VBSR Member News Round Up 11-27-24

Children's Literacy Foundation (CLiF): CLiF has provided free and inspiring literacy programs and brand-new books to under-resourced children up to age 12 in almost 85% of the communities in New Hampshire and Vermont. If you’ve ever wondered how they actually do that, we’ve got you covered. A recently posted essay – “The Journey of a CLiF Giveaway Book” – peeks behind the scenes at how CLiF selects, orders, organizes, and distributes the 1000s of books they give away to under-resourced children in Vermont and New Hampshire each year – almost 50,000 books in FY2024 alone. Learn more here.

Hula: Now in its fourth year, Champion Member Hula is featuring over 60 talented local artists, makers, and entrepreneurs on December 17th, 2024, from 4–8 PM, at their Huladay Market. For decades, the South End has been at the heart of a vibrant community of artists and makers. Though Hula is typically home to entrepreneurs of a different kind, the annual Huladay Market pays tribute to the area’s rich creative culture, honoring its legacy while expanding beyond Burlington to welcome small businesses from across Vermont. Learn more here.

Northeast Delta Dental: Northeast Delta Dental has awarded a substantial grant to fund a statewide initiative delivering essential dental care to underserved Vermont communities. This collaborative effort brings together the Vermont Department of Health District Offices and Office of Oral Health, Vermont’s Free & Referral Clinics, local dentists, and a committed team of clinical volunteers and community partners to bring dental care to Vermonters in need. Over the upcoming months, a series of free pop-up dental clinics will provide vital oral healthcare and oral health education to children and adults in Vermont. Learn more here.

Northfield Savings Bank: Gold Member Northfield Savings Bank (NSB) is partnering with Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC) to support small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) in the state of Vermont. NSB will contribute $60,000 over a two-year period ($30,000 per year) to create a "Maker's Fund" through VMEC. The fund will be used to provide a range of services, based on operational needs, to manufacturers with 20 or less employees to sustain and grow their businesses. VMEC will carry out the work designed to help the SMMs sustain and grow. The partnership began October 1, 2024, and will extend to September 30, 2026. Learn more here.

UVM: UVM has no shortage of sustainability leaders – and they are staying busy this fall!

• UVM researcher Colin Anderson was recently in Rome to join the United Nations' Committee on World Food Security's (CFS) High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE). He is one of only two U.S. researchers invited to be on the influential panel and one of only five North Americans. He is co-director of UVM’s Institute for Agroecology and associate research professor in UVM's Department of Agriculture, Landscape and Environment. The HLPE is the U.N. body responsible for providing independent, evidence-based scientific analysis to inform global food security and nutrition policy. The panel’s reports play a pivotal role in shaping global discussions on food security and sustainable agriculture. Learn more here.
  
• Joshua Faulkner, a research associate professor at the University of Vermont, is part of a team of UVM researchers investigating how to make Vermont’s dairy production more sustainable. They are midway into a six-year study called the Dairy, Soil, and Water Regeneration project administered by the Soil Health Institute, that involves seven universities and spans farms from Vermont, Wisconsin, Texas, Idaho, and California. The idea is to test how methods such as cover cropping, no-till planting, and different fertilizer applications affect water quality, crop yield, economics, and greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more here.
  
• Caylin McCamp ’12 G’20 has been appointed as the Interim Director of the University of Vermont’s Office of Sustainability. McCamp has held several key roles in higher education sustainability during her 12-year career, including sustainable projects manager and education and outreach coordinator for UVM’s Office of Sustainability, and sustainability manager for UVM Dining. She holds an MS in Natural Resources through the Leadership for Sustainability program in UVM’s Rubenstein School. McCamp succeeds Elizabeth Palchak, who had served as sustainability director since 2021. Learn more here.

Union Mutual: Lisa L. Keysar is a true rarity – a top female executive in a man’s insurance world. Keysar, 62, was serving as the executive vice president of Champion Member Union Mutual of Vermont when she became president and CEO in October 2020, after the sudden death four months earlier of its popular leader, Michael Noblesat, at age 50. Keysar is the 15th person to be the company’s CEO and the first woman to lead the firm since it was founded in 1874. She is steeped in the insurance business: her father served as president and CEO of Union Mutual from 1993 to 2001. She is the first second-generation president and women now comprise 50% of Union Mutual’s executive team. Learn more here.

VFCU, Vermont Works for Women: Gold Member Vermont Federal Credit Union recently presented an on-court donation of $2,125 to Vermont Works for Women, continuing its ongoing partnership with University of Vermont Women's Basketball and She Roars. As a women-led Credit Union and the Presenting Sponsor of University of Vermont Women's Basketball and the University of Vermont She Roars program, Vermont Federal Credit Union advances its mission of supporting Vermonters through its "When Women Win" initiative. Through this program, Vermont Federal Credit Union has pledged to donate $25 to Vermont Works for Women each time a University of Vermont women's athletic team secures a home game victory. Learn more here.

Vermont Community Foundation, King Street Center, Shelburne Farms, The Family Room, and The Space on Main: A new video from the Vermont Community Foundation reminds viewers that it’s our community that connects us in tough times. Featuring other VBSR members like King Street Center, Shelburne Farms, The Family Room, and The Space on Main, the video features organizations that nurture a sense of belonging, strengthen local ties, and make Vermont more than another place on a map. Each of these organizations offers Vermonters a place to gather, to engage, and to feel part of something bigger. Learn more here.

Vermont Community Foundation, Energy Action Network: Jared Duval was honored with this year’s Con Hogan Award – the tenth and final – by the Vermont Community Foundation. Duval is executive director of the Montpelier-based Energy Action Network (EAN), which brings together more than 200 Vermont-based nonprofits, utilities, businesses, universities, and public sector partners to help Vermont achieve its climate and energy commitments, to create a more just, thriving, and sustainable future. The network supports research and data-tracking on energy and emissions, with a focus on evidence-based policy analysis. Learn more here.

VSJF, DeltaClimeVT: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund's DeltaClimeVT climate economy business accelerator is seeking innovative start-up and seed stage ventures offering innovative products and services aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing resilience in an effort to help Vermont meet its climate goals. During Energy 2025, entrepreneurs will work directly with Vermont utilities who are ready to contribute to Vermont’s Comprehensive Energy Plan (90% renewables/efficiency by 2050), Vermont’s Climate Action Plan, and Burlington’s Net Zero by 2030 goals. Learn more here.

WheelPad L3C: WheelPad L3C received Vermont's 2024 Spirit of Americans with Disabilities Act Award for its commitment to accessibility, inclusion, sustainability and community building. The visionary company is committed to providing equitable access to ADA-compliant mobile accessory dwelling units for homeowners looking to retrofit their homes for people with mobility challenges. Their innovative wheelchair accessible modular homes can be attached to existing structures or placed as standalone units, creating safe and accessible spaces for all. Learn more here.