Capstone Community Action

Early childhood and family development (head start):capstone head start and early head start programs prepare 271 young children for future success in school and in life through the operation tion of licensed child care centers, partnerships with local schools and provision of services to families in their homes. Capstone's whole family approach provides a full contiuum of support including parent education, parent leadership opportunities, health, dental and nutrition services, disability services, mental health services, and resource and referral for other needed social services. Our brook street high school is a model family literacy program for teen parent education, high school and college achievement. Located in barre's historical brookside school, brook street high school is co located with our learning together early childhood education programs and strives to break the barriers of intergenerational poverty for at risk young families.

Family and Community support services (fcss):fcss provides crisis assistance to people in need of housing, utilities and home heating fuel. Fcss provides 24/7 coverage during the winter season to ensure a lack of fuel does not create unsafe home conditions for low income vermonters. This year, we provided 1,150 adults and 551 children with fuel assistance and subsidized $30,000 of emergency fuel costs for vermonters unable to afford fuel in the harsh winter season. Capstone's housing services supports vermonters living in motels, encampments or in their cars. Once housed, Capstone services are critical to keep homeless vermonters in safe temporary shelter or permanent homes. We find housing, vouchers and rental assistance and collaborate with Community partners to ensure access to a wide continuum of services. In 2024, we helped 981 men, women and children to access or maintain housing or navigation to unhoused vermonters.

Weatherization:capstone's weatherization team is dedicated to improve energy effciency and cost savings for low income vermonters. We conduct home energy audits, added insulation, draft reduction, heating system efficiency improvements, installation of energy efficient lighting, hot water heater replacement or insulation, and more. In addition, this program offers emergency heating system replacements or repairs to ensure proper safety and functioning of home heating systems. Our 3e thermal program works with owners of multi-unit affordable housing to improve the energy efficiency, comfort and safety of those occupying their 401 rental units. In 2023-24, the weatherization program serviced 462 homes, lowering average household energy use and creating healthier homes while reducing climate impact.

Community economic development (ced):our ced programs deliver services to low income vermonters to address food and financial insecurity. Our food programs stem the tide of rising food insecurity for low income vermonters. We operate one of the largest food shelves in the central Vermont region, we served prepared meals and provided healthy food to hungry vermonters in 8,128 visits. We break down barriers to healthy food for rural vermonters with delivery to select Community sites, such as a parent child/health centers. Our child care food program, that helped 121 childcare providers to offer nutritious meals to 1,092 kids on a daily basis.our financial security programs include micro business counseling, tax assistance and financial coaching. Microbusiness counseling assists self-employed low-income vermonters in businesses basics and planning. In 2024 Capstone counseled 127 entrepreneurs. Capstone provides comprehensive financial coaching through its savings and credit program, helping individuals develop budgets, improve credit and build savings. This year, our financial coaching program provided 399 individuals education in household budgeting, debt reduction and Capstone's matched savings program offers comprehensive financial literacy curriculum and provides earned income in savings accounts where their efforts are matched by 1 for every $1 deposited, accruing assets for post-secondary education, business development, vehicle purchase or home ownership. Our tax assistance program utilized 29 volunteers and helped 1576 low income vermonters file their taxes in 2024.housing (prospect forest):capstone provides nine affordable housing units in two buildings (hud section 8) in randolph, Vermont called prospect forest homes. Workforce development (cka):capstone's Community kitchen academy (cka) offers low income vermonters training for a culinary career. Students attend courses to learn basic culinary skills, food service and safety, and general job skills, 8 people graduated from cka. Transportation and climate impact:our transportation and climate programs continues to expand considerably in new and exciting directions. Our mileage smart program provides grants of up to $5,000 for Community residents to switch to high efficiency cars. 473 vehicles were sold in the mileage smart program and vermonters are now driving a gas hybrid or electric vehicle purchased used from a local car dealer. Our green saving smart program helped 29 vermonters reduce energy costs. Other accomplishments:capstone was front and center helping communities impacted by the flooding of july 2024. Capstone worked with Community partners and the previously established main street fund which raised and distributed over $258,965 to small Vermont businesses impacted by the flood. Capstone was also selected by the state to be the Vermont disaster long term case management leader. Capstone is part of the 8 person team supporting the Vermont flood survivors requiring long term help to resolve their cases. In 2024, Capstone also became the financial sponsor for the plainfield recovery fund ensuring donor support would be available for residents who suffered record losses in the july 2024 floods. Total numbers served by capstone:10,250 individuals in 6,531 households.