Burlington food shelf warns cuts will roll back services
A Burlington food shelf that expanded into a resource hub for people experiencing homelessness says proposed funding cuts would force it to roll back new case‑management and referral services that relied on public grants. (sevendaysvt.com)
Gov. Phil Scott’s budget proposal would eliminate state support that CVOEO says leaves the Community Resource Center about $650,000 short of needs for the coming year. (sevendaysvt.com) The Community Resource Center (operated by CVOEO) has co‑located with Feeding Champlain Valley at 228 North Winooski Avenue since 2021, turning that site into a combined food-access and day‑shelter hub. (sevendaysvt.com(feedingchamplainvalley.org)) The CRC traces its origins to an emergency day‑shelter launched at the Burlington Holiday Inn in 2020 and was funded by the city at first before the state assumed support beginning in 2024. (sevendaysvt.com) Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity formally asked lawmakers for $650,000 in its FY2027 legislative request to sustain the Community Resource Center and its outreach operations. (legislature.vermont.gov) Feeding Champlain Valley’s public materials list tens of thousands served by its programs — the site reports 14,509 individuals served and over 2.2 million pounds of food distributed — while city listings note the food shelf and meal programs serve more than 12,000 people a year. (feedingchamplainvalley.org(burlingtonvt.gov)) CVOEO’s homeless‑outreach director Brenna Bedard warned that the CRC could close without restored funding, and reporting from the site says the in‑person food‑shelf and weekday meal service would continue even if the center’s complementary case‑management programming is reduced. (sevendaysvt.com)
