Dear Housing Trust friends,

What does it mean to ‘meet the moment?’ This is a question that we asked and answered many times during 2020. In every instance it meant stepping forward in new ways to fulfill our mission in a rapidly shifting and tumultuous time. It meant exploring the very outer edges of our capacity, expanding our comfort zone and accelerating our pace beyond our established rhythms. It was both challenging and transformative. By thinking differently about our work, we made giant strides forward in providing excellent housing services and creating over a 115 new housing opportunities.

Some highlights of the year include Travis Tarbox, the youngest member of WWHT’s maintenance team, volunteering early on to take all the emergency “on call” shifts that required entry into people’s homes. He felt that he was the least at risk and wanted to protect his team while continuing to be responsive to emergency issues for our residents.

Ginger Guadette and other members of the property management staff helped residents navigate the complicated process of applying for emergency rental assistance and avoid a financial crisis that could destabilize their home.

Tara Brown led the Green Mountain Home Repair team in doubling their impact by adding a whole new program to help private property owners repair long vacant apartments or create new apartments. In just three months, this resulted in 59 new apartments, many in the more rural towns throughout our two-county region.

Pete Paggi & Betsy Hall worked at breakneck speed to transform the Dalem Chalet in West Brattleboro from its former use as a motel to our second permanent supportive housing community for folks experiencing homelessness. Now, there are 27 permanent homes at “the Chalet” with onsite supportive services provided by Groundworks Collaborative.

Working with Equity Solutions, we also commissioned an in-depth report that solicited feedback from our residents on their experience of living in a WWHT home. We explored our residents’ experience from a variety of lenses including generational poverty, racial equity, accessibility and gender. We also sought to understand how we can help facilitate community building among our residents and foster a strong sense of connection and belonging. This feedback will form the basis of our resident engagement efforts in the future.

More than anything, meeting the moment meant being part of an extraordinary local and state-wide effort to address the most pressing needs for new housing in our communities and to ensure that current residents continued to experience housing stability during the pandemic. Policy makers, funders, local organizational partners, donors, WWHT board members and staff all had an important role. We met with one another from our living rooms, kitchen tables and basement offices, using technology to connect, plan and roll out new programs. We are so proud of what we’ve accomplished together. Thank you for your part!

With gratitude,

As a person of color, Dora is also happy to be part of the board’s REDI committee, and is encouraged by the work the organization is doing to promote diversity and inclusion. “They are doing a great job, but that doesn’t mean we are one-hundred percent where we wish to be.  I would love to see more people of color benefiting from WWHT. I would like to see their properties including more people of color. I would also like to see more education around the issue of homeownership, to make services and information more accessible to everyone. It is hard to cope with racism, when you live it on a daily basis. This initiative gives us an opportunity to talk openly — to get things off your chest — to talk about what worries you. I am very thankful to Elizabeth for taking the lead. There’s so much we can do on an individual level, if we are willing to change. Being part of a group that is committed to making things better, it’s so good.”

Dora knows what it means to change lives — it is part of her job description. As a case manager for CASP, she finds local host homes for individuals and families seeking asylum, and helps them with basic needs as they resettle in the community. She would love to see a partnership between the two organizations. “WWHT did such a great job during the pandemic providing shelter, I would love to be able to use them to help our asylum seekers. I know how difficult it is to settle in a country without speaking the language, where you don’t know anyone. Helping so many people become independent, it is so rewarding. It is such a blessing for me.

“I am so grateful for the opportunities presented by WWHT, for their support of our community, and for making it better. I wish everyone could know about Windham & Windsor Housing Trust.”

Windsor Village resident Arthur “Davey” Davis has stories to tell.

A musician and songwriter, photographer and poet, this seventh generation Vermonter grew up on a farm in Brownsville, not far from his current apartment. He has a deep love of nature and the outdoors, and that passion is reflected in his music and his art. Davis has amassed an impressive archive of music videos over the years utilizing the resources of Windsor Area Community Television. It wasn’t until the Covid pandemic forced everyone into isolation that Davey realized the need for his own internet connection. He reached out to SASH Coordinator Molly Bennett for help. Molly was able to get Davey set up with Comcast through their Internet Essentials program. Davey is now able to manage his YouTube Channel from his own home.

“First of all, it’s been good to have internet access as another safety measure,” says Davey. “But it’s been great to be able to put my videos on YouTube. Molly really helped me big time. I wouldn’t be able to do this otherwise. I don’t have a television — I’m not a fan overall — but having the internet has really opened up new possibilities for me. So I’m grateful as heck.”

In addition to showcasing his original music and photography, Davey’s YouTube Channel features interviews with Olympians, fellow musicians, and all sorts of other characters he’s met along the way. “I spent thirty years or so doing interviews for local Windsor On-Air,” says Davey. “I used to do a lot of things musically. I also like to take photos. There’s a reflection in nature that shows us there’s more than what we’ve been conditioned to see. I’ve been posting a lot of music. I like to post one new video a week with original music.”

“I always wanted to be a musician,” he recalls. “I was 27 when I bought an eight-dollar guitar while traveling on foot in Central America. Learning-wise, I was challenged — I think I was on the spectrum when I was younger. I never really studied. So I started playing what I felt. It’s been a wonderful ride.”

A cousin of Vermont’s legendary Cochran ski family, Davey too is called by the mountains. He’s worked as a ski instructor, a fly-fishing guide, and a trail builder, among other adventurous occupations. “I’ve spent a lot of time on Mt. Ascutney — growing up it was my backyard,” he says. “I’m kind of an outdoorsy person. I get out as much as I can. I think we need that balance — it’s good for the sanity.”

During most winters Davey enjoys back country skiing, but a knee injury kept him off the trails this season.  His internet connection came in very handy during his downtime. “While I was laid up I wrote a screenplay,” he says. “I’m doing a documentary on Chateauguay, a wild, more or less abandoned, stretch of woods in Central Vermont. I was able to do some research, and watch some documentaries for inspiration.”

Even with the restrictions presented by Covid, Davey says he’s gotten everything he needs from the SASH program. “I cook for myself, and I eat pretty well. I’m probably better off than most, my physical health is good. A lot of people are hurting way more than me.”

He says he feels fortunate to live in Windsor Village, so close to where he grew up. “Windsor is a remarkable little town. It really hasn’t changed much since I was young. There is so much here — ponds, the river, the hospital. I love that there’s a community library here. It’s really nice.”

He recalls when Windsor Village housed a different group of residents. “I remember seeing this place when it was a prison. I think it’s a marvelous thing what they’ve done here. It’s a hard time for a lot of people — a lot of people are struggling, and it’s just remarkable what they’ve created here. People are able to live comfortably and affordably, in this really wonderful community. I like it very much, and I’m very appreciative.”