Blog

Here you'll find the latest information about what's happening at our member organizations, opportunities in the community, and the latest news from the Legislature. Also VAHC Staff share their thoughts about the housing crisis in Vermont.

Job Opportunity: Seasonal Shelter Assistant Coordinator, COTS

David Martins

Sep 29, 2015
2 min

Job Opportunity: Seasonal Shelter Assistant Coordinator, COTS

COTS has an anticipated opening for a full time Seasonal Shelter Assistant Coordinator beginning mid-October 2015 through mid-April 2016. The Seasonal Shelter Assistant Coordinator manages an approximately 40 bed emergency shelter serving single adults, some who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Responsibilities of this position include supervising all shelter staff and volunteers, overseeing daily operations for the shelter space, shaping ongoing operational po

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Mar 31, 2015
2 min

Gov. Shumlin Announces Strategy to End Family Homelessness by 2020

With over 1,500 Vermonters without housing on any given night and families with children now making up half of all people in emergency shelters, Gov. Peter Shumlin and Human Services Secretary Hal Cohen today announced a statewide strategy for ending child and family homelessness in Vermont by 2020. The Governor and Secretary made the announcement while celebrating a grant of more than a half-million dollars to rehabilitate and increase the number affordable housing units in

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Mar 16, 2015
2 min

COTS Launches #172VT Campaign to Help Homeless Kids

Last week COTS launched their #172VT Campaign to bring attention to the issue of child homelessness in Chittenden County and beyond. Read below to learn more: Our #172vt campaign is an effort to bring attention to the urgent and growing needs of homeless children. The number of homeless children nationally has surged in recent years to all-time record highs. Vermont has echoed these disturbing trends. Today, one in every 30 children in the United States is homeless. Every ye

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Jan 15, 2015
2 min

WCAX Reports on Rise in Use of Motel Vouchers This Winter

A recent report from WCAX indicates that the use of motel vouchers for the ‘cold weather exception’ program are on the rise. Below is an excerpt from the article: Last year the Department for Children and Families spent just over a million dollars providing vouchers for the ‘cold weather exception’ program and applications for help are up. DCF points to stats from the start of the winter season last year when nearly 3,100 adults and 550 kids used vouchers. That’s up from abou

0 views0 comments

Job Opportunity: Case Management Coordinator at COTS

David Martins

Oct 14, 2014
1 min

Job Opportunity: Case Management Coordinator at COTS

Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS), a nonprofit recognized nationally as a model for innovative programs that provides emergency shelter, services, and housing for those who are without homes or who are at risk of homelessness, is looking for a Case Management Coordinator. The Case Management Coordinator is responsible for the supervision of a talented team of case management professionals and for guiding the delivery of services to clients who are homeless. The Coordinato

0 views0 comments

COTS Seeking to Hire Family Shelter Assistant Coordinator

David Martins

May 21, 2014
1 min

COTS Seeking to Hire Family Shelter Assistant Coordinator

COTS Family Shelter is seeking an Assistant Coordinator to work collaboratively with the COTS leadership team. Responsibilities include program and policy development; client service and staff development. This position helps to oversee emergency shelter operations and programs and will work collaboratively with internal and external social service providers. MSW strongly preferred, with experience working with substance abuse, mental illness and individuals with trauma hi

0 views0 comments

COTS Annual Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

David Martins

Oct 8, 2013
1 min

COTS Annual Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

On Friday, October 25 join the Committee On Temporary Shelter (COTS) for their annual meeting and volunteer appreciation breakfast. The meeting will take place at 8 a.m. Friday, October 25, 2013, at the First Congregational Church located at 38 South Winooski Avenue in Burlington. There is parking nearby at the Marketplace parking garage. Please RSVP to RSVP@cotsonline.org or call 802.864.4202. #COTS

0 views0 comments

Burlington Free Press: Point system for the homeless would limit motel stays

David Martins

Jul 23, 2013
1 min

Burlington Free Press: Point system for the homeless would limit motel stays

Media coverage of the changes to the General Assistance Emergency Housing Rules continues this week in the Burlington Free Press. Yesterday’s article focuses on the proposed point system, which would require Vermonters to meet 6 points on a scale of vulnerability in order to be eligible for a motel voucher. The new rules were scheduled to go into effect last Monday, July 15, but that date has been pushed back to Thursday, August 1 because of the work of housing advocates acr

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Jun 4, 2013
2 min

New grant awarded for innovative model to help families move beyond shelters and overflow motels

