Grantee Stories

In our recent grant period, funds were awarded to thre Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.  In 2018 they launched their SMART device training program which our grant will subsidize. This program assists adults 55+ in training in both standard application and adaptive software and hardware.  The mission of VABVI is to enable Vermonters, whether blind or visually impaired, to be more independent, to cutivate adaptive skills and thus improve their quality of life.

VABVI is the ONLY private nonprofit to provide support and services to visually impaired Vermonters.  Currently, 33 residents of our towns are served by this area nonprofit.  

We at SCHIP can only imagine the challenges faced each day by those who are blind or visually impaired and are very happy to be able to help VABVI enrich their lives and their ability to communicate with others.  

The Charlotte Food Shelf

         is committed to helping those in their community with food, personal items, and children's clothing.  It also assists those in need of financial aid to pay for fuel, utilities, and rent (to avoid eviction).  Since our own mission is to help those who help those in need, SCHIP awarded the Food Shelf monies to help with all those requests.

With an expected increase in need, they wanted to be abe to increase their ability to give assistance.

During these hard times, SCHIP is very pleased to be able to help those in our communities who work hard every day to ensure that people's basic needs are being met. 

SCHIP has awarded JUMP (Joint Urban Ministry Project) grant funds several times over the years and we continue to want to help them in their mission.  For 30 years, JUMP has been a resource for economically disadvantaged neighbors in search of basic needs. 

Recently we accepted their application for help with the FLEX Assistance Program, a voucher assistance program for basic needs.  This fund seeks to improve the lives of low income families     and other families in our communities.  Vouchers may help with groceries, transportation, utility expenses, laundry and thrift shop   purchases.  They even help get a start with opening saving accounts with direct work deposit providing a pathway to improve   economic independence. 

   53 household from our 3 towns received JUMP services.  SCHIP wants to help the vulnerable population “living on the edge” to     be less vulnerable and maintain their dignity.  Through helping JUMP we can play a role in this effort. 

  In October, SCHIP awarded a grant to the Champlain Valley Union High School Home School Support Fund.  This fund helps provide basic needs and social renrichment support for students of need.  This fund reduces the barriers to success and provies positive enrichment that helps build academic, social, and emotiuonal well-being.  The help may take the form of clothing, personal needs, housing, gas and transportation, extracurricular activities, driving permit fees and so much more.  

At SCHIP we know that firm foundations and support for our young people result in stong, capable, and inspirational adults.  We are so happy to help to form a positive future for our area students.  

 Shelburne Rescue requested funds to purchase eight helmets and ten sets of rescue gloves.  This equipment replaced old and out of compliance gear used by their members at automobile accidents and other events.  SCHIP was able to grant them the funds to purchase both items for both Shelburne ambulances. 

Chief Linda Goodrich notes that the new equipment protects members from the danger of serious head and hand injuries. 

Shelburne Rescue was founded over 25 years ago. The squad initially operated in 1984 without an ambulance, serving as first responders in coordination with the Burlington Fire Department. In order to meet the growing medical needs of the community, the first ambulance was purchased in 1988. Since its formation, the squad has grown to 50 members who respond to almost 1000 calls a year. They are a volunteer service providing coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We at SCHIP are pleased to PAY IT FORWARD and help those who help provide essential needs to make our community a better place.

BECAUSE ALL GREAT MINDS DON’T THINK ALIKE!

The Stern Center for Language and Learning is a nonprofit learning center in Williston, Vermont, dedicated to helping children and adults reach their academic, social and professional goals.

The Stern Center can determine how a student can best learn and to help them better understand their strengths

and challenges. They help children learn strategies that will build confidence and help them find academic and social success.

We at SCHIP are parents and community members who recognize that confidence and success in learning is what builds strong communities so we were very pleased to add to the Stern Center Scholarship Fund. 

In 1991 in Burlington, Vermont, ReSOURCE (then ReCycle North) began an innovative program of repairing and reselling household items that otherwise would have gone to the landfill.  Out of that founding vision, ReSOURCE has expanded its services and programming to offer more opportunities to at-risk-youth and low-income Vermonters in need.           

