Dear Reader,

Before reporting for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, I got my start at The Rutland Herald, where I learned what strong local journalism means for a community.

If you value reliable local reporting that cuts through the national noise, please consider a gift to help us reach our fall member goal today.

When news breaks or rumors fly, our job is to serve you with facts. That takes a newsroom built for Vermont with editors who scrutinize every line and reporters who travel the state to hear from those directly impacted. It’s deliberate work, and it’s only possible because readers step up to fund it.

Your support today powers:

• Our fiercely independent, nonprofit newsroom that keeps trustworthy journalism free for more than 500,000 readers each month.
• Coverage that empowers you with the information needed to act, whether at a community meeting or in the voting booth.
• Statewide reporting depth — from quick-turn breaking news to investigative stories that require time, travel, records requests and rigorous editing.

Will you help keep this public service strong?

Independent journalism strengthens our communities and our democracy. When you donate, you defend the public’s right to know and keep essential Vermont news available to everyone regardless of their income level.

Thank you for welcoming me back to Vermont and into this role, and for standing with VTDigger this fall.

With gratitude,

Geeta Anand
Editor-in-chief, VTDigger

P.S. Make a gift during our Fall Member Drive and you’ll be entered to win one of two $250 gift cards to Johnson Woolen Mills. New monthly sustainers will also receive a VTDigger sustainer decal.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Fall Member Drive: Every gift informs and empowers.

Dear Reader,

Today we’re launching our Fall Member Drive to raise $150,000 for independent reporting that helps Vermonters make decisions about their lives and their communities.

A gift of $14 a month — less than 50 cents a day — keeps this service strong and free for every neighbor.

If you believe in the power of independent, trustworthy Vermont news, please become a monthly sustaining member today. If monthly isn’t right, a one-time gift in any amount still helps us reach our Fall Member Drive goal.

Across the country, local journalism is disappearing. Since I began reporting for Vermont newspapers in the early 2000s, the number of journalists in the United States has fallen by more than 75%. Today, one in three counties has no full-time local reporter.

But Vermont is an exception because of you.

A new report from Muck Rack and Rebuild Local News reveals that Vermont maintains the highest number of local journalists per capita in the nation, thanks in large part to VTDigger and the readers who support us. While we still have a long way to go to restore our press corps, this is an achievement worth celebrating.

I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together. But keeping Vermonters informed takes ongoing commitment. When we say we can’t do it without you, we truly mean it: The only way to keep VTDigger strong is with continued support from readers like you.

If you value independent, in-depth reporting that explains complex issues, connects neighbors and holds power to account, I invite you to become a sustaining member today.

Locally owned newsrooms like ours prioritize accuracy, depth and community focus. That work requires time, editors, document requests, travel and follow-up. It’s only possible through reader support. 

Monthly support gives us the resources to stay on top of the issues that matter to you like housing, the environment, immigration, education and rural healthcare. It means we can have reporters in the Statehouse, attend court hearings and knock on doors to include the voices of everyday Vermonters.

Together, we can keep our community informed, connected and strong.

Sincerely,

Sky Barsch
CEO, VTDigger

P.S. Make a gift during our Fall Member Drive and you’ll be entered to win one of two $250 gift cards to Johnson Woolen Mills. New monthly sustainers will also receive a VTDigger sustainer decal.

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger’s fall membership drive aims to raise $150,000.

Because of 361 generous readers, we’re celebrating two big wins: VTDigger members helped send 441 children’s books to Vermont kids via the Children’s Literacy Foundation and raised $22,792 to keep fearless, independent journalism thriving in our state.

During the drive, your comments reminded us why this work is so important:

• “I want to support this incredible Vermont organization and support young people in Vermont with books.” – Jane
• “I appreciate what you folks do. Books and knowledge are the key to everything!” – Paula
• “I love VTDigger and getting books to children is very important.” – Holly
• “We need local journalists to be truth tellers.” – Rosanne
• “I am a new resident to Vermont and it’s important to support truth and reading!” – Laurie

Every gift made during the CLiF membership drive means more Vermont children will experience the magic of reading and more Vermonters will continue to have access to the rigorous reporting they rely on. 

We’re grateful to everyone who stepped up for both public service journalism and young readers. We are especially grateful to The Vermont Book Shop in Middlebury for sponsoring the book donation to CLiF, allowing every dollar from our readers to go directly to support independent reporting.

Your support is helping build a stronger, better-informed, and more connected Vermont. Thank you for believing in the power of local news, literacy and community.

With thanks,

Libbie Sparadeo
Director of Membership and Engagement, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: We did it — Thank you for supporting young readers and local journalism.

Dear reader,

In the final days of 2024, we want to take a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come together — and how far we still need to go.

Give today and your gift in any amount up to $500 will be tripled to help VTDigger keep digging on your behalf in 2025.

Since 2009, VTDigger has grown from a one-woman operation to the state’s most robust newsroom. 

With 22 reporters, editors and photographers, we’ve published 2,605 stories this year, which were read 12 million times by Vermonters like you.

VTDigger is not only a place to find timely news, it’s also a place to connect and debate.

The 418 reader commentaries we published provided an opportunity to exchange opinions and hear differing points of view. 

And we’re always listening to you. Roughly one-third of VTDigger stories begin with a tip.

Thank you for sending us 1,599 tips in 2024 and helping us stay connected to the stories that matter most.

But there’s one more important number: 

We still need to raise $175,643 by December 31 to reach our goal, and we’re currently 69% of the way there.

Can we count on you to help us finish strong? Your gift today will go three times as far thanks to a group of generous Vermont donors.

With your help, we’ll continue growing and connecting Vermont with the essential journalism that informs, educates and holds the powerful accountable.

Thank you for your continued support. We couldn’t do it without you.

Sincerely,

Paul Heintz

Editor-in-chief, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger member drive to end New Year’s Eve: Last chance to triple your donation.

Dear readers,

Last month, VTDigger published my investigation revealing how the federal government has quietly built surveillance towers along the Canadian border in Vermont and New York — with the possibility for more.

Government accountability reporting like this takes time and effort. If you value this type of journalism from me and my colleagues at VTDigger, please support it with a year-end donation and your gift will be tripled today. 

Time is running out for us to meet our goal. Can we count on you?

To report this story, I spent days scouring public records and satellite imagery, as well as calling local residents, town officials and experts on border surveillance technology. Then, I got in my car and drove up to the northern border myself, traveling from Derby Line to New York State to speak to more people and see where this technology has actually been deployed.