Last week, the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) announced the Family Supportive Housing Grant, which will provide more housing options for Vermont families. The $130,000 grant, which combines public funding and private foundation support, was awarded by the Agency of Human Services, and will unite the Champlain Housing Trust, the Howard Center, and COTS in providing 12-15 families with transitional housing. By providing homes, these organizations are making it possible f

0 views0 comments

The Latest on Motel Spending: DCF, Lawmakers Look to Slash Budget

David Martins

Feb 14, 2013
1 min

The Latest on Motel Spending: DCF, Lawmakers Look to Slash Budget

#Homelessness #COTS #AffordableHousing #VT #StateResearch #DCF #HousingCreationandPreservation #StateBudgetFunding #Housing #HousingHealthandSafety #HousingAgencyandNonprofitNews

0 views0 comments

Struggle to house city's homeless faces new hurdles

David Martins

Dec 20, 2012
1 min

Struggle to house city's homeless faces new hurdles

By Matt Ryan, Burlington Free Press Staff Writer. Reposted from the Burlington Free Press, December 14, 2012. #Homelessness #COTS #COTSShelter #AffordableHousing #VT #HousingCreationandPreservation #AdvocacyandPolicy #Housing #SupportiveHousing #HousingAgencyandNonprofitNews

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Dec 5, 2012
1 min

The Coolest Lunch for COTS

Celebrate a holiday lunch, while at the same time helping those less fortunate in our community! The Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) is collaborating with Burlington restaurants to present the “Coolest Lunch for COTS“. By eating out for lunch at participating local eateries on December 13, you will be raising funds and and drawing awareness to COTS’ mission. Participating restaurants are: The Farmhouse Tap & Grill, Halvorson’s, Leunig’s, Three Tomatoes, The Scuffer, and

0 views0 comments

COTS Annual Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast cancelled

David Martins

Oct 29, 2012
1 min

COTS Annual Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast cancelled

#COTS #VT

0 views0 comments

COTS moves Daystation to Buell Street parsonage for the winter

David Martins

Oct 19, 2012
1 min

COTS moves Daystation to Buell Street parsonage for the winter

By: Joel Banner Baird, Burlington Free Press Staff Writer, posted October 11, 2012 COTS Executive Director Rita Markley said Thursday the Daystation would be housed until spring at the First United Methodist Church parsonage. “We are so extraordinarily relieved,” Markley said during a tour of the historic brick building. “This is a very powerful statement — this is faith in action…'” PDF of Full Burlington Free Press Article Link to Burlington Free Press Article #HousingEven

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Oct 11, 2012
1 min

COTS Annual Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

#Homelessness #HousingEvents #COTS #VT #BTV #AdvocacyandPolicy #HousingAgencyandNonprofitNews

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Jul 6, 2012
1 min

COTS NEEDS YOUR HELP

As you may know, the July 4th storms and flash floods that hit Burlington and other parts of the state flooded out the Committee on Temporary Shelter’s Daystation. The damage is extensive: computers, donated clothes, tables, chairs, carpets, boxes of paperwork — everything below the 16 inch watermark has been destroyed. The Daystation will be closed for at least a month, leaving all the folks who use the Daystation daily to eat lunch, pick up mail, and use the computers and p

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Mar 21, 2012
1 min

Would a 'wet shelter' be a help or a hindrance for Burlington?

#Homelessness #COTS #VT #Poverty #BurlingtonFreePress

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Dec 29, 2011
1 min

Homeless man’s death triggers Burlington shelter talk

You will often hear politicians talk about making sure no one freezes to death in Vermont. Well, it appears someone has frozen to death in Vermont, or at least that appears to be a contributing factor. The unnerving announcement from the Burlington Police Department: “On December 17, 2011, at approximately 7:49 pm, the Burlington Police Department was notified by a passerby that they had seen a person sleeping on the ground in the area of South Union Street at College Street.

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Dec 29, 2011
1 min

Homeless man's death triggers Burlington shelter talk

0 views0 comments

David Martins

Nov 16, 2011
1 min

Managing the Needs of Vermont’s Homeless VPR Story

Wednesday, 11/16/11 Noon and 7pm By Jane Lindholm, Produced by Patti Daniels The recent Occupy protests in Burlington brought to light problems of mental illness and substance abuse among some homeless people, but advocates say that doesn’t tell the whole story. We look at the entrenched issues facing some of Vermont’s homeless population and the resources to help them. Our guests are Matt Young, supervisor of the Howard Center’s Street Outreach Team in Burlington, and Rita M

0 views0 comments

Blog

Join our mailing list