John Graham dreamed of building an organization that provided a variety of basic services to those in need, and he did indeed make his vision a reality. The John Graham Shelter Home located in Vergennes, Vt. and the non-profit group HOPE (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects), which is based in Middlebury, were the results of Graham’s work. Jeanne Montross, executive director of HOPE, works closely with her board of directors, whose members include Special Collections Librarian and College Archivist Bob Buckeye, Donor Relations Events Manager Andrea Solomon and Professor of Anthropology David Stoll.
Montross, a native of Salisbury, Vt., has been HOPE’s director for 10 years. Born and raised in New Jersey, she graduated from the University of Vermont (UVM) after majoring in psychology. She then worked in counseling at UVM and North Country Community College, and was part of a court diversion program in Middlebury. When HOPE moved to its new location, 282 Boardman St. at the John V. Craven Community Services Center, in 1999, Montross jumped on board and was quickly crowned director.
“Jeanne is a real go-getter and a huge asset to HOPE,” said Solomon, who serves as the chair of fundraising committees and organized the “Model Citizen” Fashion Show last November, which raised approximately $3,000 for HOPE. “She is a tremendous advocate for anyone in need and dives in at the ground level.”
The organization’s mission is to reduce the effects of poverty in Addison County by providing basic services to residents, including food aid, shelter and budget counseling. Montross also said HOPE seeks to educate individuals. Instead of simply giving families instant meals to prepare, for example, the organization urges people to select a recipe from the many HOPE provides and bring home fresh produce to cook wholesome, healthy dinners.
“We also want to beef up our gleaning program,” said Montross, who has worked with Corrine Almquist ’09 and Jessie Ebersole ’12 on this project. In 2009, the gleaning program donated 8,000 pounds of food to HOPE.
“Corinne brought truckloads of pumpkins to us this fall, which volunteers brought home and mashed up. People then came to the food bank and took the mashed pumpkins, as well as spices, and make pumpkin pies for the holidays.”
HOPE receives very little government funding; money comes from grants or is donated by local residents, businesses and other organizations, like United Ways. Since it is not a government program, the organization works to provide a variety of services, regardless of whether it has a specific program. For instance, if someone needs a new well pump, HOPE will determine if the project is viable and, if deemed necessary, will attempt to find the funding to install the pump.
“We try not to say ‘no’ to anything, but we need to use the community money carefully,” said Montross.
The John V. Craven Community Services Center also is home to the Vermont Adult Learning Center, which offers computer classes, as well as daycare services. The Addison County Transit Resources (ACTR) shuttles drive to and from the center throughout the day, so individuals have easy access to the facilities.
“I believe that we are part of a community and need to be responsible for one another,” said Buckeye, who has been chair of the board of directors for the last 11 years. “There are those who have had unexpected difficulties and setbacks. There are those who have had little chance from the beginning. We do not ignore them, walk over them on the street as it were.”
It is clear that HOPE’s services help many. Over 500 people come to HOPE’s food shelf each month. Families are allowed to bring home enough food for three meals for three days for each member of their household. In 2009, the food bank dished out enough for 43,000 meals to impoverished individuals. People must fill out an application that analyzes both their income and their expenses to determine if they qualify to receive food from the emergency food shelf. Local community members, as well as nearby supermarkets, like Hannaford’s, donate much of the food. Montross was proud of the College’s December food drive, too.
The executive director has looked into buying food wholesale, but fears it is too expensive, as she must buy a minimum of $5,000 worth of goods. In the past, volunteers would pack bags and bring them to needy families, but HOPE determined this was an inefficient system, so people now come to select their own food, all of which is carefully weighed by HOPE.
The organization has a walk-in freezer and cooler to keep food fresh. All goods must be organized and packaged in the food warehouse. Student help is needed in the fall especially when the produce from the gleaning program is delivered. The food shelf accepts donated food year round, and juices, canned fruits, vegetables, soup and dairy products are particlarly needed.
“It feels like HOPE really reaches to people that need help,” said Solomon, who often volunteers with her three children at the food shelf, as she wants them to see they can make a difference by giving back locally. “There is a strong pull towards helping people in our community and to make a big difference right here. It is not AIDS research, but that does not necessarily feed local needs.”
Stoll, who got involved with the organization because Buckeye mentioned that HOPE wanted to start working with local Mexican dairy farmers, could not agree more. A fluent Spanish speaker, Stoll was the perfect choice to join the board to help with this particular project. Happily though, Stoll said he has done little with this specific program because most of these farmers are currently employed.
“Who is going to take care of people who are sick and destitute?” said Stoll. “HOPE is interesting because it straddles the boundary between public and private.”
The organization also partners with its thrift store, RetroWorks, which is an important source of revenue for the non-profit. Last year, the shop earned $230,248. Everything from clothing to 90-cent cups to woven placemats is donated and sold. Montross is especially excited fabout the upcoming vinyl record sale at RetroWorks, which will be held later this spring.
Extra clothes that are not sold are sent to a warehouse in Canada, where, along with leftover shoes, stuffed animals and purses, they are either sold to thrift stores or sent to developing countries.
“That way everything is kept out of the landfill,” said Montross.
RetroWorks, which is open to the public, welcomes customers Monday through Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Donations are always welcome. Neat Repeats, a store in Middlebury, partners with HOPE and donates much of its inventory to the store. Call (802) 388-3608 (ext. 24) for more information.
Plans are currently underway for fundraisers, similar to the fashion show held in November, to raise money for HOPE. Montross also hopes to start winter-ready automobile programs in which individuals donate snow tires and anti-freeze to those who cannot afford these items. Additionally, she wants to organize home repairs. In the past, mission groups have helped with such projects, but Montross said they proved to be too large a strain on resources and was difficult to staff. Instead, she seeks to train local volunteers to make the visits.
Montross also aims to expand HOPE’s reach across Addison County and to lend aid to towns over the mountain, like Hancock, Starksboro and Grandville.
In addition to its food services, HOPE collaborates with other organizations, like the Counseling Services of Addison County and the Addison County Community Trust, on housing projects. Since 1985, HOPE has built 200 homes in Addison County. The Hill House, located on Route 7, was refurbished in 2008 and is now a safe haven for those who were homeless. People can stay at the house for up to two years. While HOPE officially owns the facility, the Counseling Services staff and run the building.
Visit http://www.hope-vt.org or call HOPE at (802) 388-3608 to learn about ways to volunteer. Solomon also said students should talk to Tiffany Sargent, the Director of the ACE Office, if they want to get involved with HOPE.
“I measure myself against how the disadvantaged measure me,” said Buckeye. “There are people who need assistance. We provide it as best we can.”
Last year, 47 families received help from HOPE and were able to pay for their rent and mortgage, while another 80 families were offered money for utilizes. In addition, 256 gasoline vouchers were issued, enabling people to get to work, to school or to a doctor’s appointment.
In HOPE’s pamphlet, Montross says, “HOPE does not operate alone — it is part of a caring community in which many people take seriously the responsibility of caring for others …We do the front line work, but you are behind us, making it all possible. Thank you.”
HOPE's Homepage
Poverty curtailed as HOPE spreads across county
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