Since my story was published, the most rewarding part has been hearing directly from VTDigger readers about their experiences with border and immigration enforcement in their communities. To me, these messages show what VTDigger does best — not just informing, but also engaging, people across our state and beyond.

While VTDigger’s journalism is free to read — something I’ve always been proud of — it certainly isn’t free to produce. If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our local, nonprofit newsroom before the end of the year, in whatever way or amount you can.

Right now, all gifts up to $500 are being tripled, including monthly donations for the first year! We only have until Dec. 31 at midnight to reach our goal. Will you join us?

Thank you for reading and supporting local journalists.

Sincerely,

Shaun Robinson

State Government & Economy Reporter, VTDigger

If you can, please consider becoming a sustaining member at a level that works for you. Sustaining members make it possible for VTDigger’s journalists to dig deeper. Become a sustaining member at $15/month and you’ll receive a free VTDigger t-shirt.

Read the story on VTDigger here: All gifts tripled until Dec. 31: Who is watching the watchers?.

Dear reader,

During the final days of 2024, we want to take a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come together — and how far we still need to go.

But here’s the truth: only 2% of VTDigger readers support our work financially.

In the final stretch of our year-end membership drive, we need your help to raise the final funds to ensure VTDigger’s continued success. 

With only 5 days left to hit our goal, every dollar you give up to $500 will be tripled by a group of generous Vermont donors.

This year, we’ve achieved some major milestones that we couldn’t have done without support from people like you:

• Groundbreaking Investigations: We published an investigation into the sharp rise in migrants crossing the Canada-Vermont border, which became the most-read story in VTDigger’s history.
• Journalistic Excellence: We received nearly 20 journalism awards in 2024, including our first Online News Association award.
• Public Service: We hosted 11 interns, fostering the next generation of journalists, and provided timely 2024 election coverage and voting resources in 14 languages.

Now, we’re asking you to help us reach our goal. Your gift today will not only fuel our journalism but also support a sustainable future for our newsroom.

Will you join the 2% who support VTDigger? Every gift is tripled and will ensure that the vital work we’ve started continues in 2025 and beyond.

We’re incredibly grateful for your continued support. Together, we’ve achieved so much — but there’s more to do.

Thank you for standing with us.

Sincerely,

Libbie Sparadeo

Director of membership and engagement, VTDigger

If you can, please consider becoming a sustaining member at a level that works for you. Sustaining members make it possible for VTDigger’s journalists to dig deeper. Become a sustaining member at $15/month and you’ll receive a free VTDigger t-shirt.

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger year-end member drive: All gifts tripled today.

As a historian, I am fascinated by Vermont’s past. As a Vermonter, I care deeply about its present and future. That’s why I consider VTDigger’s mission so important. 

Over the last two-plus decades, the rise of the Internet has devastated our state’s once-thriving newspapers, which for more than two centuries were the backbone of Vermont journalism. The economics of our high-tech era have starved newspapers of revenues and resulted in major newsroom staffing cuts. But journalism matters. Without it, we simply cannot be informed citizens. Community and statewide newspapers are having to be scrappy and wildly innovative in this challenging environment, and Digger has been a leader in this reinvented landscape.

While newspapers across the state have had to shrink their staffs, VTDigger has found an economic model that can support quality journalism that is notable for both its breadth and depth. With the financial help of readers, VTDigger has managed to hire an impressive team of journalists. Early in my career, I worked as an editor and reporter for several Vermont newspapers. I’ve been delighted to see many talented former colleagues become part of VTDigger’s staff, where they have joined other gifted journalists whose excellent work I deeply appreciate.

Journalism is crucial to my historical research for the “Then Again” columns that appear in VTDigger. I am always amazed by how transportive it is to read old newspapers, not only offering insights on the politics and wars of the day, but bringing us into the lives of everyday people. 

While browsing newspapers in an online archive, I stumbled upon the story of a massive manhunt in 1925 for a missing farmhand who was believed to have abducted a young girl. The newspapers of the day reported the frantic search for the pair in great detail, allowing me to piece together the gripping story. Journalists provided such telling facts as how selectmen from the girl’s hometown were initially in charge of the search until the county sheriff took over (there was no state police yet), how the Vermont attorney general called for the man to be captured “dead or alive,” how reports flowed in from Vermonters who claimed to have seen the missing pair, and how a revered police dog that had successfully tracked fugitives in Germany had joined the search. After the farmhand and girl were discovered and more information about the case was revealed, the papers documented the swift shift in public opinion in favor of the farmhand. These compelling and poignant details bring the past alive, and would have been lost to history if not for the journalists of the time.

Novelist L.P. Hartley once noted: “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” Old newspapers are an invaluable way to get the lay of this foreign land. They help explain what people knew and believed at the time.

Our world today can feel as foreign and disorienting as the past. To understand the present moment, and get a sense of what might happen in the near future, journalism is as important as ever. If you want to know what is happening in Vermont and what people think about it, there is no better place to turn than VTDigger. 

I want to thank the readers who rely on VTDigger for making this website the go-to place to stay up to date with what is happening in their communities and across the state. And I am grateful that Digger offers a place for writers to go deeper with their stories in order to offer context, strengthen our sense of place, and build community.

Please consider supporting VTDigger before the end of 2024 with a one-time or monthly donation today and it will be tripled.

If you can, please consider becoming a sustaining member at a level that works for you. Sustaining members make it possible for VTDigger’s journalists to dig deeper. Become a sustaining member at $15/month and you’ll receive a free VTDigger t-shirt.

Sincerely,

Mark Bushnell

Journalist and author

Read the story on VTDigger here: Why VTDigger deserves your support: A historian’s view.

“I am reading Digger sitting in my warm cozy house with my wood stove cranking out heat. I will be happy to imagine other readers doing the same.”

Member from Ludlow, VT

Dear reader,

We are in the final days of our joint news and firewood drive. We still believe we can send 15 cords of firewood by Dec. 25.

Help us shine a light on the facts and spread warmth this holiday season with a year-end gift that does double duty.

VTDigger’s reporters work around the clock to bring you public service reporting with impact, like our full disclosure series which spurred more robust financial disclosure requirements for legislators. 

We bring you deep, original investigations that make you ask more questions, like Shaun Robinson’s on how the federal government has quietly built three surveillance towers along the Canadian border. 

Our journalists get to the bottom of what’s really happening, like Housing Reporter Carly Berlin’s data dive into the pervasive myth that Vermont is a “magnet” state for unsheltered people. 

All of this reporting takes days — sometimes weeks or even months — of research, source interviews, fact checking and editing. VTDigger provides it free of charge, to ensure everyone has equal access to the truth. 

