VBSR Member News Round Up 6-19-24
Darn Tough Vermont: Gold Member Darn Tough Vermont debuted their Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) Sock in 2011 – the first sock they ever knit with a give-back component. Darn Tough donates 5% of sales of the ATC sock to advance the nonprofit’s outdoor education programs and maintenance of the Appalachian Trail. When the American Hiking Society's National Trails Day was celebrated earlier this month, Darn Tough was ready with their latest ATC sock and a brief history of one of America's first national scenic trails and the nonprofit that is responsible for its conservation and stewardship. Learn more here.
Casella Waste Systems: Champion Member Casella Waste Systems has been named to USA Today’s “America’s Climate Leaders 2024” list for the second consecutive year. The list recognizes the top 450 companies across the United States that have achieved the greatest reduction in their operational emissions intensity between 2020 and 2022. Casella is among just three in its industry to be recognized, and one of two to have been honored in back-to-back years. Learn more here.
Lawson's Finest Liquids: A year after being named CEO at Champion Member Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Adeline Druart continues to leverage her history with cheese (Champion Member Vermont Creamery) towards the future of craft beer. A recent leadership profile in Seven Days shines additional light on her purpose-driven approach to business and her commitment to spreading the company's social impact and minimizing its environmental impact in a resource-intensive industry. Learn more here.
Evernorth, Champlain Housing Trust, Vermont Housing Finance Agency: VBSR members Evernorth and the Champlain Housing Trust have combined forces to convert three large, brick historic buildings at Fort Ethan Allen into 65 apartments that will be known as the 10th Cavalry Apartments, after the famed Buffalo Soldiers who were housed in the buildings from 1909 to 1913. The $23.5 million project used federal low-income housing tax credits to bring together a variety of funding sources including VBSR member the Vermont Housing Finance Agency. The project includes 65 units, split between 57 one-bedroom and eight studio apartments, and is scheduled to be completed by March 2025. Learn more here.
Spectrum Youth and Family Services, University of Vermont Medical Center: Spectrum Youth and Family Services has been able to make its current nightly shelter a year-round resource for unhoused youth, a growing need in the Burlington community. The donors that made this possible include Gold Member University of Vermont Medical Center. The funding was used beginning May 14 to expand the seasonal warming shelter operations to a year-round program, which fills a gap in the local continuum of care, offering a youth-friendly overnight option when other shelter beds are full. Learn more here.
VEIC: Champion Member VEIC wants fellow VBSR members – especially those with a commuting workforce – to know about EVAL (Electric Vehicle Adoption Leadership), a national workplace EV charging certification program. Backed by the U.S. Department of Energy, the program is designed to assist, certify and celebrate employers and businesses dedicated to advancing clean transportation opportunities for their employees. EVAL certifies employers for a range of initiatives - from providing electric vehicle (EV) charging, options for carpooling, biking, public transportation and incentives for sustainable work commute. Learn more here.
Caledonia Spirits and American Meadows: It’s Pollinator Week (June 17-23) and Caledonia Spirits, in partnership with Gold Member American Meadows, is raising awareness about the crucial role pollinators, particularly bees, play in Vermont's thriving agricultural landscape. Pollinators are essential to the health and biodiversity of ecosystems, and Caledonia Spirit’s Barr Hill Gin has been at the forefront of efforts to protect and expand pollinator habitats. Through its ongoing commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and Bee’s Knees Week campaign, the brand has seen 23 acres pledged and planted. Learn more here.
- In related news…both Bar Hill Gin and member Honey Road (see the honey connection?!) were finalists for the James Beard Awards this year. Sadly, neither ultimately won in their respective categories – Outstanding Bar and Best Chef: Northeast – but congratulations to them both for this honor. Learn more here.