Dear Vermont Conservation Voters community, 

Here at VCV, we’re thinking of you all, and hope this message finds you well despite the rapid and disorienting changes to our state and world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We know our lives and communities are already, and will continue to be, disrupted in ways we’ve never seen before. 

While this is a stressful and uncertain time, I am heartened to see the incredible ways Vermonters are coming together to support each other and our most vulnerable community members. Our healthcare workers, grocers, pharmacists, teachers, childcare providers, local governments, and so many others are working incredibly hard to keep our communities healthy and safe. Thank you all! 

The Legislature will rightly remain focused on emergency response measures in the near-term. Although COVID-19 has shifted timelines and decision makers have moved online, our work to protect our climate, air, lands, waters, and communities continues. We will continue to monitor the Legislature’s activities, and advocate that the emergency response and rebuilding efforts are undertaken in a way that addresses social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.

Following the advice of public health experts, Vermont Conservation Voters’ offices are closed and staff are working from home, and all in-person meetings are cancelled until further notice. I know you care deeply about protecting Vermont, and our team is working with purpose and creativity to harness new and old tools to ensure that staying home does not mean staying silent. In the days and weeks ahead we will be keeping you updated on how best to engage in the issues we care about, as we are all adjusting to the ongoing changes being brought about by the pandemic.

Here are some ways you can help right now: 

  • Support your community: I know that we all are looking for ways to support our community. There are numerous resources circulating, but one we’ve found helpful is the COVID-19 resource list compiled by the Peace and Justice Center. Find it here: https://www.pjcvt.org/mutual-aid-and-other-resources-related-to-covid-19/.
  • Stay in touch: Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter to follow what we are up to. Join our email list on our website to receive weekly legislative updates.  
  • Stay up to date on the issues: Participate in one of our or our partners’ webinars and learn more about different environmental and political issues. 
  • Support us financially: We are committed to continuing to lead during this unprecedented time — in protecting our community, addressing climate change, and winning at the ballot box. In trying times, your financial support is incredibly meaningful.   

We are living in unprecedented times, and in times like this we turn to our community to find support and purpose. Know that VCV is dedicated to emerging from the pandemic more focused, more effective, and better connected to each other and to rebuilding our state in a way that embodies our shared values. 

I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy, and I look forward to connecting with you again soon,

Lauren Hierl

VCV Executive Director