Green Mountain United Way is pleased to announce that The Vermont Foodbank has joined Green Mountain United Way’s Working Bridges™ program and will be bringing community support to Foodbank employees as they work to take care of Vermonters and ensure that no Vermonter goes without food now, during the COVID-19 crisis, or in the future as we move into the recovery phase.
Working Bridges, a program of Green Mountain United Way, is designed to foster the shared understanding that barriers such as childcare, transportation and acute need for emergency financial assistance can create obstacles and derail good employees. The Working Bridges program will bring United Way Resource Coordinator employee Laurie Kelty on-site at the Vermont Foodbank to coordinate resources and provide direct assistance to employees – virtually during COVID-19, but we hope to return to in-person service as soon as it is safe to do so. As a trained K.E.E.P. Financial Coach, Kelty is also able to individually coach employees who are navigating complicated financial situations. In addition to Resource Coordination & Financial Coaching, Working Bridges™ provides Income Advance Loans to employees, Mobile Volunteer Tax Preparation Program, and on-site education and trainings based on employee needs.
“The Vermont Foodbank and Green Mountain United Way have already been community partners for years and adding Working Bridges as another area of collaboration makes good sense,” said Lisa Yaeger, Equity, People & Culture Director at Vermont Foodbank. “This program offers local and statewide resources directly to Foodbank employees, and when our employees have the resources they need to be successful, it’s an opportunity for both organizations to strengthen the services we offer to the entire region.”
The Vermont Foodbank joins Central Vermont Medical Center, Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice in Central Vermont and Weidmann Electrical Technology, Northeastern VT Regional Hospital, Northern Counties Health Care, Northeast Kingdom Human Services, and ABC-LOL Childcare in the Northeast Kingdom as the eighth Working Bridges program site served by Green Mountain United Way in their five-county region.
“This program brings support for employees who are integral to ensuring Vermonters have the food they need, which is particularly important during this time of unprecedented challenges in our care delivery systems in Vermont. We are honored to partner with The Vermont Foodbank to serve the needs of employees so they are able to better serve food-insecure Vermonters all over the State. This work will allow Foodbank employees to get the help they need in their own lives and be supported by our Resource Coordinator to address any personal struggles outside of work,” said Tawnya Kristen, Executive Director of Green Mountain United Way.
About Green Mountain United Way: Green Mountain United Way is a Vermont not-for-profit organization in operation since 1976. They work to improve the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community in Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Orleans and Washington Counties by mobilizing the caring power of communities around our region to advance the common good. No other single organization has the scope and influence to bring together human service agencies, government, businesses, private foundations and dedicated volunteers around a common vision of creating maximum impact and achieving long-lasting results.