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Vermont 211 reevaluates flood recovery role while managing funding woes

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Vermont 211 reevaluates flood recovery role while managing funding woes


BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – We told you this week that leaders at United Way, which operates Vermont 211, say the organization is chronically underfunded—leading to a reduction in staff a week or so before last month’s flooding.

Governor Phil Scott responded, saying United Way should have better communicated its staffing challenges and that lawmakers may need to reexamine who administers the service.

United Way says since Vermont 211 began in 2005, last month’s flooding was the largest weather event they’ve handled, surpassing the call volume of tropical storm Irene.

If you call 211, one of seven staff members should pick up the phone. During last month’s flooding, volunteers were brought in to yield a record number of calls.

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“We received between 500 and 700 calls a day. We took over 3000 calls, which exceeded the month of June,” said Elizabeth Gilman of United Way.

Gilman adds that they received thousands of damage reports and Vermonters looking for information on food, shelter, and water.

Unfortunately, the storm came at a difficult time for the program. Starting July 1st, the state reduced funding for 211, leading to reduced hours and staff.

That led to long wait times and a backlog during the flood as employees were inundated with calls.

“We’ve just been all hands on deck. Staff have really stepped up we have some amazing volunteers,” said Gilman. And the hard work proved to be critical.

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Vermont Emergency Management says 211 was a connecting point for situational awareness and subsequent data collection to help get Vermont attention from FEMA.

So far, more than 4,500 residents have applied for FEMA assistance leading to the approval of about $11.6 million in federal funds.

“As it relates to individual assistance and determining whether or not we think that we’re going to hit those thresholds, once we think we might hit those thresholds based on the data from 211, We can then work with FEMA to put some boots on the ground,” said Vermont Emergency Management Executive Director Eric Forand.

Forand also says this is the first event where 211 was utilized as a data point for systems and damage, and spreading the word about 211′s role in assistance in addition to data is a goal moving forward.

“Educating the public on the next time, just call them up, get that information out there. We push that information and that messaging a lot. When it becomes ingrained in people’s mentality, we can get the information quicker and then utilize it to dedicate resources to the best of our abilities,” said Forand.

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Back at the 211 headquarters, Gilman says as the state attempts to transition to recovery among the seemingly constant rain. The call volume has lessened, but there are still Vermonters in need.

“We continue to do our day-to-day job helping Vermonters with information referral and connection to health and human services, as well as providing our after-emergency housing and support for economic services,” said Gilman.

As for the back and forth about the amount of funding and staffing for Vermont 211, Gilman says staff are trained to handle these calls and do so everyday. She adds that United Way is uniquely situated to continue to make 211 services successful.



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Vermont

VT Lottery Mega Millions, Gimme 5 results for May 23, 2025

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Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

The Vermont Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

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Those who want to play can enter the MegaBucks and Lucky for Life games as well as the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. Vermont also partners with New Hampshire and Maine for the Tri-State Lottery, which includes the Mega Bucks, Gimme 5 as well as the Pick 3 and Pick 4.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule. Here’s a look at May 23, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Vermont Mega Millions numbers from May 23 drawing

07-18-40-55-68, Mega Ball: 18

Check Vermont Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Gimme 5 numbers from May 23 drawing

04-08-12-19-27

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Check Gimme 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life VT numbers from May 23 drawing

04-11-15-19-38, Lucky Ball: 04

Check Lucky For Life VT payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 23 drawing

Day: 4-1-7

Evening: 5-8-4

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Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 23 drawing

Day: 4-1-1-5

Evening: 7-2-0-5

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

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Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

For Vermont Lottery prizes up to $499, winners can claim their prize at any authorized Vermont Lottery retailer or at the Vermont Lottery Headquarters by presenting the signed winning ticket for validation. Prizes between $500 and $5,000 can be claimed at any M&T Bank location in Vermont during the Vermont Lottery Office’s business hours, which are 8a.m.-4p.m. Monday through Friday, except state holidays.

For prizes over $5,000, claims must be made in person at the Vermont Lottery headquarters. In addition to signing your ticket, you will need to bring a government-issued photo ID, and a completed claim form.

All prize claims must be submitted within one year of the drawing date. For more information on prize claims or to download a Vermont Lottery Claim Form, visit the Vermont Lottery’s FAQ page or contact their customer service line at (802) 479-5686.

Vermont Lottery Headquarters

1311 US Route 302, Suite 100

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Barre, VT

05641

When are the Vermont Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
  • Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
  • Pick 3 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
  • Pick 4 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
  • Pick 3 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
  • Pick 4 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
  • Megabucks: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

What is Vermont Lottery Second Chance?

