Feeding Chittenden
Feeding Chittenden is evolving from a Food Shelf to a Food Access Center, with the intent to reduce barriers for vulnerable Vermonters in need of assistance, including New Americans, Veterans, BIPOC communities, people experiencing homelessness, and children. Feeding Chittenden is helping to coordinate communities of practice around culturally responsive foods with the intent of introducing a more inclusive, human centered approach to food distribution.
CVOEO’s Community Resource Center is a daytime warming and resource center in Burlington providing services to people experiencing homelessness and other community members in need. Caring and dedicated Community Resource Center staff operate the facility from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Meals are provided Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and grab and go food will be available from 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. In case of inclement weather, check their Instagram or Facebook for updated hours.
Services at the Community Resource Center include:
- Meals and hot drinks
- Snacks
- Clothing
- Computer access
- Phone access
- Support to access public benefits
- Safe recovery information
While the Food Shelf is Feeding Chittenden's flagship program, they also operate the following programs and services:
- Home Grocery Delivery: Help older adults and people who stay at home due to limited mobility or fragile health access services through deliveries of groceries and prepared meals.
- Food Rescue: Fight food waste locally by working with local grocers, markets and farmers to save ~10,000 lbs of edible, nutritious food every month.
- Hot Meal Program: Provide a warm breakfast to-go each weekday morning.
- Community Kitchen Academy: Provide culinary job training and support to people who are unemployed through a partnership with the Vermont Foodbank. Visit their site here to learn more or apply to be a student.
- Good Food Truck: Serve meals, groceries and outreach services in collaboration with their CKA program.
- Garden/Nutrition Education: Use their recently built raised beds to provide education around growing food and the nutritious details of each crop. Use the space around the raised beds for educational workshops and seedling giveaway.
Volunteer Opportunities
Current opportunities include:
Grocery Prep
Grocery prep occurs at Feeding Chittenden, 228 North Winooski Ave., Burlington, VT, on Monday-Friday between 8:30am–3:30pm. Volunteers prepare to-go boxes with an assortment of nutritious and balanced foods. This role may also include repackaging donated bulk food items into individual/family sized portions, tidying up/organizing the space, and unloading trucks.
Intake
Intake occurs at Feeding Chittenden, 228 North Winooski Ave., Burlington, VT, on Monday-Friday between 8:30am–3:30pm. Help us sign folks in and hand over groceries, accommodating choice and dietary restrictions on the spot.
Home Delivery
Home Delivery occurs Tuesdays, Thursdays and alternating Fridays at varying times at Feeding Chittenden, 228 North Winooski Ave., Burlington, VT.
Tasks for home delivery include hitting the road and deliver food right to the doors of people in need!
- Times vary but in general volunteers pick up orders around 11
- Deliveries are usually around 1 hour (2 hours at most)
- You will need to use your own vehicle (small sedans have worked fine!)
- Recurring shifts and a commitment of at least three months are desirable
Contact Ansley at alaev@cvoeo.org to learn more or apply at www.feedingchittenden.org.
Note: All volunteer opportunities occur between 6am and 4pm M-F. They cannot accommodate volunteer opportunities outside of these hours or on the weekends. Currently their volunteer shifts range from 2-4 hours, once a week. There are also opportunities to combine program duties. For example: one can do a food rescue run and work in grocery distribution after they drop it off.
Contact
Ansley Laev: alaev@cvoeo.org
228 North Winooski Avenue
Burlington, 05401
