Executive Director, Martha Maksym, of the United Way of Chittenden County presented the Community Impact Award to the team of Jan Demers, E.D. of CVOEO, John Collinsworth from UVM Medical Center, and John Caulo and Tom Bonnette of Champlain College for their collaboration in creating a temporary warming shelter in Burlington this last winter.
In the two month period the shelter was open, a total of 92 peoplesought and received a safe and warm place to rest for the night; 10 moved on to transitional or permanent housing; 14 found employment.
Largely, this was made possible due to the dedication of a few skilled staff people and a lot of volunteers. Homemade cookies, fruit and donuts, pizza and wings, soup and sandwiches were welcome gifts. The Howard Center made meals for guests every Thursday night. Another Howard Center housing unit provided meals on several Tuesday nights. St. Mark's Church, Papa Franks, Spectrum Staff and Burlington City Councilman David Hartnett also fed the hungry in most generous ways.
Bus passes, hand warmers and even haircuts were donated too! These generous acts made it possible for people to go to job interviews, look at housing, make doctor appointments and more.
Jan Demers accepted the award for the team, saying, "I want to tell you about George. George is 24 years old and has had a very difficult life. One evening we were all visiting with each other at the warming shelter and George said, 'This is a community.' "
Jan shook her head in the affirmative and gesturing to her fellow collaborators and the audience at large, said "This is a community."