     In addition to providing goods and services at an affordable price, ReSOURCE has trained over 1,800 individuals through their Job Skills Training programs and given those individuals a chance to learn valuable technical and professional skills and become gainfully employed.  ReSOURCE’S success to date has proven its sustainability and created a replicable model of environmental stewardship, educational training, and economic opportunity in Vermont while being committed to teamwork and collaboration across their programs and departments. 

SCHIP Dollars Provided Vouchers for Essential Goods and Services

The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) is a nonprofit corporation formed in 1965 to carry out the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.  It provides vital services to over eleven thousand households (over 25,000 individuals).  They bridge gaps and build futures.  They provide individuals and families with the basic needs of food, fuel and housing support in times of crisis and help them acquire the necessary education, financial skills and assets to build a stable future in which they can thrive.

SCHIP awarded CVOEO funds to help in their support of housing, fuel and employment needs.

“The CVU Habitat for Humanity students and chaperones thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your generosity helped make our trip possible this year!”

Eighteen students and four adults went to Winston-Salem, NC over April break to help put the finishing touches on the new Habitat for Humanity dorm house. The dorm, owned by Habitat for Humanity in Forsyth County, will house volunteers while they are helping build homes for Habitat. CVU has been taking this student-funded community service trip for 15 years!

1 Peter 4:10 reads "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's manifold grace."

SCHIP was very happy to be able to give our local high school students the opportunity to reach out and help others realize their dreams of a home of their own.

Champlain Longboats Program

       The SCHIP grant of $3,000 allowed the Champlain Valley Union High School Rowing Team to continue to grow and thrive this year. CVUHS had twenty-five students actively participating in fall rowing practicing twice a week from September through mid-November and they participated in three local races as well as traveling to Boston for regional competition.

LCMM believes the grant helped them succeed in keeping the momentum alive with the CVUHS rowing club and allowed them to continue to offer this unique, healthy, team-building activity to students who otherwise might fall through the cracks of traditional extra-curricular programming.

We are in the business of retail sales but that allows us to be in the business of helping those in need of all ages, faiths, and colors. SHOP, DONATE, VOLUNTEER and help us continue our mission

The Hinesburg Police Department currently has 8 officers.  As per the manufacturer, the life of their bulletproof vests is 5 years. They currently had 4 officers with expired bulletproof vests and two more that would expire next year. 

In addition to serving the community of Hinesburg, their Department helps with public safety issues in both Shelburne and Charlotte, thereby impacting all of our three communities.  The largest union high school in the state of Vermont is also in Hinesburg and so these officers have a positive impact on the public's safety every day.

SCHIP dollars made it possible for the Hinesburg Police Department to buy 3 bulletproof vests this year.             

              AGE WELL is a nonprofit organization that serves Addison, Chittenden, Franklin and

Grand Isle counties and is the largest Meals on Wheels provider in Vermont. Their mission is to provide the support and guidance that inspires our community to embrace aging with confidence.

Since 1974, Age Well has delivered over 9 million meals, provided nutrition and care coordination services to over 50,000 people, and responded to over 250,000 calls through our senior helpline

In January of 2017 SCHIP supported the Meals on Wheels & Age Well's 2017 March for Meals. $2500 was granted to support an entire delivery route for 3 months. 

You may think we are in the business of retail sales but what we are really in is the business of helping those in need of all ages, faiths, and colors.  SHOP, DONATE, VOLUNTEER and help us continue our mission

Shelburne Nursery School requested a grant from SCHIP to provide partial scholarships for families who would otherwise not be able to afford to attend their preschool program. They were able to offer two families to pay what they could afford, $10 per month. Additionally, they paid a $10 registration fee which is $250. They were also able to offer 2 families $500 each (allowing 3 children to attend) to reduce their tuition.

They were significantly helped in this endeavor by our SCHIP grant. All 5 children from the 4 families were Shelburne residents.