Dear Reader,

Vermonters are facing a growing affordability crisis. From housing and health care to child care and groceries, many people are struggling to keep up. 

These pressures affect communities in every corner of the state. 

That’s why VTDigger is launching a new reporting beat focused on wealth, poverty and economic opportunity in Vermont. This beat will dig into the root causes of economic hardship, examine the systems meant to offer support and elevate the stories of Vermonters navigating these challenges every day.

Thanks to our partnership with Report for America, we have secured partial funding for the role. Now, we’re asking our readers to help us close the gap and bring this position to life.

In order to launch this beat, we need to raise $50,000. A generous Vermont donor will match all gifts made before Saturday, June 14. Will you be one of the readers who makes this new beat possible?

Why this work matters now

Vermont has long depended on imported wealth to sustain its economy, but is this model still working?

This new reporter will explore the challenges and opportunities facing different communities. From rural poverty and housing insecurity to the impacts of demographic shifts sparked by the pandemic, this beat will cover a broad range of topics including:

• Root causes of Vermont’s affordability crisis
• The experiences of Vermonters most affected by economic challenges
• Regional disparities and areas for change
• Gaps in state services and nonprofit safety nets
• How economic policy affects Vermonters differently depending on geography, age and background

This beat will help ensure that policy conversations are grounded in reality, informed by evidence and inclusive of the full range of Vermonters’ experiences.

Backed by Report for America and readers like you

VTDigger is honored to be selected as a host newsroom by Report for America, a nonprofit journalism service program that places talented reporters in local newsrooms to cover underreported topics. The program covers a portion of the reporter’s salary, but requires that the remainder come from community support.

Unlike some chain-owned commercial media, VTDigger is a nonprofit news organization that does not charge subscriptions to read our work — so readers from all economic backgrounds have access to the information they need. But, we can only hire and sustain our team with our readers’ support. We don’t receive federal funding, and every dollar we raise, we put into fulfilling our mission. 

You can help us close the gap and launch this vital work. If you value fact-based reporting that explains complex issues, amplifies unheard voices and holds power to account, please consider making a donation.

Your support — whether $15 or $500 — will be doubled and help us launch this beat with care, accuracy and a community mandate.

Thank you for your readership and support.

Sincerely,

Lesli Blount
Chief Revenue Officer, VTDigger

DUMMERSTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Two New Hampshire men are facing charges for fentanyl trafficking.

Police say around 2p.m. Saturday a deputy with the Windham County Sheriff’s Office saw a vehicle driving erratically on I-91 near Dummerston.

They found the driver 57-year-old Joseph Kahlenbeck, and 34-year-old Ronald Laroche concealing 100 bags of fentanyl between the two of them.

Police arrested both men for trafficking and transporting fentanyl into the state of Vermont.

They were processed and released on criminal citations to appear in court on July 29.

Copyright 2025 WCAX. All rights reserved.

After nearly 15 years working in the food industry, Deven Bora, owner of Early Bird Catering in Colchester, has been handed an unexpected opportunity: filming a pilot episode for Eat This TV, an online network featuring culinary content. The chef has now launched a GoFundMe hoping to bring the project to life. 

The 30-year-old started his journey in the food industry at age 16, working in a fast-food restaurant. At first, he was just trying to earn some money, but as he continued working at sandwich and bagel shops, restaurants like Applebee’s and Buffalo Wild Wings, and catering events, he became more interested in the industry.

“I got to either decide to finish college, or I got to go in a different direction, which was take the experience that I did have, working in the food industry and try and make something of that. So that’s the path I went down,” he said.

That’s when Bora started the Community Kitchen Academy, a nine-week course to learn culinary skills, including fundamentals of food safety and sanitation, labeling and repurposing food to avoid waste.

Community Kitchen Academy tries to gather produce from grocery stores, farms and food service companies to prevent waste, and after students have used the ingredients to prepare meals, the academy distributes them to shelters and meal sites.

A study conducted by the University of Vermont in 2022 showed that 2 in 5 Vermonters experienced food insecurity. 

“It was kind of nice that I was able to have that opportunity but also give back to the community,” Bora said.

In March 2022, Bora decided to start a catering business. He began by catering for small events, like bachelorette parties and family dinners, while working at Goodwater Brewery. Then he was subcontracted to provide meals for local army bases, allowing him to focus on his business full time and open a physical location in Colchester.

Early Bird Catering specializes in various cuisines, including Italian, Greek, American and Mexican dishes. Bora also uses seasonal produce from local farms whenever possible.

“We’ve started featuring a fall seasonal menu for weddings this year,” he said. “For the months of August through October, we have specifically catered menus that are highlighting the best of available products and produce for those months in Vermont.”

When he received a call from Eat This TV asking him to participate in a pilot episode for the show, Bora said he was surprised. 

“I didn’t sign up for anything, so I didn’t know if it was just like a spam call kind of thing,” he said. But after learning more about the network and the pilot opportunity, he got excited.

While the network will cover production costs, Bora is financially responsible for the renting the test kitchen, the ingredients for his dishes, and travel and lodging costs during the episode’s filming in New York. 

“I felt that the GoFundMe was the easiest way to help raise some of this money,” Bora said. “I really want to make the opportunity happen.” 

If the pilot receives good ratings, Bora said, the network might ask him to develop a 12-episode series.

Bora has until the beginning of July to raise enough money and confirm his participation in the program. In the meantime, he is already thinking about the recipes he wants to use in the 30-minute pilot. He is certain that he wants the dishes to showcase some Vermont ingredients and products. 

“I thought if I got the opportunity, it would be a great way to just kind of tie where I’m from into it and make it a little more special,” Bora said. “That way, in the pilot episode, I can kind of pay a little homage to Vermont.”