In July of this year, Vermont was battered by rainstorms and catastrophic flooding. Washouts and landslides severed roads between many rural towns. Despite being closed off, the Foodbank network—that you help support—came together to support neighbors who, in many cases, lost everything.
“We’re here from 10:00 to 2:00 on Wednesdays,” Dana, a volunteer with Onion River Food Shelf in Marshfield, said. “There might be one person waiting. [After the flooding], there were eight or nine households waiting.”
“I can only imagine…that there are going to be more and more families because of the damage to homes,” Dana said.
The increase in need for food was clear five miles up the road at Neighbors in Action, the food shelf in Cabot. Cabot and Marshfield, along with neighboring Plainfield, were essentially cut off from the rest of the state.
One week after the flood, a steady stream of village residents, volunteers, road crews, and first responders flowed in to pick up prepared meals and boxes of food.
Orchestrating it all was Cindy, a volunteer coordinator. Prior to the floods, Cindy said they would put together about 275 food boxes every two weeks for the community. That changed once flood waters from the Winooski River devastated the town.
“You want to know how many people we’ve fed? A lot,” Cindy said, pausing for a minute before saying they’d put together 1,700 meals and more than 1,500 sandwiches in just one week, in the wake of the flood. “We don’t count a sandwich as a meal,” she explained.
Cindy noted that they don’t turn anybody away and they’ve been feeding people from neighboring towns as well.
With so many people affected it will be tough, but doable, to continue making sure neighbors have enough to eat every day—especially during the holiday season—thanks to your support and the strength of the Foodbank network.
“Our next food share is next Wednesday and…I’m a little bit scared,” Cindy said. “We do about 275, and then if we have to make boxes we just keep making boxes. You just gotta do what you gotta do to feed the people, that’s my thing.”
* Any small text like a photo substitution statement, funding information related to programs, etc, should go in here.
In Bennington and Rutland counties, BROC Community Action has developed programs to make it easier for neighbors to put together nourishing holiday meals. Turkey tickets, a Holiday Shop, and creative thinking are filling pantries this holiday season thanks to help from you.
Across the state, the Foodbank is sharing recipes and cooking demonstrations with visitors at fresh produce distributions. Together, we’re making sure more people in Vermont can bring home the fresh food they want and need, along with information on how to prepare and enjoy it.
Tara is a holistic nutrition consultant and a trained chef from Montpelier, who also offers postpartum support to mothers in Vermont. She’s a single mom, has her own business, and volunteers in her community serving food to unhoused neighbors. And she has faced food insecurity over the last 20 years. She has shared her experience with us to help build awareness of food insecurity.
