As the pandemic began to affect Vermont, Paul Raulston, CEO of Vermont Coffee Company, started a fundraiser for Addison County’s H.O.P.E. (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects), pledging to match donations up to $25,000 to restock the food shelf to help those affected by Covid-19. 

Vermont Coffee Company was able to meet its goal, donating a total of $50,000 within a few days. Raulston then launched a second fundraiser with the same $25,000 donation match to benefit the John Graham Shelter in Vergennes and the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) in Chittenden County.

While COTS has suspended volunteering for now, the shelter is still seeking donations to help purchase cleaning supplies, transportation, covering operation costs, and providing hot meals to guests at their drop-in shelters. 

At the end of their fundraising campaigns, Vermont Coffee Company and their community surpassed their original donation goal of $100,000, raising over $140,000 dollars for local non-profits. 

Read more about their fundraising efforts in this article from The Middlebury Campus.