But it takes significant resources to produce. Your support ensures that we can keep telling these stories. Plus, for every 80 members who donate, Wood4Good can deliver one cord of wood — enough for 4 weeks of heat — to a family in need.

If you can, please consider becoming a sustaining member at a level that works for you. Sustaining members make it possible for us to dig deeper. Become a sustaining member at $15/month and  we’ll send you a free VTDigger t-shirt.

Thank you for considering a gift to fuel journalism and warmth across Vermont.

Sincerely,

Sky Barsch

CEO, VTDigger

P.S. Giving to the Vermont Journalism Trust/VTDigger is also possible via donor-advised funds. To learn more, visit this page.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Journalism and warmth: Join the final days of giving.

Dear reader,

Downtowns are bustling with holiday shoppers and here at VTDigger we’re busy getting ready for a new legislative session to begin on January 8. Why are we excited about this?

For four months of the year, the workings of state government that usually take place behind closed doors or on private video calls are drawn into the open. Representatives of the executive branch are put on the hot seat in legislative committees and questioned in Statehouse hallways. 

If you want to keep VTDigger asking questions on behalf of Vermonters, please join our year-end member drive with a gift today. When you do, you’ll also help send firewood to families in need of heat this winter via our partnership with Wood4Good.

With Vermont losing 75% of its newspaper jobs over the past quarter-century, VTDigger’s coverage of the Legislature is critical.

Among the many issues we plan to shine a light on this session are education funding and rising property taxes; whether new initiatives will help or hurt hospitals’ ability to affordably deliver the services Vermonters need; the role the state plays in addressing our housing and homelessness crises; and how Vermont can respond to and prepare for major flooding and other climate catastrophes.

We’re going to be covering developments on key legislation, explaining the impact on people, businesses and municipalities, keeping an eye on conflicts of interest and sharing hard-to-access testimony. We’re also taking note of what isn’t being discussed and asking why.

Today we’re asking you to help VTDigger keep telling the stories that no one else is and families stay warm this season. 

There less than a week left to send 15 cords of firewood to Vermont families in need. Every 80 donations sends one cord — or four weeks of warmth — to a family. 

Thank you for your readership and support as we look toward the holidays and a new year of public service journalism. 

Sincerely, 

Kristen Fountain

Senior Editor, VTDigger

If you can, please consider becoming a sustaining member at a level that works for you. Sustaining members make it possible for us to dig deeper. Become a sustaining member at $15/month and  we’ll send you a free VTDigger t-shirt.

P.S. Wood4Good is always looking for volunteers of all abilities. Sign up to volunteer here.

Read the story on VTDigger here: How VTDigger’s Statehouse coverage will serve Vermont in 2025.

Dear reader,

We have only eight days left to reach our goal of sending 15 cords of firewood to families in need this winter. Every 80 donations to VTDigger’s year-end drive sends one cord of firewood, the equivalent of four weeks of warmth, to a Vermont family in need through our partnership with Wood4Good.

Take a moment now to do your part for local news and send firewood with your donation.

As journalists, it’s our job to ask hard questions, represent the public interest and dig deep to uncover the truth. Right now, many of the issues we are covering have to do with affordability in Vermont. It’s something many of us are experiencing firsthand.

When you give during our year-end drive, you’ll fund our reporting, which helps advocates, policymakers and ordinary Vermonters understand the factors driving tax policy, housing costs and other key concerns. 

You’ll also help Wood4Good send firewood to Vermont families who need a little extra help this year. If you can, please chip in and support two worthy causes today.

If you can, please consider becoming a sustaining member at a level that works for you. Sustaining members make it possible for us to dig deeper. Become a sustaining member at $15/month and  we’ll send you a free VTDigger t-shirt.

Thank you for helping us warm hearts and homes this season.

Sincerely,

Paul Heintz

Editor-in-chief, VTDigger

P.S. Wood4Good is always looking for volunteers of all abilities. Sign up to volunteer here.

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger member drive provides firewood for families, journalism for Vermont.

In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic reshaped daily life, VTDigger wrote about Eric Axelrod, a Jericho resident who spent his days splitting wood with his young sons, Devin and Logan, and delivering it to neighbors in need.

That year, the Axelrod family provided nearly 25 cords of firewood to more than 15 families. But what began as a small backyard project has evolved into an inspiring support system for Vermonters.

Today, Axelrod is the founder of Wood4Good, a growing nonprofit that provides free firewood to households in need across central and northern Vermont. With distribution sites in Jericho, St. Albans and Middlesex, the organization delivers wood within a 50-mile radius of Jericho. Axelrod hopes to one day expand Wood4Good’s reach to serve the entire state.

“Vermonters are really proud, and especially when they get older,” Axelrod explains. “They don’t want to ask for help, and even if they need it, they won’t. I’ve met folks who have burned their furniture to keep their home warm.”

Delivering Warmth With Dignity

For Axelrod, ensuring that help is offered with dignity is just as important as the deliveries themselves.

In one instance, Axelrod encountered a man who was too proud to accept help, despite his wife’s quiet confession that the family desperately needed firewood to get through the winter. Axelrod devised a plan: He made the delivery when the husband wasn’t home. Later, the man called to apologize and thank him.

“I told him no apology was necessary, and we were just glad to help,” Axelrod recalls.

Another time, Wood4Good delivered wood to a family that included a woman battling cancer. Her husband had left work to care for her. As the delivery truck arrived, the husband stood in tears, overwhelmed by the support they had received.

It Takes a Village

Over 40% of Vermont households heat their homes with wood. One cord of firewood provides roughly four weeks of heat for the average home. Since its founding, Wood4Good has delivered firewood to more than 500 families, including 150 in 2023 alone.

Volunteer support is key to Wood4Good’s success. On weekend volunteer days, anywhere from five to 30 people gather at the woodlots to buck, split, load and deliver wood. The camaraderie of these events creates a ripple effect, spreading the benefits of community care far beyond the families receiving the wood.

“When we began, I wanted to teach my boys the value of higher purpose, giving back and being a good member of the community,” Axelrod reflects. “But it has taught me so much about the importance of community, enrolling good people in a cause that is important, and the effect all of this has had on our family and the people we have touched.”

How You Can Help

For the next 10 days, VTDigger is partnering with Wood4Good to share the warmth with Vermonters in need. 

For every 80 readers who donate to support VTDigger’s nonprofit journalism, Wood4Good can deliver one cord of wood — the equivalent of four weeks of heat — to a Vermont family.

