Dear friends,

How are you doing? I hope you’re ok. “Ok” seems like a good goal. I don’t know anyone who is 100% great right now, and I don’t blame them. I think many of us are deep down in our soul tired. 2020 tested all of us in different ways. I miss everyone. I’ve lived here in the Old North End for 13 years, and have been in the Burlington area for 20, and I didn’t realize how much I rely on running into folks I know around town for my well-being. If you know me, I miss you. Let’s have coffee when this is over!

Though I wish none of it was necessary, I’m so proud of the work we did in 2020. We raised and gave out over $30,000 in COVID relief to people who lost their jobs, we provided a financial structure for several grassroots groups who needed to be able to accept donations, and we built and installed a network of little free pantries throughout Burlington to supplement all the excellent hunger relief work going on. 
Speaking of the Little Free Pantries, they are open for everyone to access! They are available for anyone to leave or take nonperishable food and toiletries, so please use them! They are located at:

• New North End Little Free Pantry at 51 James Avenue
• Old North End West Little Free Pantry at 197 North Avenue
• Old North End Central Little Free Pantry at 125 Elmwood Avenue   (follow them on Instagram)
• Old North End East Little Free Pantry at 342 North Winooski Ave
• Old North End Battery Park Neighborhood Little Free Pantry at 24 Front Street
• Upper Loomis Little Free Pantry at 235 Loomis Street
• South End Little Free Pantry at 399 South Winooski Ave

You can always find the locations and an interactive map on our projects page. And good news – we’ll be looking for homes for more in the spring! If you’re in Burlington and would like to host one, let me know and I’ll send you the application as soon as it’s available.

The one thing that has given me hope in the last year is the tremendous number of people who have stepped up and helped out wherever they’ve seen a need. Here are a few of the grassroots groups around here who have been doing incredible work getting food, clothing and other basic needs out to neighbors. I like to think of all of us as partners instead of competitors for resources (that scarcity mentality just drives us all apart) so please consider giving them you’re financial and volunteer support too:

• The Iceberg Project
• Food Not Bombs Burlington
• The People’s Kitchen
• Old North End Mutual Aid
• Winooski Mutual Aid

In addition to installing more Little Free Pantries this spring, we’re also working on ways to get free gardening materials out to neighbors and, of course, giving out grants to support good deeds and neighborhood projects, so stay tuned. Thank you for caring, thank you for your support, and thank you for being part of my community, no matter where you are.


All the best,

Laura Hale
ONE Good Deed Fund Board President