Mountain Times- Volume 49, Number 18 - April 29 - May 5, 2020

The Mountain Times • April 29 - May 5, 2020 THE SILVER LINING • 19
The Vermont Community
Foundation gives millions
to vulnerable Vermonters
$10,000 was recently granted to VNA &
Hospice of the Southwest Region
The VNA & Hospice
of the Southwest Region
(VNAHSR) has received a
$10,000 grant from the VT
Covid-19 Response Fund
of the Vermont Community
Foundation. The grant
will be used to help the
agency adapt to the changing
realities of providing
home health care and hospice
during an epidemic.
“We are honored that
the Vermont Community
Foundation recognizes
the unique value and
position that home health
and hospice care provides
to our community,” said
Ron Cioffi, RN, CEO of
the VNAHSR. “Our staff
is on the front lines of the
Covid-19 crisis providing
essential services to our
patients every day Gifts
like this from the Covid-19
Response Fund will help us
address the overwhelming
issues presented by caring
for communities in crisis.”
Support from this grant
and other donations from
the community will be used
to help the agency meet the
ongoing needs of personal
protective equipment and
critical supplies to treat Covid
positive patients safely
and support virtual visits.
The Vermont Community
Foundation (VCF) has
established the VT Covid-19
Response Fund to support
nonprofits that are
particularly equipped to address
community impacts
of the spread of Covid-19 in
Vermont.
Working with state,
federal, municipal, public
health, and nonprofit
leadership, the Community
Foundation provides flexible
resources to nonprofits
working to address the most
immediate public health
and economic impacts of
the disease, focusing on
vulnerable populations and
the service providers that
support them.
There will be emergency
response, but there will also
be longer term recovery.
Philanthropy has a role to
play in both.
Grants will be made in
multiple phases on a rolling
basis, depending on the
fundraising dollars that are
received.
In Phase One, VCF
extended capacity and
support the infrastructure
of nonprofits positioned
to meet the basic human
needs of our most vulnerable
populations, specifically
elders, and families
compelled to stay at home
by illness, school, childcare
and work closures. This
ranged from visiting nurses
to Meals on Wheels, and
from food pantries to program
supports for socially
distanced and isolated individuals.
The Foundation
began distribution of Phase
One grants on March 25.
Phase Two is dependent
on state and federal support
that becomes available
and will focus primarily on
economic and social strategies
for those adversely
affected.
During the week of April
13, VCF distributed the
second round of grants
from both the VT Covid-19
Response Fund and the
Community Foundation’s
own discretionary grants
budget, totaling $529,000.
Through these channels,
approximately $1.16 million
was distributed since
the Fund was established
on March 13. As of April 15,
donations to the VT Covid-19
Response Fund have
reached $3.2 million.
Community Foundation
grants have ranged
from $500 to $25,000 and
have been made directly to
organizations serving vulnerable
populations as well
as to partner organizations
that are making sub-grants
to their network members.
The second round of
grants focused on shelters
serving families and
domestic violence survivors,
food pantries and
food shelves, as well as
home health and visiting
nurse agencies. A small
number of grants have also
been made to organizations
working on language
translation, coordination
of community organizing
efforts, and training for end
of life counseling.
For more information,
visit VTCovid19repsonse.
org.
By Brian Tortora and Daniela Goncalves
Vermont Adaptive Charity Ride is a major annual fundraiser for the organization, this year it will be a virtual ride.
Vermont Adaptive Charity Ride goes virtual,
includes a live stream celebration June 20
U.S. Freestyle Ski Team members Hannah Soar and Alex Lewis on board to
ride 2,000 miles as a team with Killington Mountain School alumni
KILLINGTON— The 10th annual Vermont Adaptive
Charity Ride presented by Long Trail Brewing has
gone virtual this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The
event raises critical money for Vermont Adaptive Ski and
Sports’ year-round adaptive sports programs, athletes
and adaptive sports equipment. It normally brings more
than 1,000 people to the Killington region in June each
year.
As part of this year’s virtual event, U.S. Freestyle Ski
Team members Hannah Soar and Alex Lewis, plus three
more alumni from the Killington Mountain School, will
bike 100 miles this coming Saturday and collectively have
pledged to ride an overall goal of 2,000 miles by June
20 in an effort to raise funds and support
Vermont Adaptive’s programs and mission.
“I am super excited to get involved with
Vermont Adaptive,” said Soar, who grew
up skiing and training at Killington Resort.
“I found it amazing how many ways this
organization can help get people with
various disabilities out on the hill. Now
that I have some time off due to the
Coronavirus pandemic, I thought it would
be a great time to get involved and show my
support. My friends and I joined together to plan a 100-
mile bike ride in support of Vermont Adaptive for April 25,
we are super excited to support this amazing non-profit.”
Now through June 20, participants are encouraged to
set a personal goal and then ride a road or mountain bike,
as well as walk, run, roll, join virtual exercise classes, ride
horseback ride or any other active event while still social
distancing. Weekly contests and prizes, plus fundraising
incentives are in place to help motivate and incentivize
participants to be active for an important cause. The goal
for 2020 is to raise $300,000.
“Vermont Adaptive serves a vulnerable population
that is stuck inside right now,” said Jeff Alexander, director
of strategic partnerships and the director of the event.
“Our community will need us more than ever and will
need to get outside and play. We anticipate an increase
in programming demand due to the fact that our
participants and the people we serve may be isolated
and not outdoors. So, for those in a position to help, we
hope they will register for this year’s Virtual Vermont
Adaptive Charity Ride. The support and fundraising
will help more than ever now as we prepare to return to
our important adaptive sports programs as soon as we
can.”
To culminate the Virtual Vermont Adaptive Charity
Ride, event organizers will host a full day of Facebook
Live streamed music from local and regional artists,
raffles, adaptive athlete interviews, interactive activities,
and lots of prizes on Saturday, June 20, the date of
the original on-site event. Through participant fundraising
and dedicated sponsors, the event has grown
to be Vermont Adaptive’s largest fundraising
event to support the organization’s annual
operating budget, participant scholarships,
lessons, expensive adaptive equipment,
and more.
“We are happy to bring a new and
exciting way to celebrate the 10th annual
fundraising event while keeping
the community we love healthy and
safe, and continuing to raise the funds
critical to our adaptive sports programming,”
said Alexander. “We will be unable to join together
physically at Long Trail Brewery but we are determined
to celebrate this event with a cool virtual ride party on
June 20. We have lots of fun things planned, and the
road back to play starts now.”
Traditionally, the event includes a large silent auction,
which also will be online this year and include
many items from local and regional businesses.
Registration is $40/person with a $150 minimum
fundraising requirement. Participants who raise $150
or more will receive a Participant Appreciation Package
with event tee, pint glass and more. This year, the
first 500 people to raise their minimum fundraising of
$150 also will receive a Killington Ticket Voucher valid
for one day of skiing or riding during the 2020-21 ski
season or one day of mountain biking during the 2020
summer season. (Not valid during peak dates and subject
to resort operating schedule.)
To learn more and to register, visit charityride.vermontadaptive.org.