About Us
For 50 years, Feeding Champlain Valley has worked to address hunger through innovative programs rooted in compassion, dignity, and inclusivity.
10,000
pounds of food are rescued by Feeding Champlain Valley each Month
Our Purpose
Feeding Champlain Valley strives to increase access to nourishing food, provide more variety in our food offerings, and cultivate a more inclusive environment for everyone living in the Champlain Valley region.
We foster connections and partnerships with agricultural organizations, clinicians, sister non-profits, housing organizations, and schools. In doing so, Feeding Champlain Valley is building a community focused on improving health, maintaining dignity, and challenging inequality.
Our Programs and Services
Feeding Chittenden has been spearheading expanded food access in Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle counties for nearly four years, and in 2024, we changed the program’s name to better reflect and recognize the important work that’s been happening throughout the Champlain Valley.
Feeding Champlain Valley offers critical nutrition assistance to Vermonters who struggle with food insecurity through programs and services that include four Food Shelves, a Food Truck, Grocery Delivery, Meal Production, Food Rescue, Gleaning, Farm to School, and an Online Market – all of which provide easy access to locally sourced foods that are culturally relevant and dietary specific.
Our online market, PantrySoft, provides multilingual support for food ordering, pickup, and delivery, including prepared meals. PantrySoft allows for 24/7 ordering from a live inventory for food insecure residents across the Champlain Valley. Orders are then packed in our food hubs and distribution centers, located in Colchester, Burlington, Middlebury, and Sheldon, which serve as sites for aggregating large quantities of fresh, frozen and non-perishable foods.
When the order is ready, staff and volunteers deliver to homes or intermediate sites (such as classrooms, childcare centers, shelters or medical clinics). This system enables community members with physical disabilities, those without reliable transportation, and those who work during regular business hours, to access nourishing food consistently.
Our History
Feeding Champlain Valley was established as a program of Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) in 1974, and in 2024 we are celebrating 50 years of feeding people and cultivating opportunities.
1970’s
In 1974, the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf (CEFS) begins as a project of local residents, churches, & synagogues, providing a 3-day supply of canned and dry food to people who need assistance. In 1976, 800 people were served; by 1979, CEFS served 3,200 people.
1980’s
CEFS has two programs: the Food Shelf, which serves between 1,000 – 2,000 people monthly, and the Meal Program, which serves around 2,500 meals per month.
1990’s
CEFS moves from 241 N. Winooski Ave. to 228 N. Winooski Ave. The Stay at Home Grocery Delivery program begins delivering to older adults & people with disabilities.
2000’s
Rob Meehan becomes Director of CEFS in 2007. CEFS and the Vermont Foodbank begin partnering on a culinary job training program which becomes Community Kitchen Academy (CKA).
2010’s
CEFS purchases the Good Food Truck in 2014 and begins preparing & delivering free meals. CEFS rebrands to Feeding Chittenden (FC) in 2019.
2020’s
At the start of the pandemic, CKA delivers 1,400 meals per day to people sheltering in place at five different sites. FC focuses on an online market and increasing food access throughout the Champlain Valley. In 2024, Feeding Chittenden becomes Feeding Champlain Valley.