Together, our goal is to provide at least 15 cords of wood by December 25. Support two worthy causes with your donation today. 

If you’d like to get even more involved, Wood4Good is always looking for volunteers. While the physical labor of chopping and stacking wood is needed, there are many other ways to help, including outreach and grant-writing. Sign up to volunteer with Wood4Good here. 

If you need wood or would like to donate directly to Wood4Good, you can learn more on its website.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Wood4Good spreads warmth across Vermont, one cord at a time.

Dear reader,

Local news matters now more than ever. Research shows that when local news organizations disappear, communities become more divided, elections are less competitive, and financial waste and corruption increase. By investing in local journalism, VTDigger protects Vermont’s democracy and serves the public interest.

But we can’t do this work without your support.

Every donation made by Dec. 14 at 11:59 p.m. will be matched dollar for dollar by two generous board members up to $15,000. That means your gift will go twice as far to sustain the fearless, independent journalism Vermont needs.

Become a $15/month sustainer and your gift will be matched for the first year, plus we’ll send you a free 15th Anniversary t-shirt! 

In an era of AI and aggregation, there’s still no replacement for a reporter picking up the phone or hitting these dirt roads. VTDigger’s journalists do this work every day, making our stories freely accessible to all — including to more than a dozen community newspapers. But original journalism takes resources to produce.

Your donation powers the trusted, public-interest reporting that Vermonters rely on. Please help us meet the match before midnight on Saturday.

Thank you for standing with VTDigger and sustaining this essential public service.

Sincerely,

Paul Heintz

Editor-in-chief, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: Double your impact for Vermont news: Board match ends Saturday.

Dear reader,

With time ticking down toward the end of the year, two of our board members are stepping up to match all donations received – but only for a limited time. 

Give before midnight on Saturday, Dec. 14 to double your impact and help us rebuild Vermont’s press corps.

Your donation keeps VTDigger’s newsroom  independent — free from corporate interests or the whims of wealthy shareholders. Nearly two-thirds of our funding comes from individual readers like you, ensuring we remain accountable to our community and no one else.

Every gift sustains:

• Investigations that expose wrongdoing and hold power to account.
• Stories that foster understanding and strengthen Vermont communities.
• Free access to trusted news for all Vermonters.

Today, whether you can contribute $5 or $500, it will be matched dollar for dollar by two generous VTDigger board members. 

Thank you for your readership and for considering a gift that will go twice as far today.

Sincerely,

Florencio Terra

Membership Manager, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger board members to match all gifts received before Dec. 15.

As veteran journalist David Moats reflects on Vermont’s changing press landscape, your support is crucial to VTDigger’s continued success. We rely on donations to provide rigorous, independent reporting that keeps our state informed. Help us reach our goal of $539,000 by December 31 to sustain fearless journalism through 2024 and into the new year. Your gift, of any amount, makes an immediate impact.

It wasn’t the hot lead era when I came into the news business, but it wasn’t long after that. We were still on typewriters, though we soon moved on to computers. Even then, type came out on long strips of paper, waxed on the back, that were cut and pasted onto the pages. A darkroom technician developed the photos. Paper boys and girls delivered the paper in the morning, or it came in the mail. 

If you weren’t listening to the ball game the night before, you had to wait ’til you saw the morning paper to find out who won. At the Rutland Herald, where I worked for more than 35 years, a large team gathered on the night of Town Meeting Day to get results by phone from town clerks throughout southern Vermont and Addison County, which appeared in the paper the next morning.

All that has changed. And it’s not just the news business that has changed. Amazon, Google and others have sucked billions of dollars out of local communities, advertising has dried up, and newspapers have cut back or disappeared altogether. You can get the baseball scores inning by inning on your phone. You can sell your boat on Craigslist instead of paying for a classified ad in the local paper.

VTDigger is among the pioneering news websites working to fill the gap caused by the digital revolution. In the last 25 years, 75% of newspaper jobs in Vermont have vanished. A number of the reporters and editors whose jobs disappeared have ended up at VTDigger.

It was this declining pattern in newspapers that inspired founder Anne Galloway to launch VTDigger in 2009.

For a time Anne was the one at the Sunday Times Argus and Rutland Herald who edited the editorials I wrote for the Sunday paper. Those editorials benefited from her close attention. 

When layoffs eliminated Anne’s job, it was not just a personal loss. It was becoming clear that coverage of Vermont news was going to suffer if staffing at the state’s major papers continued to decline. Thus, VTDigger got its start when Anne began her one-woman news operation, and now it has the most robust news staff in the state.

My time at the Herald coincided with what might be viewed as a Golden Age in Vermont journalism. The Herald and the Burlington Free Press occupied large buildings in their respective downtowns and served as nerve centers for their communities. They competed for the biggest stories and helped provide news coverage as thorough as coverage at any state capital in the country. 

But it wasn’t just the big stories that were important. The papers had reporters and stringers who followed the news in small towns throughout the state. Selectboard meetings and school boards didn’t escape attention. 

Now news comes out, not just in the morning, but whenever it’s ready to be posted. In order for it to be something other than a random posting of dubious credibility somewhere on social media, the news requires conscientious reporting and diligent editing. It’s true at newspapers, as it always was, and it’s true at any online source that can be counted on as reliable. That’s why news sites such as VTDigger work to establish and maintain credibility over time in their communities.

VTDigger can celebrate its 15th anniversary because it has established that credibility. One of its early big stories was the EB-5 scandal in the Northeast Kingdom, ultimately revealed as the largest financial fraud in the state’s history. Anne’s reporting was relentless, much to the discomfort of the perpetrators and those in state government whose failure of oversight proved so  costly.

Another story that VTDigger broke was the saga of Daniel Banyai, who ran an illegal gun range and training camp in Pawlet and who had intimidated nearby residents who objected to its presence. Fear in the community was real, but VTDigger dug into the story and eventually, after a tortuous legal process, the camp was closed down. This was a local story with larger implications.

The good stories have been many, and accuracy and clarity are still essential, which is why a professional staff to write and edit the news is also essential. No one gets it right all the time, and they never have, which is why VTDigger’s motto is both accurate and aspirational: “News in pursuit of truth.”

 As a veteran of the news business, it is rewarding for me to sense the dedication and excitement felt by the largely young staff gathering the news for VTDigger. It was exciting for us in the 1980s, as young news editors and reporters, to take the reins at the Rutland Herald and guide its news coverage. It helped bind Vermont together.

