91 Buck Drive, Westminster, VT 05158 • (802) 722-4575 •
Toll Free: (800) 464-9951 Email: [email protected] •
Website: www.sevca.org
SEVCA’s Values and Mission
SEVCA believes that poverty need not be a permanent condition of anyone’s life; that people can be empowered to rise out of poverty; and that the strength of our communities is measured by the quality of life of everyone living within them.
Based on those values, SEVCA’s Mission is to:
• Enable people to cope with, and reduce the hardships of poverty;
• Create sustainable self-sufficiency; and
• Reduce the causes and move toward the elimination of poverty
SEVCA serves residents of Windham and Windsor Counties, except for Barnard, Bethel, Rochester, Royalton, Sharon and Stockbridge in Windsor County.
SEVCA’s Programs and Services
To achieve these purposes, SEVCA will: Explore all options and engage in any activities that impact positively on the causes and conditions of poverty; empower and collaborate with those directly affected by poverty to address poverty-related issues; and give people the knowledge, tools, and support to help them break the cycle of dependence and achieve their life goals.
SEVCA has served residents of this area for the past 49 years and the problems facing them have been diverse, complex, and constantly changing. We have developed a broad, multi-faceted approach to reflect their breadth and depth and enable us to be flexible enough to adapt to changing needs and conditions.
The result is a wide array of programs and initiatives addressing the comparably wide range of poverty-related needs, in the areas of crisis intervention, affordable housing / homelessness prevention, home energy costs, home repair, business startup and support, workforce development, education and skills training, early childhood development, family support, food and nutrition, affordable clothing / household needs, budgeting, financial literacy, asset development, income tax assistance, information & referral, and service coordination.
SEVCA’s services are organized into 6 major program areas:
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Economic Development
‘Micro–Business’ Development – Training, technical assistance, counseling and mentoring for start-up, retention and expansion of small businesses by low-income entrepreneurs to enable them to be self-sufficient.
Individual Development Accounts (IDA) – ‘Financial Fitness’ education and matched asset-building savings accounts, enabling low-income households to achieve financial goals such as homeownership, education, and business start-up & expansion.
Workforce Development – Job readiness education & supports, and initiatives to benefit workers and employers by expanding and strengthening the local workforce.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) – Help for low-income residents to prepare their income tax returns and obtain refunds and Earned Income and other tax credits.
VT Health Connect Navigator – Assistance with finding a health plan that meets peoples’ needs and budget, completing an application, and accessing financial help. -
Family Services / Crisis Resolution
Crisis Resolution – Intervention services in emergencies involving housing, fuel, food, & other basic needs to resolve the crisis and stabilize the situation and the household.
Homelessness Prevention, Rapid Re-Housing & Housing Case Management – Financial assistance and other support to enable residents to obtain / retain decent, affordable housing
3SquaresVT (Food Stamp) Outreach – Conducting outreach on, disseminating information about, and providing assistance with applying for the 3SquaresVT Program.
Budget Counseling – Help for low-income households to assess their finances and create, maintain, and live on a budget based on their resources.
Information & Referral and Service Coordination – Enabling clients to be aware of needed benefits & services, and to access them as seamlessly and effectively as possible.
Client Advocacy – Working on behalf of clients with landlords, utilities, fuel vendors, service providers, state offices, etc. to protect their rights and represent their interests. -
Head Start / Early Childhood Development
Head Start – Comprehensive early childhood development and support services for low-income pre-school children and their families, to enhance the children’s social competence, school readiness, and later academic success.
Child Care – Full-day care for Head Start kids and other children in the community.
Pre-School Collaborations – Partnerships with school districts to provide Head-Start-quality services for pre-Kindergarten children in the communities served by those schools. -
Home Repair
Emergency home repair for low-income homeowners to ensure that they and their families have safe, healthy, secure, warm, energy-efficient, and accessible places to live.
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Thrift Stores / Textile Recycling
“Good Buy” Stores – Clothing, furniture, and household goods at affordable prices for all, and at no cost to those unable to pay.
Textile Recycling – Recycles donated clothing, shoes, and other textiles collected statewide, to reduce the waste stream and generate additional revenue for vital services. -
Weatherization
Weatherization Assistance Program – Home energy audits, a full spectrum of energy conservation measures, and health & safety repairs at no cost for low-income households.
Emergency Heating System Repair & Replacement – Inspection, and if needed, repair or replacement of non-functioning or unsafe heating systems during heating season.
Best Energy Saving Technologies (BEST) – Weatherization audits and services at a reasonable, competitive price on a fee-for-service basis, for the general public.
Program Sites and Offices
Main Office
91 Buck Drive
Westminster, VT 05158
802-722-4575
800-464-9951
Outreach Offices
| Brattleboro 15 Grove Street Brattleboro, VT 05301 802-254-2795 |
Westminster 91 Buck Drive Westminster, VT 05158 802-722-4575 800-464-9951 |
| Springfield 107 Park Street, Suite 2 Springfield, VT 05156 802-885-6153 |
White River Junction 220 Holiday Drive, Suite 30 White River Jct., VT 05001 802-295-5215 |
“Good Buy” Thrift Stores
| Bellows Falls 45 Rockingham Street Bellows Falls, VT 05101 802-463-9081 |
White River Junction 2590 N. Hartland Rd. White River Jct., VT 05001 802-295-6373 |
| Springfield 23-25 Main Street Springfield, VT 05156 802-885-7074 |
Hartford 676 Hartford Ave., White River Jct., VT 05001 802-359-4183 |
Head Start Office / Centers
| Administrative Office 107 Park Street, Suite 1 Springfield, VT 05156 802-885-6669 |
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| Springfield Head Start Center Pine Street Preschool 15 Pine Street Springfield, VT 05156 802-885-6664 |
Windsor Head Start Center Children’s Place Preschool 147 Main Street Windsor, VT 05089 802-674-5690 |
| Chester Head Start Center Chester Community Preschool Green Mountain Union High School 716 VT Route 103 Chester, VT 05143 802-875-3904 |
White River Junction Head Start Center Northwoods Center 95 Templeton Ave., Box 36 White River Jct., VT 05001 802-295-1122 |