BARRE — Community leaders announced an expanded emergency food program Thursday to help Vermonters who recently lost electrical power.
More than 7,000 homes and businesses are still without service after high winds Sunday night knocked down trees, according to Erica Bornemann, Vermont Emergency Management director. That’s down from a high of 80,000, about 1 out of 3. Bornemann said power is expected to be restored for most by Friday night and the rest on Saturday.
To help Vermonters whose food spoiled, officials with Capstone Community Action and the Vermont Foodbank, along with Barre Mayor Thomas Lauzon, launched Operation Restock. The initiative includes expanded hours of 5 to 7 p.m. Friday and Monday at the Barre food shelf Capstone runs at 20 Gable Place.
Lauzon said he came up with the idea for Operation Restock on Wednesday afternoon.
“The most important thing is keeping people safe,” Lauzon said Thursday at the Capstone food shelf in Barre. Officials said food generally spoils after 48 hours without refrigeration, so even those with restored power may need assistance.
“Once the power outage was on day two, I knew this was going to have a real impact on those most vulnerable in our city,” Lauzon said. He added that many people are in need now because they have likely used up the supplies they had before the storm, which knocked out power throughout New England.
The Vermont Foodbank donated 12,000 pounds of goods to the expanded food shelf effort, enough to fill half a tractor-trailer and provide 10,000 meals, according to John Sayles, the food bank executive director.
“It’s in times like this we need to pull together,” Sayles said.
Dan Hoxworth, executive director of Capstone Community Action, said: “This is really what we do. When individuals and families are in crisis, we try to bring normalcy to their lives.”
There are no income requirements to use the food shelf services.
Officials said they are also collecting donations at fuelyourneighbors.org so they can give out gift cards for food as well.
Sayles said the donated food included cereal, canned goods and produce.
Bornemann said three shelters continue to be open, though no one used them Wednesday night. The American Red Cross shelters are at the Barre elementary school, the Middlebury Recreation Center and Milton Elementary School.
People should use the shelters even if they just want a cup of coffee and a shower, Bornemann said.
Officials also warned people to make sure medicines that require refrigeration, including insulin, are still OK to use.
