The Need is Great
Within our community, nearly 1 in 4 students depend on free or reduced school meals, and those same students may go without breakfast and lunch over the summer school vacation when those resources are unavailable.
The nearest food shelf in Burlington can feel unreachable for these families, as the most vulnerable struggle with poverty, employment, and lack of transportation. By establishing a food shelf here, where it’s needed most, we can offer our neighbors the resources they deserve. By pulling together, as a community, we can serve our neighbors with dignity and grace.
Our Teams
The Faith Influenced Leaders Corporation (a 501c3 Organization) has a mission of serving their fellow man and the community, and provides Leadership, oversight and governance of the South Burlington Food Shelf. The Faith Influenced Leaders Corporation focuses strong individuals of Faith who want to leverage their time, talents, leadership and management skills, honed in the their secular work for the benefit of others. In addition, the group explores the challenges of secular leadership accountabilities that may at times conflict with the tenants of faith teachings, with a goal of ever-increasing alignment, personal growth, creating bonds with peers from different walks of life, and introduction of programs that serve our community, especially those in need. Individuals interested in learning more about becoming part of the Faith Influenced leaders nonprofit should contact Patrick Leduc at pleducvt@gmail.com.
Our food shelf Director, Peter Carmolli is the sole paid member of the team and runs the day-to-day operation of the food shelf. Peter works closely with the leadership team, the advisory board, and the community at large.
| The Faith Influenced Leaders, LLC | |
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Patrick Leduc, President Tom Hubbard, Vice President Cherian Phillip, Treasurer Patrick Gallivan, Secretary Brian Culver, Director Doug Bugbee, Director Jake Cunavelis, Director Kevin Dorn, Director Alan Luzzatto, Director Tom Fontana, Director Jeff Culkin, Director David Young, Director |
Community Roots
Recognizing a need in our community, a small group of South Burlington residents and community leaders formed a coalition to help address the problem of food insecurity in Vermont’s second-largest city. Inspired by their faith and by a commitment to their neighbors, the group led the effort to build a food shelf that serves South Burlington’s food-insecure individuals and families.
“We have a problem with food insecurity in South Burlington,” says Patrick Leduc, one of the South Burlington residents who’s leading the effort. “Step one is to solve that problem. Let’s make something available to those that are in need, whether that’s a short term problem that they’re experiencing or something that’s longer term.”
The South Burlington Food Shelf opened on November, 1st 2019 at 356 Dorset Street in South Burlington!
Ongoing fundraising is vital to our continued mission and we are asking community members and local business owners to consider becoming a Food Hero as a monthly sustaining donor.
“We’re called to love each other, take care of each other and serve each other,” says Leduc. “This is our duty.”
