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In Strong Communities, Everyone Thrives

The HUB  makes it easier for residents to get the help they need during a personal or community crisis.  Click here to learn about and support The HUB 2023 Flood Relief Fund.

About

The HUB… 

  • Makes it easier for you to get help during a time of need.
  • Is a central point of contact for you.
  • Connects you with an experienced community volunteer who responds quickly and will help you get assistance.
  • Is confidential and respectful of your situation, whether due to divorce, job loss, family illness, or financial stress. 
  • Can help you if you live in Barnard, Bridgewater, Killington, Plymouth, Pomfret, Reading, or Woodstock. 
  • Partners with many local organizations such as Barnard Helping Hands and Ottauquechee Health Foundation.

Apply To The HUB Now 

The Challenge

Financial insecurity is often a hidden problem in Vermont communities like ours. A veneer of community affluence disguises the harsh reality that many of our neighbors face, and pride can make it hard to ask for help. Right now, high costs for food, fuel, housing, and other subsistence needs force more people to live on the edge.

Plus, a lack of coordination among funders and service providers creates hurdles, inefficiency, and service gaps.

The Solution

The HUB builds on the success of the Woodstock Area Relief Fund (WARF), a community project that addressed hardships brought on by Tropical Storm Irene and the COVID-19 pandemic. You might think about The HUB as WARF 2.0! Nearly 30 funders and service providers stepped up to design and build The HUB, a collaborative and efficient system to ensure community preparedness for future large-scale disasters and for the crises that affect residents daily. Trained community volunteer case advocates connect with families and individuals ensuring that appropriate and timely assistance is delivered respectfully and efficiently. The HUB connects people to both private and public sources of support.   

Woodstock Community Trust and Ottauquechee Health Foundation are sponsoring organizations. Funding partners include  Barnard Helping Hands, Faulkner Fund, King's Daughters, Pivotal Steps and Plymouth Memory Tree. 

The Impact

The HUB began operations in December 2022, building on the results of WARF.  In 2020 and 2021 our community raised and distributed nearly one million dollars of assistance to residents of Barnard, Bridgewater, Killington, Plymouth, Pomfret, Reading and Woodstock. Last winter, The HUB ran a pilot project to provide fuel assistance. Working with funding partners, we distributed $103,00 to 100 people.

Project Plans and Support

Fundraising efforts to secure funds through 2026 are underway. Three foundations have already provided operational funds: Cotyledon Fund, Green Mountain Foundation, and Vermont Community Foundation.  Other private foundations and donors have contributed to The HUB  Fund to help pay fuel, housing, child care, or car repair bills for individuals and families in need when other local organizations can't.

Learn more about The HUB 2023 Flood Relief Fund

Many Thanks to Our Major Donors!