Feeding Chittenden

Feeding Chittenden believes in practicing and promoting food justice by working hard to provide a selection of nutritious food options, conducting education and outreach about healthy lifestyles, and creating opportunities for visitors to make healthy choices on their own. We have created and implemented the following programs to address these barriers so that no one in the Champlain Valley goes to bed hungry. 

The Stay at Home Program, Feeding Chittenden’s original food delivery program, serves up to 130 households a month. This program delivers a custom selection of food designed to meet specific dietary needs to seniors, those living with a disability, sick or injured, and others who cannot leave their home.

The Hot Meal Program has been Vermont’s largest soup kitchen for decades and serves transitionally housed and homeless individuals. The Hot Meal Program prepares 500-800 meals a week for programs that include the Stay at Home Program and the Food Shelf. The distribution of healthy meals provides crucial support as economically-challenged households face rising costs of housing, food and fuel. This service provides a vital support for the over 300 individuals who are experiencing homelessness in the greater Burlington area, many of whom are living outdoors in tents or in vehicles.

The Food Shelf distributed over 21,000 grocery boxes last year, filled with fresh produce, meat and protein items, prepared meals, fresh and often local dairy products, healthy kitchen staples, and non food essential items such as diapers and feminine hygiene products.

The Food Access Network is an initiative spearheaded by Feeding Chittenden that partners with social service agencies and health care providers throughout the Champlain Valley to increase access to healthy foods for people who traditionally do not access charitable food. The program utilizes online ordering and delivery services throughout Addison, Chittenden and Franklin Counties. Delivering boxes of culturally relevant food to New Americans has been a great introduction to our services, as we want to welcome people with foods that are familiar to them. We are purchasing food directly from local farmers including vegetables, fruit, goat meat, beans, rice, milk, and eggs, as well as Halal meats from BIPOC-owned businesses.

The Community Kitchen Academy continues to train low-income individuals in food service work while preparing meals to distribute to the community. Students train on the Good Food Truck and with the Community Resource Center – serving hot meals as part of their curriculum. The Good Food Truck is is a street outreach kitchen on wheels that transports healthy meals to remote communities in a fun and stigma-free way.

The Food Rescue Program and Volunteer Program continue to be vital supports for Feeding Chittenden. These foundational programs help distribute over 2 million pounds of food each year, decreasing food waste while fighting hunger. The Food Rescue program visits farms, restaurants and caterers as well as a large variety of supermarkets and is a Chittenden County-wide coordinated effort by our staff and volunteers. Volunteers also make and serve meals, pick up and deliver groceries, stock shelves, and sort food.