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Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) was founded in 1965 to support the community around the systemic issues of poverty. It is one of five community action agencies in Vermont that were put in place to be responsive to local needs.
SEVCA’s mission is to partner with and empower individuals and communities in Southeastern Vermont in an effort to alleviate hardships caused by poverty and eliminate the root causes of poverty. Over time, the organization has provided support and resources for various needs, from repairing wood stoves to enabling financial empowerment.
SEVCA’s services and programs are focused on Windham and Windsor County residents. The organization has five different programs: weatherization and home repair, housing, heat and utilities, food access, and personal finances. In 2024, the organization helped 129 people avoid becoming unhoused using various resources. Jon Megas-Russell, Director of Development and Communications at SEVCA, shared this success story. “We had an elderly person in need of housing payment support. The goal was to keep them from living in their car. By connecting them to our resources as well as state resources and whatever else they may need, we were able to open the eyes of somebody who felt they didn’t have a lot of options.”
At SEVCA, they understand that people of all ages need help escaping the effects of poverty—especially children. That’s why the organization offers its federally funded, collaborative Headstart preschool program. Children ages 3 to 5 in Windsor County can attend this program, which focuses on early education, nutrition, health, mental wellness, and services for kids with special needs. Studies show that preschool generally has a positive ripple effect on a child’s future, and that’s especially true in economically disadvantaged areas. Headstart partners with other organizations and agencies in the community to create a holistic support system for the whole family.
SEVCA also offers personal finance education to encourage people to improve their decision making around money and learn to budget, save, manage credit, start a business—anything an individual feels will help them achieve a greater level of financial stability. One person who was starting their own small business was able to increase their income by $800 a month when they learned how to reach out and find new clients. Megas-Russell explains SEVCA’s approach: “We ask ourselves, ‘How do we problem solve and give them the resources they need for those next steps?’ Listening, connecting, and inspiring.”
Listening, connecting, and inspiring—Mascoma Bank knows something about that approach. That’s why, in addition to offering financial support, it partnered with SEVCA to offer finance education classes at Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro, Vermont. Megas-Russell said, “It’s been huge to have someone in the financial sector usher people in and help educate them. Mascoma Bank has been a positive partnership for us, and together, we’ll continue to blossom.”
Mascoma Bank wishes Southeastern Vermont Community Action further success in bettering the community and is proud to support SEVCA’s mission to help the community fight against poverty.