[BRATTLEBORO, VT, January 13, 2021-] Thanks to a combination of funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state of Vermont the short hiatus for Everyone Eats! Brattleboro (EE!B) is over. EE!B is resuming operations on January 18th.
For Brattleboro area eaters, the program is going to feel very similar. Starting on January 18th, meal distributions will continue to be at 80 Flat St in Brattleboro from 4 - 6 pm Monday through Thursday and be open to everyone negatively affected by the pandemic. There is no registration or any paperwork required to participate; just come by car or on foot to the distribution site to receive meals for your family, including vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan options. Partner organizations will also continue to reserve meals that they deliver directly to their clients.
Restaurants and EE!B are working together to increase the variety and consistency of meals served. We will be welcoming new restaurants, such as Whetstone Brewery, Four Columns, and the Putney Food Coop. Additionally, the program has expanded, and residents of Marlboro and the West River Valley are now also eligible to participate in the program—that’s in addition to the five towns already participating in the EE!B hub: Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, Putney, and Vernon.
Everyone Eats purchases to-go meals from local restaurants to feed our community. The program supports the local economy while supporting those in need who have been negatively impacted by COVID by food insecurity or those looking for the nourishment of prepared meals because of this crisis we are living through.
The first phase of the program—August to December 2020—brought a much-needed injection of relief funding to the local economy and greatly increased our region’s ability to support our community. Over the course of 22 weeks, 80,387 meals were distributed to community members, Everyone Eats accounted for an average of 37% of participating restaurants’ sales, and $41,818.54 worth of Vermont products and produce were purchased as ingredients for meals.
“As we continue to live with this health pandemic and economic crisis, we know the need is great,” says Stephanie Bonin, EE!B Program Director. “We’re grateful to be able to resume operations so quickly and continue to support our restaurants, farmers, and community.”
During the course of the COVID health pandemic, 1 in 3 people in Vermont have experienced hunger. While Everyone Eats does not solve food insecurity and the economic crisis it has become an important part of the relief offered. For more information about EE!B, to donate or to volunteer, visit its website (https://www.brattleboro.com/everyoneeats) or try it out for yourself by visiting 80 Flat St from 4-6 pm, Monday through Thursday.
Everyone Eats! Brattleboro (EE!B)
EE!B is a project of Vermont Everyone Eats (VEE), a statewide program funded by Federal and State funds made possible through a grant provided by Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA). The Brattleboro coalition consists of representatives from the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance, Vermont Foodbank, Foodworks, Food Connects, The Putney Foodshelf, Putney Mutual Aid, and the Agency of Human Services for the state of Vermont.
Contact: Stephanie Bonin, Executive Director, Downtown Brattleboro Alliance stephanie@brattleboro.com