During those years, I sometimes asked myself whether I should go to work for a worthy cause — the environment, civil rights, human rights — or go to work in politics. Instead, I stayed with journalism and realized eventually that in doing so I was working on behalf of one of the worthiest causes of all — a free press. I was a practitioner of the First Amendment.

One can foresee the crises of the immediate future. For example, what are Vermont farmers going to do if the Trump administration’s mass deportation of foreign workers decimates the state’s farm labor force? 

That’s one question among many that readers will be asking and editors and reporters will be facing in the coming days. As VTDigger celebrates its 15th anniversary, dedicated practitioners of the First Amendment, at VTDigger and elsewhere, will be as important as ever. 

If you can, please join me in supporting VTDigger’s year-end drive with a donation today. 

Sincerely,

David Moats

Author, journalist and editorial page editor emeritus of the Rutland Herald

Read the story on VTDigger here: Vermont journalism: then and now.

Dear reader,

Today is the last day to order VTDigger’s limited-edition 15th Anniversary merchandise and receive it before December 25.

In honor of 15 years of informing and engaging Vermont, we worked with Vermont cartoonist Daryl Seitchik to create a commemorative illustration that tells our story. 

We hope you love this illustration as much as we do and that you’ll consider a year-end gift to support VTDigger. When you donate, we’ll send you 15% off to our merch store with gifts for everyone on your list!

Become a new sustaining member at $15/month and we’ll send you a FREE 15th Anniversary t-shirt.

Curious about the art? Here’s a short guide what you’re seeing and why:

• The Vermont Statehouse and voter: VTDigger was founded in 2009 by Anne Galloway to fill the gap in Statehouse reporting as legacy newspapers cut back. Today, politics and government remain our most-read topics, and we’re proud to deliver high-quality voter information year-round, from Town Meeting Day to the general elections.
• The whales’ tails: The Whale Dance sculpture, located off Exit 4 on I-89 in Randolph, symbolizes the geographic center of Vermont.
• The digging dog: One of VTDigger’s early mascots was Gertie, Anne’s chocolate lab, who often tried to eat the office birthday cakes. 
• The creemee eater: One of our top stories from recent years was our statewide creemee database. A lighthearted reminder of the joy a good cone can bring.
• The general store: Modeled after the Barnard General Store, it represents the heart of small rural communities, central to the lives and stories we cover.
• The reporters: From the Statehouse to the smallest sugarhouse, VTDigger’s journalists are the backbone of our operation. And we’re proud to foster the next generation of fearless reporters through our paid internships and fellowships.

Thank you for being a part of VTDigger’s story. If you can swing it, a year-end gift will help us keep digging on your behalf in 2025.

When you donate, we’ll send you 15% off to our merch store with gifts for everyone on your list. Place orders by Dec. 10 for delivery by Dec. 25.

Become a new sustaining member at $15/month and we’ll send you a free 15th Anniversary t-shirt!

Thank you for your loyal readership and valued support this year. 

Sincerely,

Libbie Sparadeo

Libbie Sparadeo

Director of Membership and Engagement, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: Celebrate 15 years of VTDigger — and grab your gift!.

Dear readers,

We’re just three weeks away from the end of our annual fund drive to sustain VTDigger through 2024 and into the new year. Today, we’re calling on 200 loyal members like you to help us stay on track.

A $15 gift may seem small, but it has a big impact. If everyone reading this donated that amount, we’d reach our goal instantly. And as a thank-you, all new $15/month sustaining members will receive a limited-edition 15th Anniversary t-shirt!

Your valued contribution in any amount directly funds the investigations and in-depth reporting that Vermonters rely on every day.

As Former Senator Patrick Leahy told us recently:
“Even after a lifetime here, I learn about Vermont every day from VTDigger.”

This is the power of local news. Your support ensures we can continue digging into the stories that matter most to Vermont—and telling the stories that engage and inspire. Will you be one of the 200 readers to donate today and keep us digging?

Thank you for making our work possible.

With gratitude,

Florencio Terra

Membership Manager, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: Just 3 weeks left: Help us keep digging.

Dear reader,

Although not technically true, I like to introduce myself as the longest-tenured staffer at VTDigger. As we enter our 15th year and continue our year-end drive, I’m asking for your support. While the reporting we provide is free to access, producing it comes at a cost.

Twelve years ago, VTDigger gave me my start in journalism. In those days there were a grand total of three reporters, a ragtag crew fresh out of college that occasionally doubled up on a scooter to get to assignments. I distinctly recall the thrill of being thrust into gubernatorial press conferences and Statehouse committee rooms with a reporter’s pad and only a nebulous idea of what I should be doing.

When I returned to VTDigger in 2022 it was to a very different operation — more than a dozen talented reporters, guided by a cadre of editors, cranking out the most comprehensive coverage in the state, from daily reports to in-depth investigations. There were new systems and standards… and Slack.

But the best things have stayed the same. VTDigger remains a news organization that punches far above its weight. It is still made up of thoughtful people who work incredibly hard to tell the stories of our state. And it continues to nurture fearless young journalists who aren’t afraid to hold the powerful to account.

Whether you’ve been reading Digger since the beginning or you’re just joining us, please consider joining our year-end member drive with a donation in any amount. We can’t do this work without your help.

Sincerely,

Alicia Freese
Deputy Managing editor, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: From a scooter to statewide impact: Why I came back to VTDigger.

Dear readers,

My former colleagues at VTDigger have been kind enough to let me join in their year-end drive. 

As a founding editor of USA Today, I’ll try to be brief and get right to the point. 

We need your help. 

Our nation’s local news ecosystem is in serious distress, including here in Vermont, where a recent UVM study showed that 75% of the positions in the state’s newspaper businesses have disappeared since the year 2000. 

As editor of Vermont’s largest daily nearly 40 years ago, I oversaw a newsroom of roughly 60 reporters, editors, photographers and support staff. Today, that news outlet lists an editorial team of just six. 

After a lengthy stretch at USA Today in Washington, I returned to Vermont seven years ago and joined VTDigger as a senior editor, inspired in part by its visionary founder Anne Galloway and the nonprofit’s important role in rebuilding and energizing the local news landscape. 

Now in its 15th year, the digital news site reaches more than 450,000 readers a month — a number that stretched to nearly 1 million when VTDigger became the go-to place for crucial information during the Covid 19 pandemic. 

Its groundbreaking investigative and accountability reporting — combined with its reflection of diverse voices and views from throughout the state — stand in stark contrast to the flow of untruths from unreliable social media sites that erode public trust in our democracy. 

