United Way of Northwest Vermont connects Vermonters to help today and invests in the partnerships that make stable housing possible tomorrow.
At United Way, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to live in an affordable, safe, stable home and that homeownership should be an achievable goal for every family. That’s why we connect Vermonters to resources across the housing continuum—from supporting emergency shelters to helping families build long-term stability and, when possible, buy a home.
Vermont’s housing crisis doesn’t exist in isolation, and neither can the solutions.
With support from Vermonters like you and our community partners, we’re meeting urgent needs now while also advancing long-term, cross-sector solutions.
Community Funding Along the Housing Continuum
United Way provides flexible, multi-year funding to local organizations that provide emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness and people fleeing domestic violence; housing retention services to help people keep their homes; and alternative housing options for older adults, people with disabilities, and people with limited financial means.
Our funded partners include: ANEW Place, COTS, CVOEO’s Samaritan House and Voices, Spectrum Youth and Family Services, STEPS to End Domestic Violence, Howard Center, Pathways Vermont, Burlington Housing Authority, and HomeShare Vermont.
United Way also funds Vermont 211, a free, confidential resource that connects people to local help. Last year, Vermont 211 made 10,600+ referrals for housing assistance.
Collaborative & Creative Housing Solutions
Across our region, partners are testing practical, people-centered approaches—especially when housing needs overlap with recovery, safety, and aging.
- COTS and the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County are teaming up to provide on-site recovery services for people staying at COTS shelters.
- CVOEO’s Bridges Recovery Shelter, in collaboration with the Howard Center, offers recovery-focused housing designed to help people maintain sobriety.
- HomeShare Vermont helps older Vermonters age in place while expanding affordable rental options for people who might otherwise be priced out of Vermont.
A Path to Home: United Way’s Working Bridges
Last year, United Way’s Working Bridges Resource Coordinators connected 1,600 Vermonters at 30 workplaces in northern Vermont to essential community resources, including help navigating housing options.
When Saidou Zongo arrived in Vermont from West Africa, he, his wife, and their three young children were starting over in a new place and a new language, while living in a two-bedroom apartment in Burlington. After welcoming their fourth child, it was clear they needed more space in a very tight housing market.
Saidou connected with United Way’s Working Bridges program through his job with the University of Vermont’s Custodial Services. With support from his Working Bridges Resource Coordinator, he was able to buy a three-bedroom home in Burlington through Champlain Housing Trust’s Shared Equity Program.
Engagement, Planning & Advocacy
Meeting the moment is not enough. We also need to build a better future. That means addressing root causes of housing insecurity and coordinating across systems, so services aren’t duplicated, gaps are identified, and resources reach everyone who needs them.
United Way is an active member of the Chittenden County Homeless Alliance and serves as its fiscal sponsor. We also collaborate with the Franklin/Grand Isle Housing Coalition and serve on Vermont’s Emergency Food & Shelter Program Board, which allocates federal funding to shelters and food shelves across Vermont.
You Help Make This Work Possible
At the end of the day, United Way’s role is to bring the right people together to solve problems that no single organization can solve alone. That’s where you come in.
Your donation to United Way of Northwest Vermont helps keep shelter available tonight, strengthens services that prevent homelessness, and supports long-term solutions so more Vermonters can live in an affordable, safe, stable home.