucky to live in a community where individuals and businesses go above and beyond to aid local families so they do not need to go to bed hungry or cold this winter. Capstone’s work to fill in the gaps for thousands of Vermonters is only part of what we do, and we are grateful for community partners that support our mission to create a tremendous impact as we did this year.”
Fuel Your Neighbors is a 100-day campaign, in partnership with VSECU, that ran from Giving Tuesday on November 29, through March 8, to raise awareness and funds to support struggling Vermonters with food and heat this winter. This is the seventh year Capstone and VSECU have teamed up on this effort raising a total of $1,245,000 since 2016.
“Over 7 years ago, we were grateful to work with Capstone to create the Fuel Your Neighbors, powered by VSECU campaign to support our fellow Vermonters. Now that VSECU and NEFCU are one credit union, we continue to be committed to Fuel Your Neighbors because it is an ideal symbol of what we believe is a Vermont value, people helping people." said Rob Miller, president and chief operating officer of New England Federal Credit Union. "We're even more grateful today because of the incredible community support that helped reach this meaningful milestone."
“Everyone should have a warm home in winter, but we know comfort and safety are at risk when people have to choose between heat, food, and medication. NorthCountry’s financial support of Capstone Community Action’s Fuel Your Neighbors campaign helps ensure fewer people need to make those difficult choices,” says Bob Morgan, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union’s CEO. “Congratulations to Capstone Community Action for exceeding their fundraising goal, and for all the work they do to care for the community.”
This campaign’s success would not be possible without our generous donors and business sponsors including: VSECU, AT&T, North Country Federal Credit Union, Red Hen Baking Co., The Alchemist, Hunger Mountain Coop, M&T Bank, National Life Group, rb Technologies, LCC, Front Porch Forum, Lawson's Finest Liquids, BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont, Mascoma Bank, Mutual of America Financial Group, Passumpsic Bank, The Point Radio and Radio Vermont.
Capstone Community Action was founded in 1965 and works to overcome poverty by serving people in crisis and creating economic opportunity for people and communities. Capstone’s programs include emergency food, heat assistance, housing counseling and homelessness intervention, savings and credit coaching, business counseling, workforce development, home weatherization, transportation access, and child and family development programs in Early Head Start/Head Start. We serve over 10,900 people through these programs each year. www.capstonevt.org.
VSECU is a member-owned cooperative and not for profit credit union for everybody who lives or works in Vermont, offering a full range of affordable financial products and services to its member-owners. VSECU is committed to improving the lives of Vermonters by empowering the possibilities for greater social, environmental, and financial prosperity. For more information about VSECU, call 802/800 371-5162 or visit www.vsecu.com.
(Barre, VT) – Capstone Community Action 3.21.2023.
