Thu, 04/30/2020 – 1:08pm —

The NLIHC grant was made possible by donations from two foundations, JPB and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. NLIHC intends the funds to be a bridge for shelters, housing providers, tribal housing organizations, and others that need immediate cash to keep doors open and continue serving clients safely, while they wait for the federal money from the CARES act.

In her announcement of the grants, Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the NLIHC, said, “It’s been heartening and tremendously impressive to see all the ways our partners and members are stepping into this challenging time with extraordinary determination, courage and resourcefulness.”

After announcing the grants on Friday, April 3rd, NLIHC received requests for more than double the amount they had to offer. Priority went to NLIHC’s state partner organizations like the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition. Erhard Mahnke, coordinator of the VAHC, is also a longtime member of the NLIHC and recently became a board member.

“We are delighted to be able to provide this critical resource to some of our front-line homeless service partners throughout the state,” said Cindy Reid, Chair of the Coalition Steering Committee. “Their work supports the dignity and safety of all persons in these unprecedented times. If the pandemic has shown us one thing, it’s that helping the most vulnerable among us helps us all.”

The funds will go directly towards assisting with sheltering, housing, providing food, or otherwise meeting the immediate needs of extremely low-income people, especially those experiencing homelessness.

“I’ve never seen such a fast and amazing response to the needs of vulnerable Vermonters,” said Lamoille Community House Executive Director, Kim Anetsberger. “We are immensely grateful for these funds, which are critical to our continued ability to provide safe housing, meet a significant increase in need, extend our season, and simultaneously respond to changing guidelines around social distancing, food delivery, and connecting people with services. This community has really come together and will be stronger for it.”

The VAHC is proud to be able to support our members that are working on the front lines of this crisis. Our network of homeless shelters and service providers have been doing extraordinary work, stepping up to face this unprecedented emergency head on. Now more than ever, it is clear that housing is healthcare.

Here is the list of awarded homeless shelters and service providers:

1.      ANEW Place, Burlington

2.      Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless, Bennington

3.      BROC Community Action, serving Bennington & Rutland Counties

4.      Capstone Community Action, serving Washington, Orange & Lamoille Counties

5.      Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, serving Chittenden, Addison, Franklin & Grand Isle Counties

6.      Charter House, Middlebury

7.      Committee on Temporary Shelter, Burlington

8.      Good Samaritan Haven, Barre

9.      Groundworks Collaborative, Brattleboro

10.  Homeless Prevention Center, Rutland

11.  HOPE, Middlebury

12.  John Graham Housing & Services, Vergennes

13.  Lamoille Community House, Hyde Park

14.  Northeast Kingdom Community Action, serving Caledonia, Essex & Orleans Counties

15.  Open Door Mission, Rutland

16.  Pathways Vermont, serving Chittenden, Addison, Franklin, Washington, Windham & Windsor Counties

17.  Samaritan House, St. Albans

18.  Southeastern Vermont Community Action, serving Windham & Windsor Counties

19.  Spectrum Youth & Family Services, Burlington

20.  The Upper Valley Haven, White River Junction