Vermont’s 2nd Chance lottery lets players enter eligible non-winning instant scratch tickets into a drawing to win cash and/or other prizes. Players must register through the state’s official Lottery website or app. The drawings are held quarterly or are part of an additional promotion, and are done at Pollard Banknote Limited in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Vermont editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Vermont’s state parks are offering free entry for income-eligible residents in 2025 – VTDigger

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Vermont’s state parks are offering free entry for income-eligible residents in 2025 – VTDigger


Paddleboats float on Echo Lake at Camp Plymouth State Park in Plymouth. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

More than 100,000 income-eligible residents are going to have free access to Vermont’s state parks this year, thanks to a first-in-the-nation pilot program.

The Park Access Fund Pilot Program will give people who receive benefits through the state’s Economic Services Division or the Women, Infants and Children program free entrance to any of Vermont’s 55 state parks during the season, which runs from May through October. 

To participate in the program, residents can show their EBT or WIC cards at the park entrance. Those who are eligible but do not have an EBT card can visit their local Economic Services Division District Office to request a card that can be used for state park entrance in 2025, according to the Park Access Fund website.

Once inside, all guests have the option to participate in free park-led activities, such as bird walks, concerts and evening campfires. The state parks events and programs page contains information on upcoming programming. 

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State parks celebrate 100th anniversary while rebuilding from historic July floods


The initiative originated from an idea to bring park accessibility to Vermonters experiencing food insecurity, according to Sarah Alberghini Winters, the executive director of Vermont Parks Forever, which runs the program. 

This new program is an extension of the Parks Access Fund, which grants free park passes to 55 nonprofit community partners to help their clients get outside, according to Winters.

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Winters said she hopes this year’s expansion of the program is well-utilized. Depending on its success and donors’ willingness to support future efforts, the pilot program could continue in 2026 and beyond, she said. 

“It really takes a village,” Winters said. “We’re so thankful to have support from local and national foundations.”

Vermonters not eligible for this pilot program can also receive assistance accessing state parks through library passes and the Green Mountain Passport.

Financial barriers are not the only thing preventing some Vermonters from getting outside, Winters said, but this program is a starting point. She said her hope is that Vermont will set an example for other states to consider expanding programs for outdoor accessibility. 

“We’ll continue to learn about how we can help with other barriers that exist,” she said.

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Gov. Phil Scott signs Vermont lawmakers’ 2026 state budget proposal into law – VTDigger

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Gov. Phil Scott signs Vermont lawmakers’ 2026 state budget proposal into law – VTDigger


Gov. Phil Scott speaks during his weekly press conference at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Wednesday, May 14. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

MONTPELIER — Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed lawmakers’ state budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year into law Wednesday. The plan lays out $9.01 billion in state spending for the yearlong period starting July 1 — and includes a handful of new measures designed to limit the impacts of potential cuts to the state’s federal funding. 

Scott, a Republican, was notably complimentary of the House and Senate’s budget bill in a letter to legislators that accompanied his signature. Democratic leadership in both chambers, knowing they almost certainly could not override a budget veto this year, trimmed tens of millions of dollars in proposed “base” spending — money expected to be appropriated year-over-year — from the legislation after Scott insisted on cuts. 

The governor had proposed an $8.99 billion state budget in January.

“I appreciate that this budget makes important affordability investments,” Scott wrote, pointing to lawmakers’ use of about $75 million from the state’s general fund that’s expected to help reduce the property tax bills people pay to support education. 

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Scott also complimented how lawmakers set aside about $13 million in the budget to offset a slate of proposed tax credits that would benefit low-income families, workers and veterans, as well as retirees and people receiving military pensions.

The credits are included in a separate bill, S.51, over which House and Senate leaders still need to work out their differences in a joint conference committee.

While the state budget is typically lawmakers’ last act before adjournment every year, this year, there are still several major bills working their way through the Statehouse that deal with some of the headline issues from last fall’s election. 

In his letter, the governor urged legislators to pass a version of this year’s landmark education reform bill, H.454. The bill is being debated on the Senate floor Thursday as school district leaders — and a number of senators themselves —  have panned the language that several of the chamber’s committees drafted in recent weeks.

Senators were weighing to what extent they should revise their version of the bill to be more in line with what passed out of the House last month. That version appeared to have more support among the members of the Senate’s Democratic majority. 

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Scott has threatened to use his power to summon lawmakers back to the Statehouse if they adjourn for the year without reaching agreement on an education bill. 

“While not perfect, (the budget bill) makes critical investments in affordability, housing, education and public safety,” the governor wrote Wednesday. “But we must focus on the policy bills that fix what’s broken so the funding can have its intended impact.”





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