Addison Community Action

The staff at the Addison Community Action in Middlebury are skilled at listening to a variety of problems and developing sustainable solutions. When two long-term food shelf clients requested additional help with lot rent for their mobile home, the staff realized they needed to get a better understanding of the couple’s situation. A detailed review of their monthly budget revealed that the couple was trying to scrape by on $808 a month, and would have a reasonable chance of making ends meet if they weren’t paying $240 a month to a rental store for a bed, electric range, and television. Drawing off a credit balance that ReCycle North had issued Addison Community Action, staff members immediately wrote a voucher so the couple could travel to Burlington to get a free bed and stove from ReCycle North. These furnishings saved the couple $185 a month, nearly a quarter of their monthly income. ReCycle North works closely with poverty relief partners throughout the state to help clients meet their essential needs and make gains toward financial self-sufficiency.