Church-Civic Partnership Provides Economic Boon for Middlebury During Three-Year Construction Project
MIDDLEBURY, VT – St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Middlebury, has reported that Neighbors, Together, recently received a total of $115,000 in grants to advance the community action agency’s mission. Neighbors, Together is a partnership between St. Stephen’s, The Local Project Management Team, Better Middlebury Partnership, Addison County Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Improvement District Commission, Middlebury College, Town Hall Theater, and Addison Central Supervisory Union —— all working toward a common goal of supporting the “economic, social, and cultural vitality and accessibility of Middlebury” during railroad and bridges construction projects.
The construction projects, which began in 2017 and are expected to continue until 2020, are immediately adjacent to St. Stephen’s.
The construction projects, which began in 2017 and are expected to continue until 2020, are immediately adjacent to St. Stephen’s. Neighbors, Together was the outcome of the Diocese’s recent Strategic Investment in Sacred Places initiative in which St. Stephen’s participated, funded by Partners for Sacred Places.
A portion of the funding includes a $75,000 grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), and the $40,000 balance is from the US Department of Agriculture. The granting agencies expect the funds to be reinvested in the community in the 2018 calendar year, according to an article in St. Stephen’s Parishscope newsletter.
Author Linda Horn writes, “There will be plenty of volunteer opportunities coming up soon and through the summer. For example, we need a team of people who would be willing to contact businesses throughout Middlebury to inform them of Middlebury Money. This summer for every $100 spent in any business in town, the consumer will be rewarded with $10 of Middlebury Money to reinvest in our community. This rewards program is expected to generate $220,000 of purchases in our town.”
Linda goes on to explain that most of the money spent this year will support infrastructure improvements that will benefit Middlebury in future years. For example, parking apps, an “Experience Middlebury” website, and coordinated community calendar are all within the community’s view.
St. Stephen’s expressed its thanks to member Nancy Malcolm and Karen Dugay of the Better Middlebury Partnership for taking the lead in grant-writing and development of a marketing and outreach plan.