This work has generated major national awards — including one for a series that prompted the Vermont Legislature to expand financial disclosure requirements for its members, and another for extensive coverage of the catastrophic floods of July 2023. The latter was notable not only for its aggressive on-the-ground reporting but for alerting Vermonters about what was on the way, how to stay safe and, in some cases, how to get state and federal assistance. 

In addition, VTDigger also received more than a dozen regional awards this year. 

Awards are nice — but what we value most is the recognition we receive from our members, including the hundreds we hear from each year with news tips that often lead to reporting that makes a difference in our state. 

Unlike many other digital news sites, VTDigger does not operate behind a paywall. The content is free — but it’s not free to produce. 

Now helping student journalists at the University of Vermont, I no longer work at VTDigger — but I still work for it. I hope you will join me in our effort to keep Vermonters informed and engaged. 

Thank you.

Jim Welch
Former senior editor, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: A Personal Request to Support VTDigger.

In the middle of its year-end campaign, VTDigger still needs to raise $539,000 by Dec. 31 to sustain its newsroom and rebuild Vermont’s shrinking press corps.

VTDigger is a nonprofit newsroom that reaches nearly half a million readers each month, but only 2% of those who rely on our news donate to support it. That small but mighty group of members has helped VTDigger become Vermont’s most trusted in-depth news source over the past 15 years.

A gift of $15 makes a real impact. If everyone who read the news here now contributed that amount, VTDigger would reach its year-end goal today. And for those who commit to a $15 monthly sustaining donation, VTDigger is offering a special thank-you: a limited-edition 15th Anniversary t-shirt.

Every dollar donated funds essential journalism. Reader support enables reporters to uncover corruption and waste, shine a light on critical issues, and provide Vermonters with the information they need to make informed decisions.

If you’ve relied on VTDigger this year for breaking news, investigations, or trusted updates, consider joining the 1,300 readers who have already contributed to this campaign. Your support is what keeps local news alive in Vermont.

Read the story on VTDigger here: How $15 can support Vermont’s press corps.

Dear readers,

Today is a special day for VTDigger and for Vermont news! Thanks to three generous donors, every gift made on Giving Tuesday is tripled. That means your support goes three times as far to keep VTDigger strong and independent.

Our committed friends from Ripton, Jeffersonville and Charlotte are tripling every contribution, including monthly sustaining gifts. Please contribute before midnight on Tuesday and take advantage of this opportunity to make an outsized impact.

 All one-time and annual contributions up to $500 and monthly gifts up to $50 will be matched 3X for the first 12 months.

Plus, if you sign up to be a $15/month sustainer, your gift will be tripled for the first year and we will send you a limited-edition 15th Anniversary shirt as a thank you! 

Anyone who gives will also receive 15% off in our merch store with new items from our collaboration with Vermont cartoonist Daryl Seitchik. There’s no better time to give.

We know there are many worthy causes to support today and every day, but we hope sustaining local news is a priority to our readers. Original, local reporting like the kind our newsroom provides is:

• The foundation of democracy. Without trusted journalism, misinformation proliferates, eroding the accountability and transparency that democracy depends on. 
• A direct investment in your community. Our reporting impacts your community and makes a tangible, positive impact by uncovering injustices, improving public services and providing timely information.
• At risk. Local news is a lifeline for smaller communities, yet it’s under constant threat. With massive declines in newspaper jobs and closures of local outlets, nonprofit newsrooms like VTDigger are stepping in to fill the void—but they need financial support to thrive.

Every dollar you give powers the fearless journalism that Vermonters rely on, from investigative reports that expose corruption to breaking news that keeps you informed during times of crisis. And today, that dollar goes three times as far. 

Thank you for loyal readership, and for considering a gift to VTDigger this Giving Tuesday.

Sincerely,

Sky Barsch
CEO, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: Every gift matched 3X: Support local news this Giving Tuesday.

Dear readers,

When I started VTDigger 15 years ago, I couldn’t have imagined the role the organization would have played in local journalism and the machinations of the state government. Back then, I dreamed of creating a newsroom dedicated to responding to the needs of Vermonters. I envisioned a tip-driven newsroom focused on in-depth daily and investigative journalism. 

Pretty quickly, together with a cadre of stalwart journalists and believers like Jon Margolis, Jim Welch, Elizabeth Hewitt, Morgan True, Mark Johnson, Laura Krantz and Alicia Freese, we made that happen. We did what I called “victims’ services” journalism, which prioritized the ideas, concerns, and tips of readers who had no recourse but our reporters — who were willing to press the powers that be for answers. 

Our aggressive approach to putting readers first worked, despite the odds. We were hated and loved for our coverage of the dysfunctional $300 million Vermont Health Connect project, the Jay Peak scandal, the demise of Burlington College, allegations of sexual misconduct by members of the Vermont National Guard and a hundred other stories that turned the tide for regular Vermonters. 

We were sued, bad mouthed by governors and feared by lobbyists. It was a time when VTDigger was compared with the National Enquirer — and the New York Times. 

Today, VTDigger continues to break the most important news in the state and digs in deep on issues that Vermonters need to know about. If you care about holding power to account and connecting the communities of Vermont, VTDigger is a must-read. 

But none of that work is possible without your support. All along the way, readers have sustained VTDigger’s fearless reporting. 

It’s been an amazing 15 years. Thank you for making it so. 

Steadfastly yours, 

Anne Galloway
VTDigger founder and editor-at-large

Please consider a special year-end gift in honor of Anne’s tireless work on behalf of Vermonters and the trusted newsroom that VTDigger has become. 

The best way to sustain VTDigger’s journalism is to become a monthly sustaining member. Join today at the $15/monthly level and we’ll thank you with a 15th Anniversary VTDigger shirt. 

Read the story on VTDigger here: ‘We Put Readers First’: Anne Galloway on 15 Years of VTDigger.

Dear readers,

This year, VTDigger turns 15 —  a milestone that marks a decade and a half of storytelling, impact, and the trust you’ve placed in us. What started in 2009 as Anne Galloway’s bold, one-woman newsroom has grown into Vermont’s most trusted source for statewide journalism — thanks to loyal readers like you.

We’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone with you and invite you to join us in shaping the future of Vermont journalism with a special year-end gift. Will you help us reach our goal of 1,500 members by December 15th and keep us digging with a $15/month sustaining gift?

New $15/month sustainers will receive our 15th anniversary shirt as a thank you gift!

In an era when misinformation and attacks on the free press threaten our democracy, VTDigger’s mission is more essential than ever. Every day, and especially in times of crisis, readers turn to us for timely, fact-checked information. With more than 2,450 original news stories published this year, we’re committed to bringing Vermonters the clarity and depth they need in a world of increasing noise.

