Ideas for the Lamoille Working Communities Challenge

Lamoille Working Communities Challenge - What is it?

Thank you for taking time to learn about the Working Communities Challenge and to share your thoughts and feedback. Please complete this survey by Monday, November 2, 2020.

Working Communities Challenge grants help build a Strong Economy and a Healthy Community in specific areas of Vermont and New England. (To learn more, see https://www.bostonfed.org/workingplaces.aspx)

Our Lamoille County team has submitted an application on September 30 for a grant of $300,000 over the next three years. Last year we got a planning grant to do the work and training required by the grant.

Eight Vermont communities are applying and four will be awarded implementation grants. Your answers to four simple questions will improve our efforts to build a Strong Economy and a Healthy Community.

Our Goals:

1. Help workers and businesses at transition points, such as:

* Young adults entering the workforce

* Older adults leaving full-time work

* Adults struggling with substances

* Employees, business owners and self-employed people affected by COVID-19

2. Reduce work barriers that affect everyone, especially low-income workers:

* Broadband access
* Racial and other equity issues

* Childcare

* Transportation

Our Action Plan:

* Improve access to work resources (like job training and development, education, lists of job openings) with a local Info Hub. This Hub will combine online information and support from a Navigator.

* Make the Info Hub and Navigator available by computer, phone and other mobile devices

* Work with local partners to improve broadband access

* Work with local partners to address issues related to racial equity, childcare and transportation

Partners include Capstone Community Action, United Way of Lamoille County, Lamoille County Planning Commission, Racial Equity Alliance of Lamoille (REAL), Lamoille Economic Development Corporation, Northern Vermont University, Green Mountain Technology & Career Center, Creative Workforce Solutions, town governments and many other health and human service organizations.

Efforts will also be made to gather other stakeholders and develop a strategic plan.

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* 1. When you think about walking down Main Street or driving down a dirt road in your town, what do you see (today and in the future) as elements of a Strong Economy and a Healthy Community?

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* 2. What questions do you have about our Goals or Action Plan?

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* 3. What would strengthen our Goals or Action Plan?

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* 4. Any other questions or comments?

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* 5. Want to learn more and/or stay connected? Please share your name and contact information.

Name

Organization/Affiliation (if any)

Email Address

Phone Number

Thank you for sharing your feedback!!!