The Vermont Democratic Party is launching a new digital organizing program: Connecting Vermont. This volunteer-driven program will focus on making daily wellness calls into our local communities to say hello, check in, and connect neighbors with the help they may need.
“After chatting with a number of local Democratic committee members from across the state, the desire among our base for a volunteer-powered humanitarian program was apparent,” said Scott McNeil, executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party. “Members of our party care deeply about their neighbors and their community, so it’s no surprise folks are stepping up to reach out a digital helping hand in this time of tremendous need.”
The Vermont Democratic Party has been piloting Connecting Vermont since the start of April, and in just over a week, this group of over a dozen volunteers from across the state have placed over 1,000 calls with a monthly goal of 40,000. Calls are placed by neighbors to neighbors, county by county across our entire database – beginning with senior citizens who are 75 or older. Volunteers have so far called into ten of Vermont’s fourteen counties, with a goal of all fourteen by April 10.
McNeil continued: “This group of volunteers, while supported by the Vermont Democratic Party, has no political charge. Connecting Vermont calls are not a place for politics – not a time to push a candidate or an agenda. This outreach is designed specifically to reach those Vermonters who may not be hearing from others during this time of distance; folks who may need a friend to chat with, who may need the phone number to a government office, who may need groceries dropped off.”
While this program is in its infancy, we hope to grow the effort and continue the outreach long past the end of social distancing. The Vermont Democratic Party plans to reach out to organizations with hope for a potential partnership in this effort.
More information on Connecting Vermont can be found at vtdemocrats.org/connectingvt.