Yet, local news is at risk. Vermont has lost 75% of its newspaper jobs in the past 25 years. Without local news, communities lose their voice, accountability declines and important issues remain hidden. Together, we can rebuild local news and create a stronger, more informed Vermont.

We’re excited to introduce a special VTDigger pop-up merch store featuring our anniversary collaboration with Vermont cartoonist Daryl Seitchik. Explore the shop to find unique gifts for everyone on your list this season. Every purchase helps support high-quality journalism for Vermont.

As we celebrate this milestone, I hope you’ll join us in securing a brighter future for local news. Please consider making a gift today to support VTDigger’s next chapter and keep our state informed and empowered.

Thank you,

Sky Barsch
CEO, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger turns 15: A milestone for Vermont journalism.

Dear readers,

Today is Thanksgiving, and I feel fortunate to know I’ll be sharing a meal with family and friends this evening. It is heartbreaking that so many Vermonters are grappling with food insecurity — something my own family experienced when I was young.

This holiday, we have an opportunity to come together to make a difference. Today, when you support VTDigger, you’ll also help send 5,000 meals to the Vermont Foodbank.

By donating to VTDigger before Thanksgiving Day ends, you can help us continue our critical reporting on the issues Vermonters care about most while also providing meals to families in need.

• $100 strengthens our democracy and provides 25 meals.
• $25 helps rebuild Vermont’s press corps and provides a meal to Vermonters in need.
• $50 sustains our public service journalism and provides 5 meals

Together, we can ensure that no Vermonter goes hungry and that our state remains informed and connected.

With gratitude,

Sky Barsch
CEO, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger Thanksgiving drive: There is still time to send meals to neighbors in need.

Right now, many Vermonters are facing the impossible choice of buying food or paying for other essentials like heat and housing. 

Thursday is the last day to join our Thanksgiving member drive and make a special impact with your donation. We are so close to reaching our goal of funding local news and sending 5,000 meals to the Vermont Foodbank, but time is running out. Will you help us reach our goal?

The need for food assistance from the Vermont Foodbank and its partners has increased steadily over the past two years, driven by factors including inflation, the housing shortage and the lasting impact of recent floods.

The Vermont Foodbank has seen unprecedented demand this year, distributing over 14.5 million pounds of food — a significant increase from previous years. In some areas of Vermont hit hard by flooding, like parts of the Northeast Kingdom, families are not only seeking food, but also water and other items to meet their basic needs.

At VTDigger, we’re committed to reporting on the challenges our communities face, and with your help, we can do even more. 

Your support fuels our journalism and helps put food on the table for families struggling this holiday season.

• $25 provides 1 meal and supports local journalism.
• $50 provides 5 meals and strengthens VTDigger’s reporting.
• $100 provides 25 meals for neighbors in need and sustains investigative news.

In the last quarter century, Vermont has lost 75% of its newspaper jobs, leaving many communities without reliable news sources. This decline — mirrored in other rural areas across the country — has profound consequences for our democracy. When local news disappears, public accountability suffers, misinformation spreads and citizens are left in the dark.

VTDigger is working hard to fill this gap, but we can’t do it without your help. By supporting us, you’re helping rebuild the local news coverage our state needs — and providing meals to families facing hunger.

Join us in ensuring that Vermont’s democracy remains strong and that no one in our community goes hungry.

Sincerely,

Paul Heintz
Editor in chief, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: This Thanksgiving, too many Vermonters are facing an impossible choice.

The most recent data shows that hunger in Vermont is on the rise year over year — a crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, rising housing costs and recent flooding. VTDigger has covered these issues extensively, bringing attention to the growing challenges Vermonters are facing.

This Thanksgiving, we’ve partnered with the Vermont Foodbank to help provide meals to neighbors in need and we only have a few days left to send 5,000 meals! 

There are hundreds of thousands of readers who rely on VTDigger for timely news and information about Vermont every month, but only 1% help sustain it. We are so grateful for your readership, will you help support our work?

If every VTDigger reader donated $20 to our year-end drive, we could end the drive today. Please consider a gift now — no matter how big or small.

As the Vermont Foodbank and its partners strive to meet growing demand for food aid, they know they’re responding to a basic need. But the factors that are driving food insecurity are complex. As the charitable food system reacts, local journalists are on the frontlines of explaining what is happening, why and what you can do to change it.

You can support access to food aid — an immediate need for many Vermonters — while also ensuring that communities have the information and context needed to address the root causes of hunger.

While $5 or $25 may not seem like much, if everyone receiving this message gave, we would reach our year-end goal and send 5,000 meals to neighbors in need today.

• $25 provides 1 meal for a Vermont family and supports VTDigger’s reporting.
• $50 provides 5 meals and fuels our independent journalism.
• $100 provides 25 meals and ensures the news remains free for all Vermonters.

Together, we can make a lasting impact. Join us in feeding neighbors and supporting local journalism.

With thanks,

Sky Barsch,
CEO, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: Only a few days left in VTDigger’s Thanksgiving Drive: Feed families and support journalism.

For fifteen years, VTDigger has been telling the stories that shape Vermont. From in-depth investigations into food insecurity to election coverage and breaking news, our mission is to bring you the information that matters most — and we rely on your support to keep going.

Every month, hundreds of thousands of dedicated readers turn to VTDigger for trusted, timely news, but only 1% actually help support it. If everyone who read VTDigger gave $25 or even $5 right now, we would meet our year-end goal today.

There is less than one week left to reach our Thanksgiving goal of sending 5,000 meals to the Vermont Foodbank! You can help us continue this important work while sending meals to Vermonters in need.

• $25 provides 1 meal for a neighbor in need and supports our reporting.
• $50 provides 5 meals and fuels in-depth investigative journalism.
• $100 provides 25 meals and helps us continue covering stories that matter.

This Thanksgiving Member Drive is part of year-end effort to raise the funds needed to carry out our mission into 2025. No gift is too small or too big.

Your support is truly essential to both VTDigger and the Vermont Foodbank. Please help us reach our goal of providing 5,000 meals to our neighbors by Thanksgiving Day.

With gratitude,

Florencio Terra,
Membership Manager, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: Less than one week left! Your gift can make a difference..

Dear readers,

As winter approaches, many Vermonters face an impossible choice: paying for groceries or other essential needs like heating their homes. The need for food assistance from the Vermont Foodbank and its partners has increased steadily over the past two years, driven by factors including inflation, the housing shortage and the lasting impact of recent floods.

