Long-term care communities support our most vulnerable. For far too long, direct care staff have been underpaid and underappreciated. During the pandemic, they were our heroes – caring for people 24/7. During COVID outbreaks, they went to work in gowns and shields, continuing to offer compassionate care, often risking their own lives. Yet the Governor’s budget doesn’t seem to care for them. While we are grateful that the budget does include necessary funding for our SASH® (Support and Services at Home) model, the SFY26 budget does not include an increase in funding for long-term care providers and communities that accept Medicaid.
The Vermont Housing & Conservation Coalition (VHCC) is hosting its annual Legislative Day at the State House in Montpelier on Friday, February 14 and we hope you will join us! VHCC advocates for the State to allocate funds to the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, allowing for more affordable housing to be built and more open space and farms to be conserved.
This is an opportunity for you to speak directly with your elected officials about why affordable housing is important to you. Several of our staff will be there throughout the day to help you connect with your legislators and share your story.
Cathedral Square, a leading nonprofit committed to addressing the critical need for affordable housing for older adults and people with diverse needs in Vermont, proudly announces the appointment of Dr. Stephen Leffler, Lacey Smith, and Susan Stock to its esteemed Board of Directors. “We are thrilled to welcome these three highly accomplished individuals to our board this year,” says Cathedral Square CEO Kim Fitzgerald. “We look forward to the innovative ideas and fresh perspectives they will bring to our organization.”
Cathedral Square intends to be part of the solution to ending homelessness in Vermont and is pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative – the Housing Incentive Program (HIP). HIP is aimed at supporting new residents exiting homelessness to be successfully housed over the long term. The pilot will leverage all the existing layers of services available in a Cathedral Square community, including the award-winning SASH® model, with the added component of tiered financial incentives spaced out over five years for participation in a flexible menu of additional support and education options.
Cathedral Square has been selected as a Top Workplace in Vermont for 2024. CEO Kim Fitzgerald said her mission is to care for Cathedral Square's employees just like the organization cares for its residents. "People who come to work for Cathedral Square want to make a difference in people's lives," she said. "We are making a difference in peoples' lives. It's also about supporting each other." Fitzgerald said she cultivates a culture of family and togetherness on her staff.
Cathedral Square is thrilled to announce a generous $1 million gift to support its memory care community in Williston, Memory Care at Allen Brook (MCAB). The gift comes from the Miller family through the Holly and Bob Miller Charitable Fund, long-time supporters of Cathedral Square’s mission and commitment to providing quality, affordable dementia care to those without means. MCAB serves very low-income Vermonters on Medicaid and is the only truly affordable memory-care residence in the state.
We are pleased to announce that construction is underway on Reid Commons, bringing 33 new energy-efficient, affordable apartments for adults 55 and older to St. Albans. Located at 17 Lower Newton Street, Reid Commons will offer one- and two-bedroom apartments with a range of rents to serve a mixed-income community. Federal, state, and local officials gathered this week to celebrate the momentous occasion, over a decade in the works. Reid Commons will be our 29th affordable housing community and is expected to be complete by July 2025.
The 2024 legislative session was marked by a need for significant investment in housing, education financing, and flood recovery, among others, and limited existing resources. Cathedral Square’s top three legislative priorities, which included the need for additional investments in housing, services, long-term care and SASH, were impacted by the resource-scarce environment of the 2024 session. The outcomes on our priorities were mixed with some progress made but much more work to be done as we embark on planning for next year’s priorities!
Kim Fitzgerald, CEO of Cathedral Square, said the Reid Commons project, located within the Fonda Site, will help ensure older residents in St. Albans have access to affordable housing where their needs are met. "We are thrilled to start construction soon on Reid Commons, which will bring 33 new affordable homes to those 55 and older in St. Albans. Our older adult population is growing, and there is a significant need for affordable, safe, accessible housing with on-site services. Programs like the 10% in Vermont program are an important piece in helping us deliver permanently affordable housing like Reid Commons."
The Vermont Housing & Conservation Coalition (VHCC) is hosting its annual Legislative Day at the State House in Montpelier on Wednesday, February 14 and we hope you will join us! This is an opportunity for you to speak directly with your elected officials about why affordable housing is important to you. Several of our staff will be there throughout the day to help you connect with your legislators and share your story. And there will be ice cream!
