South Burlington, VT: United Way of Northwest Vermont (UWNWVT)—an organization dedicated to improving lives in Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties—will distribute $880,000 in 2022 to 33 organizations that are meeting an array of interconnected needs in our community.

The partner funding, which the United Way board of directors unanimously approved at its May meeting, will support organizations that address United Way’s key strategies: meeting basic needs (housing, food, transportation), supporting families, promoting mental health, reducing substance misuse and promoting financial stability. These strategies were determined by input from hundreds of community members.

“Community giving makes this funding possible. These are local dollars supporting local organizations improving the lives of our family, friends and neighbors across Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties,” said UWNWVT CEO Jesse Bridges. “For every dollar raised through our annual workplace campaigns, United Way leverages additional investments and the power of volunteers to invest over three dollars back into the community.”

These grants will help United Way’s funded partners respond to a wide variety of needs across our region. Some of the services this funding will support include:

• Emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness and people fleeing domestic violence; housing retention services to help people not lose their homes; and alternative housing options for older adults, people with disabilities, and people with limited financial means.

• Services and resources to help people gain financial stability and to meet their basic needs, including food security.

• Support for parents and families, including home visiting, early childhood services, parenting support and education.

• Accessible and appropriate mental health services and resources for people of all ages.

• Recovery and wellness support for individuals, parents, and families to reduce impacts of substance misuse.

• A wide range of services and supports for all members of our community, including older adults, people with intellectual disabilities and autism, New Americans, people living with chronic conditions, and more.

United Way’s work, including the partner funding process, is 100 percent community driven. Our Partner Funding Team – a group of citizen volunteers who live, work and play in Chittenden, Grand Isle and Franklin counties – reviews funding applications and monitors program performance.

“When our volunteers did virtual site visits with United Way’s funded partners, they heard again and again that these organizations are meeting several interconnected needs in our community. We might think of an organization as only providing mental health services, for example, but through our volunteers’ deep learning, we know that our partners are connecting people to all the services and resources they need. We also know that organizations are working together to meet a full spectrum of needs,” said United Way Community Impact Manager Megan Bridges.

Funded partners told volunteers that flexible funding from United Way has been essential to their ability to adapt to changing community conditions and to use their resources in ways that best meet local needs.

Partner funding is one of the many ways United Way amplifies contributions from local donors and volunteers. United Way also invests in the community by convening community members and organizations to create systems change. Current strategic initiatives include United Way’s Mental Health Initiative and Northwest Vermont Prevention Center of Excellence which focuses on preventing youth substance misuse. United Way also invests in its own direct service programs like Working Bridges, volunteer programs for older Vermonters, and Common Good Vermont.

United Way of Northwest Vermont 2022 Funded Partners include:

• AALV, Inc.

• Age Well

• ANEW Place

• Boys & Girls Club of Burlington

• Burlington Housing Authority

• Champlain Community Services

• Champlain Islanders Developing Essential Resources (C.I.D.E.R.)

• Champlain Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO)

• Chittenden County Homeless Alliance

• Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS)

• Connecting Cultures, VT Psychological Services

• Franklin County Caring Communities

• Franklin County Home Health Agency

• Franklin & Grand Isle Community Housing Response Team

• Grand Isle Mentoring

• Greater Burlington YMCA

• HomeShare Vermont

• Howard Center

• Janet S. Munt Family Room

• King Street Center

• Lund

• Martha’s Community Kitchen

• Milton Family Community Center

• Northwestern Counseling & Support Services (NCSS)

• Pathways Vermont

• Prevent Child Abuse VT (PCAVT)

• Samaritan House (CVOEO)

• Sara Holbrook Community Center

• Spectrum Youth and Family Services

• STEPS to End Domestic Violence

• Turning Point Center of Chittenden County

• Turning Point of Franklin County

• UVM Health Network Home Health & Hospice