Libby Bennett submitted this piece on behalf of Groundworks Collaborative, where she serves as executive director.
BRATTLEBORO-As we reflect on another year of service to the Brattleboro community, one thing stands clearer than ever: the path to ending hunger and homelessness requires all of us to work together with shared purpose and compassion.
At Groundworks Collaborative, we see firsthand how the challenges of housing and food insecurity have intensified. Yet, we've also witnessed the extraordinary resilience of our neighbors and the powerful impact of community collaboration.
Our mission is straightforward and profound: We believe every person deserves to have their basic needs met with dignity, including a safe place to call home and reliable access to food.
This vision drives everything our conscientious team of "Groundworkers" does, from our daily interactions with clients to our ambitious new initiatives that will significantly expand our capacity to serve.
Plans continue moving forward toward the construction of a new 40-bed shelter on Royal Road, and we're finalizing the purchase of the Foodworks building on Canal Street.
Meanwhile, to help meet the increased and urgent need for this winter, we are expanding from 34 beds to 46 beds at our shelter on South Main Street.
These projects represent more than just buildings - they're physical manifestations of our community's commitment to creating lasting solutions for our neighbors at a time when the need for our services has never been greater.
* * *
What sets Groundworks apart isn't just what we do but how we do it. We understand that ending hunger and homelessness requires building trust, embracing complexity, learning for continuous improvement, and showing up with dignity and integrity while recognizing the inherent potential in every person we serve.
Our approach isn't about providing temporary fixes - it's about partnering with individuals to support them in achieving their own self-identified goals.
No single agency can do this alone. The need in our community continues to grow, and meeting these challenges requires sustained commitment from all of us.
We are dealing with the symptoms of multiple systems that have broken down over decades and the solutions require collaboration, interwoven services, and rebuilding of systems that work.
This is why we hold a great deal of hope for the potential of collective impact that can be achieved through the coalition building of One Brattleboro and the interventions to support individuals brought to the attention of The Situation Table.
Collaborations - such as our street Outreach Team's work with the AIDS Project, our Healthworks ACT team of embedded providers from the Brattleboro Retreat, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, and Health Care & Rehabilitation Services (HCRS), and our participation in Project CARE - amplify our impact and help to ensure we're addressing mental health challenges and substance use disorder in our neighbors struggling with these complex needs. We have a shared interest in public safety and enjoy a strong working relationship with the Brattleboro Police Department.
We can clearly see how every member of this community has a role to play in building a stronger, healthier, and more compassionate Brattleboro.
* * *
As we look toward 2025, we're both humbled by the challenges ahead and energized by the possibilities. Every day, we see evidence that our approach works - we see it in an individual or couple moving into stable housing, in the relief of a parent accessing nutritious food for their children, in the dignity restored when someone receives the support they need to move forward.
A thriving downtown and safe community are goals we all share. The path to achieving these aims runs directly through addressing the root causes of homelessness and poverty - not around them.
When we all have stable housing, access to services, and our basic needs met with dignity, we are better positioned to thrive as members of our community. Our work at Groundworks isn't just about providing immediate assistance - it's about creating lasting positive change that benefits everyone who calls Brattleboro home. By investing in proven solutions and working collaboratively with partners across all sectors, we're building a stronger, safer, and more vibrant community for all.
As we start a new year, we're reminded that our work isn't just about providing services - it's about fostering hope and creating lasting change. Together, we can build a community where everyone has their basic needs met with dignity and where every person has the opportunity to thrive.
Please join us in making 2025 a year of transformation, hope, and positive change for all members of our community.
This Voices Viewpoint was submitted to The Commons.
This piece, published in print in the Voices section or as a column in the news sections, represents the opinion of the writer. In the newspaper and on this website, we strive to ensure that opinions are based on fair expression of established fact. In the spirit of transparency and accountability, The Commons is reviewing and developing more precise policies about editing of opinions and our role and our responsibility and standards in fact-checking our own work and the contributions to the newspaper. In the meantime, we heartily encourage civil and productive responses at [email protected].