Before the coronavirus pandemic, a reliable connection to the internet was essential for many of us. Flash forward to now, a reliable connection to the internet means access to healthcare, education, employment, customers, grocery delivery—essential for basic needs and income. Still, in Vermont, about 70,000 households and businesses either do not have internet connection or inconsistent, dated dial-up access.
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VT COVID-19 Response Fund: May 2021 Progress Report
Image courtesy of King Street Center
As I'm writing this, more than 50% of Vermonters over the age of 16 are fully vaccinated. There's a tangible sense of hope in the spring air—families are reuniting, youth activities are coming back, and expectations are high for a more typical Vermont summer fueled by Governor Scott's plans to fully re-open by the Fourth of July, if not sooner.
But even as we get back to what we all enjoy, we must also hold on to the realities of what we witnessed over the last year plus—and the disproportionate impacts on vulnerable neighbors... (Dan Smith's comments continued in the Progress Report)
Thanks to the incredible generosity of donors and fundholders, at this time of the report's publication, donations to the VT COVID-19 Response Fund reached $10.3 million, fueling more than $8.7 million in grants to over 800 organizations throughout the state of Vermont. The numbers are impressive, and the stories are inspiring. We encourage you to take a few moments to read the VT COVID-19 Response Fund May 2021 Progress Report.
