Vermont Business Magazine Bridges to Health, a nationally recognized statewide Community Health Worker (CHW) program serving immigrant and migrant workers and their families across Vermont, will transition from University of Vermont Extension to a fiscal sponsorship under Vermont’s Free & Referral Clinics on July 1, 2026.
Starting in 2010 with a grant to expand a labor management pilot project that focused on migrant farmworkers, Bridges to Health has grown in response to the evolving health access needs of immigrant and migrant communities throughout Vermont. While initially focused on agricultural workers, the program now also supports individuals and families working in the service industry, hospitality sector, and building trades.
The program currently includes seven regionally based Community Health Workers, a Program Coordinator, and more than 60 community volunteers. Together, they provide culturally and linguistically responsive support to communities facing barriers to healthcare and food access, focusing on medical appointment navigation, support with insurance and hospital financial assistance paperwork, transportation, and other essential services. Bridges to Health also coordinates community-based vaccine clinics and health screenings with the support of volunteer clinicians. In 2025, Bridges to Health served 1,461 individuals, including 573 children, in communities across the state.
“Over the years, we have built a strong network of formal and informal partners with whom we have worked collaboratively to reduce barriers to care and improve access to services.” says Naomi Wolcott-MacCausland, Bridges to Health’s Program Director. “We are incredibly grateful to the Executive Director and the Board of Directors of Vermont’s Free & Referral Clinics for their willingness to provide a new and supportive home for Bridges to Health at a time when the work of the Community Health Worker team is more needed than ever.”
As Bridges to Health joins Vermont’s Free & Referral Clinics on July 1, fundraising efforts are underway to maintain services. Nearly all state and federal grants are reimbursement-based, meaning that the program must pay expenses up front and then request reimbursement. This requires significant working capital to sustain operations prior to reimbursement by funders. Still, both Bridges to Health and Vermont’s Free & Referral Clinics remain optimistic that the partnership will strengthen the program’s long-term sustainability and statewide impact.
“Bridges to Health has built deep trust within immigrant and migrant communities throughout Vermont through 15 years of responsive, community-centered work,” says Olivia Sharrow, Executive Director of Vermont’s Free & Referral Clinics. “Many of our member clinics have partnered closely with the program over time, so this is a natural alignment. VFRC is proud to serve as fiscal sponsor and help ensure the program’s ongoing stability and growth.”
Community members, philanthropic partners, and organizations interested in supporting the transition can visit: https://vtfreeclinics.org/donate/ or contact Naomi Wolcott-MacCausland, [email protected] (802-503-2078).
Short Org and Program Description:
About Bridges to Health
Bridges to Health is a statewide Community Health Worker program focused on improving health access and well-being for immigrant and migrant workers and their families in Vermont through outreach, navigation support, education, and community-based partnerships.
About Vermont’s Free & Referral Clinics
Vermont’s Free & Referral Clinics is a nonprofit association supporting a statewide network of free clinics that provide access to clinical and navigation services for un- and underinsured people in Vermont.