Windham Foundation Establishes $50,000 Grafton Relief Fund for Area Irene Victims

Nov. 17, 2011 - PRLog -- Grafton, Vermont – The Windham Foundation of Grafton, Vermont has announced it has established a Grafton Relief Fund totaling $50,000 to serve residents in the Grafton and immediate surrounding area who were directly affected by the Tropical Storm Irene. The Foundation has partnered with two fellow nonprofits, Grafton Cares and Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) to administer the funds.

The fund was primarily established through donations from members of the Windham Foundation board of trustees, and was supplemented by members of the Grafton community and guests of the Grafton Inn.

When Tropical Storm Irene hit Vermont, the Grafton area was heavily damaged with flooding. While the historic village of Grafton has recovered at an astonishing speed and all businesses are fully operational, there are several families in the region that are still in need of working through damage on their homes and land.

“As a major employer in this area, we felt it was necessary to do what we could to give back to the community,” said Bob Allen, Windham Foundation President. “Many of the people affected are employees, friends and family. The donors to these funds, our trustees primarily, understand the close-knit community that comes with living in Vermont. They, along with others who made donations, wanted to step up to do their part. By teaming with Grafton Cares and SEVCA to administer the funds, we know the funds raised will go to those who truly need the assistance.”

Residents of Grafton and the surrounding area that are in need of assistance as a result of the flood should contact Grafton Cares at 802-869-2674 or SEVCA directly at 802-722-4575 or toll free at 800-464-9951.

Grafton Cares is a local charitable organization that provides financial assistance to those in need, and rides and gas cards for medical appointments. Grafton Cares also has a weekly Wednesday Lunch, monthly community suppers in Grafton and Athens, and many other local programs.

SEVCA was created in 1965 as a part of the nationwide ‘War on Poverty’ and chartered as a Community Action Agency (CAA) – a private non-profit corporation, locally initiated and governed, and designated by local, state and federal officials as the agency to help Windham and Windsor County residents overcome economic hardships and move toward self-sufficiency.

Headquartered in Grafton, Vermont, the Windham Foundation is an operating foundation engaged in philanthropic, charitable and educational activities. Since its inception in 1963, its mission is to promote the vitality of Grafton and Vermont’s rural communities through its philanthropic and educational programs and its subsidiaries whose operations contribute to these endeavors. The Foundation is the owner of Grafton Village Cheese, the Grafton Inn and the Retreat Farm.

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The Windham Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Grafton, Vermont whose mission is to promote Vermont's rural communities. Our businesses: the Grafton Inn, Grafton Village Cheese, Retreat Farm.