This is where you come in. There are less than ten days left in our Thanksgiving drive to support the Vermont Foodbank and fund VTDigger’s statewide journalism. Your contribution helps VTDigger continue covering critical issues while sending meals to neighbors in need. 

Here’s how your donation can make a difference today:

• $25 provides 1 meal for a family in need and supports our reporting.
• $50 provides 5 meals and fuels in-depth investigative journalism.
• $100 provides 25 meals and helps us continue covering stories that matter.
• $1,000 provides 50 meals and helps rebuild Vermont’s press corps.

The Vermont Foodbank has seen unprecedented demand this year, distributing over 14.5 million pounds of food — a significant increase from previous years. In some areas of Vermont hit hard by flooding, like parts of the Northeast Kingdom, families are not only seeking food, but also water and other items to meet their basic needs.

At VTDigger, we’re committed to reporting on the challenges our communities face, and with your help, we can do even more. Your support fuels our journalism and helps put food on the table for families struggling this holiday season.

Donate now and join us in making a real difference for Vermont.

With gratitude,

Neal Goswami
Managing Editor, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: As winter approaches, many Vermonters face an impossible choice.

Dear reader,

As we close out this election season, many have reached out to me, expressing uncertainty about what lies ahead. Whether the election results make you feel hopeful, concerned or a mix of emotions, VTDigger remains committed to providing the accurate, fact-based news Vermonters need to stay informed and engaged. At the heart of our mission is delivering reliable information to help you make sense of complex times.

VTDigger has become Vermont’s trusted daily news source because we prioritize in-community reporting, depth, transparency and integrity. In a landscape where sensationalism and misinformation often dominate, we’re here to provide clarity. We cover the issues that matter to Vermonters — from local government and rural healthcare to housing and climate resilience — while serving as a vital check on those in power, no matter the political party.

This year alone, our team has produced thousands of stories, including critical reporting on the impacts of the 2023 and 2024 floods, housing policy changes affecting Vermonters experiencing homelessness, and timely election coverage accessed by 135,000 Vermonters in a single week. We also translated our election guide into 14 languages including American Sign Language, ensuring every Vermonter could access the voter information they needed.

And while national events often capture attention, VTDigger is committed to following the real impact of new policies — set at the federal, state or local level — on the daily lives of Vermonters.

How you can help:

As an independent, non-partisan newsroom, VTDigger is funded by readers who believe in our mission. While we’ve grown to serve half a million monthly readers, only a small fraction of those readers help fund our work. The market challenges facing journalism today mean we still lack the capacity to pursue many stories you are asking for. Your support directly impacts our ability to investigate the 1,600 news tips we receive annually, expand coverage on critical local issues, and keep our journalism accessible to all Vermonters without a paywall.

Supporting VTDigger is about more than funding news — it’s about investing in a Vermont where information is available to everyone. As we look to 2025, we’re asking you to help us sustain and expand our impact. A donation now during our year-end drive helps us cover the stories that matter, hold local leaders accountable, and bring Vermonters the facts in a world of growing uncertainty. Every dollar strengthens VTDigger’s commitment to delivering the truth and preserving our democracy.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to help neighbors and support independent, non-partisan journalism in Vermont. With your help, VTDigger will continue to serve as Vermont’s trusted news source, delivering the information you need to navigate these times.

Sincerely,

Sky Barsch
CEO, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: A message from the CEO of VTDigger: Our post-election commitment to you.

Tucked away in the back of the City Center building in downtown Montpelier, a small group of volunteers worked on a recent Tuesday morning to unload more than 700 pounds of food just transported from the Vermont Foodbank’s warehouse in Barre. Within a few hours, the metal shelves they stocked with peanut butter, mac and cheese, and canned vegetables would be nearly bare once again. 

“Food in, food out” is how my friend Katie describes the flow. She has volunteered at the Montpelier Food Pantry for a decade, and for the last several years, she has seen the need only deepen. 

Today you can support news coverage of Vermont’s challenges and help alleviate hunger at the same time.

The Montpelier Food Pantry reported serving nearly 1,300 patrons a month last year, almost double the number from just a few years previous. The Montpelier site is only one of the more than 300 locations that the Vermont Foodbank supports through its statewide food distribution network.

At VTDigger, we are committed to reporting on the challenges that Vermonters face every day. We know that rates of homelessness are among the highest in the nation, and that working a minimum wage job is often not enough to put food on the table. And for many Vermonters, the rising costs of health care might put a doctor out of reach.

This is why the work of the Vermont Foodbank is so critical, and why VTDigger is teaming up to support its efforts.

With your support, we can continue to shine a light on these pressing issues and ensure our neighbors aren’t left behind. Join our Thanksgiving member drive by donating today and you can support two worthy causes with one simple act.

Here’s how your donation helps:

• $25 provides 1 meal for a family in need and supports our reporting.
• $50 provides 5 meals and fuels in-depth investigative journalism.
• $100 provides 25 meals and helps us continue covering stories that matter.

Give today and make a difference in your community.

With appreciation,

Diane Derby
Senior Editor, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: Food in, food out: Need nearly doubles at local food pantry.

As the holiday season approaches, it’s more important than ever to come together and support our Vermont neighbors. This year, VTDigger is proud to partner with the Vermont Foodbank to help provide meals for those facing hunger. Your support not only fuels the in-depth, fact-checked reporting you’ve come to rely on, but it also brings sustenance to Vermonters in need.

With your support, we aim to provide 5,000 meals through the Vermont Foodbank as we head into Thanksgiving. Every contribution will support two vital causes: sustaining fearless journalism and helping families put food on the table.

Here’s how your gift can make a difference:

• $25 provides 1 meal for a family in need and supports our reporting.
• $50 provides 5 meals and fuels in-depth investigative journalism.
• $100 provides 25 meals and helps us continue covering stories that matter.

In these uncertain times, VTDigger’s journalism plays a crucial role in raising awareness about the challenges Vermonters are facing, including rising rates of food insecurity. 

In the past year, the Vermont Foodbank provided 14.5 million pounds of food to Vermonters in need, up from 12.5 million pounds the previous year. Plus, they’ve responded to increased demands for potable water following major flooding events.

Your donation today will ensure that we continue reporting on the issues that matter while helping the Vermont Foodbank provide critical support to our community.

Donate now to be part of this effort to keep our communities fed and informed. Thank you for being a civic-minded, caring member of our community.

Sincerely,

Sky Barsch
CEO, VTDigger

Read the story on VTDigger here: Help feed Vermont: Join VTDigger and the Vermont Foodbank today.