By Layla Kalinen
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
MONTPELIER, VT — On July 11, the Vermont Community Foundation made a two-fold announcement: It is offering financial help to families, small businesses and farms statewide and calling for donations in the aftermath of the catastrophic flooding.
Dan Smith, CEO of the foundation, said there has already been a massive outpouring of private and public donations.
“We were founded in 1986 to be the enduring philanthropy that supports Vermont communities,” Smith said. “This is one of the moments in which it’s really important for philanthropy to be effective and to really shine in the community. Our foundation does so in moments of crisis.”
“We had a really strong philanthropic response to tropical storm Irene 12 years ago,” he said. “And, in the COVID-19 pandemic, we raised and granted more than $10 million to support communities dealing with the circumstances of the pandemic. Now, unfortunately, we find ourselves right now gearing up our response to this storm — whatever we end up naming it — the floods and the conditions that were unleashed.”
Smith said the Foundation will make announcements soon regarding progress on gathering resources for flood stricken communities.
“These are the moments in which the Vermont Community Foundation and the donors, funders, fund-holders and the people [who] partner with us really do shine in terms of the difference that can be made in Vermont communities,” Smith said.
Beginning July 7, Smith said the Foundation worked diligently to organize a plan to raise funds for the oncoming disaster.
“Then over the weekend, we were preparing ourselves and by Monday morning it was like we hit the ground running,” Smith said. “I actually was in a meeting in Montpelier, and as I got on the Interstate coming back to Burlington at like 10 or 10:30 on Monday morning, there was water cascading off the ledges at Middlesex onto the roads and I just knew that this was going to be a big thing.”
While the staff is overloaded right now and the floods have brought great sadness, Smith said he is proud to watch as neighbors care for neighbors.
The Foundation expects to raise “funds in the high six figures” by the end of the week.
The foundation is partnering with an insurance agency to take an acoustic music festival that had been planned for Montpelier online.
“The National Life Group has pivoted their community benefit to support our flood relief recovery fund,” Smith said.
For more information on the Vermont Community Foundation or to donate, visit https://vermontcf.org. Donations can be made via credit card, mobile pay or bank transfer. Send checks to the VT Flood Response and Recovery Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation, 3 Court Street Middlebury, VT 05753.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.