VBSR Members Pivot to Address COVID-19

Today, the Vermont Community Foundation announced five key recovery initiatives that will be the focus of upcoming grant rounds from the VT COVID-19 Response Fund.

Harpoon Brewery was founded in 1986 with the goal of serving its community a fresh, locally-made beer created among friends with a shared love for the craft. The “original” Harpoon Ale, first produced in June 1987, was delivered to just two accounts. Flash forward more than 30 years, and the Harpoon brewers once again released its Harpoon Ale under very different circumstances, but with the same spirit in mind.

COVID-19’s impact on Vermont’s mental and behavioral health support system has been a double-edged sword. As more Vermonters experience social isolation due to disruption in their normal activities, more are also experiencing severe mental health crises and suicide ideation. At the same time, Vermont’s health system is not robust enough around mental health to handle this new influx, creating a real-back up of patients—particularly young people—in emergency departments waiting to be seen.