CVRAN

April Newsletter

Click here to read an inspiring piece by March Arts Marathon writer Katie Spring about this time of year, and about the work ahead.

Artwork above – My Mother’s Orchid by MAM artist Mary Braun.

Please subscribe in the box to the right, or click here! We are no longer manually sending general email updates from cvran910@gmail.com, so make sure to sign up so you won’t miss out on our 2026 newsletters and articles.

Monthly Roundup

We voted in 3 new board members – James LaRock, Ellen Starr, and Gavin Boyles. There was also a vote on bylaw changes regarding membership. A new sliding scale for annual membership was approved as well as a new category – lifetime member. The changes will be implemented for 2026. Ali, Kelly, Isabelle, and many team leaders and committee chairs reviewed all that we’ve done in the last year. The organization is in good financial standing, though we had significant unexpected expenses due to federal policy changes. We have amazing volunteer support and more than 1000 donors helped us meet the demand.

CVRAN submitted formal comments opposing a federal proposal that would severely restrict access to employment authorization for asylum seekers. The organization emphasized that halting work permits until processing times fall below 180 days is unworkable, especially given federal estimates showing backlogs that could take decades—up to 173 years—to resolve! We also raised concerns about extending the waiting period for work authorization to 365 days, noting that the proposal offers no explanation for how asylum seekers are expected to meet basic needs during a full year without the ability to work. The comment further highlighted the absence of clear, evidence‑based standards for denying work authorization and warned that prioritizing deportation cases over strong asylum claims undermines the integrity of the system. Finally, CVRAN underscored the real impact on Vermont: with acute workforce shortages, restricting lawful work opportunities for asylum seekers harms both families and local economies that rely on New Vermonters to fill essential roles.

Rachel Cogbill, CVRAN President Emeritus, pored through the archives and interviewed the many people who did the hard work to make us what we are today. Deena Frankel did the final layout and publication. A big thank you to both of them! For a suggested donation of $10, you can receive a link to download a copy of the booklet or get one of the limited printed editions. More info and link to download PDF to be posted shortly.

I got into advocacy and community work through collegiate debate, and these days I coach debate at the Chittenden County Women’s Correctional Facility with S.P.E.A.K. It’s work that means a lot to me and has really shaped the way I think about dismantling systemic barriers and what it means to truly be a part of a community.

I’m interning with CVRAN because I believe everyone deserves to feel safe and thrive where they live, and that kind of work takes all of us. I’m excited to bring the skills and perspective I’ve developed through my studies and community work to an organization doing direct, meaningful work alongside the community it serves.

When I’m not working or studying, you can find me outside soaking in the sun, playing soccer, hammocking, and exploring everything Vermont has to offer.”

Welcome Skye!

Recent News

Community Highlights

This month we are highlighting a member of CVRAN’s board, dedicated volunteer and committee member, and all-around generous spirit, Angela Shambaugh.

What’s Got Me Thinking

I can’t tell you where the last few months have gone, the last year really. It’s been tiring, disheartening, and one thing after another, non-stop. To counteract all that negativity and the feeling of inevitability, I’ve been making sure that I read and listen to things that get me thinking. Somewhere along the way, I read/heard that we should stop telling stories of dystopia and dysfunction, and start telling stories about the world as we want it to be.

I’m taking that to heart in my daily life and how I spend my time. It’s one of the reasons that I am involved with CVRAN. I think this organization is bringing the world as I’d like to see it to life. So, here is a short list of what I’ve been reading and listening to that get me thinking about other ways the world could be. Maybe you will find something to get you thinking too……

• Jason Reynolds – On Hopelessness, the Virtue of Stamina, and Showing Grace to Ourselves. This discussion between Jason and Krista Tippett of the Onbeing Project resonated with me in so many ways as it touched on hope, hopelessness, and allowing ourselves to accept that it is ok that others think differently than we do.
• Rebecca Solnit – We Were Made For This. The stories that we are told by the media, those we hear and read elsewhere, and what we tell others shape us. This essay delves into stories we’ve been told in the past, as well as stories we are being told now, that are intended to make us feel weak, alone and helpless. Yet, that is not true – there are many more stories of neighbors helping neighbors, mutual aid, and community care. It’s time those stories get our attention.
• Autumn Brown and Troy Stephens – If hope is a muscle, then how do I build it? While this podcast has a climate change theme, it is the discussion of culture and spirituality in fiction that had my attention. It touched on ideas raised in the other two pieces I’ve noted here, along with culture and spirituality. Why is diverse culture and spirituality missing from many stories set in the future?

Volunteer Spotlight: Jenn Anthony & Adam Evans

The two of them attended a quarterly meeting when Nicki Morris announced that she was passing the torch and seeking new coordinators. They sought Nicki out after the meeting and signed up. We are grateful for their energy and willingness to take on a big project, as the MAM is such a beloved endeavor and significant fundraiser for CVRAN.

Favorite CVRAN Moment: Successfully meeting our fundraising goal for the 2026 March Arts Marathon! In the beginning of March we were nervous we wouldn’t make it, but we felt a wave of relief when the momentum started picking up and we realized we were going to get there.  Then we surpassed our goal by $5,000!

Book Recommendation: (Adam) Dark Matter, Three Body Problem and Buffalo Hunter were a few good books I’ve read recently. (Jenn) I recently read both The Rose Code and The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. These were enjoyable and fast reads if you like historical fiction! 

Favorite Foods: (Adam) Coffee and Tacos. (Jenn) Same! We make really good vegan tacos…

Favorite Thing to do in VT: (Adam) Explore new areas through fishing, biking, hiking, running or any means! (Jenn) Cross country skiing, running, biking. Also gardening!

Want To Help Out?

Here are some current volunteer needs from our Volunteer Coordinator, Isabelle Tibi:

Become a team member!

CVRAN has recently officially welcomed two additional new Vermonters to our services. And, some of our other family teams are also in need of team members. If you are interested in connecting more with New Vermonters, getting to know a family or individual, or helping out with a specific area (English conversation, medical or education coordination, youth mentoring, general social support…), please reach out to isabelle.tibi@cvran.org. Opportunities are available with individuals from Africa, Central Asia, and South America. 

Team leader training

Team leaders are essential to our work with New Vermonters. We cannot bring more asylum seekers and refugees to our community without volunteers willing to step up to form and lead teams. Our upcoming team leader orientation and training is the perfect opportunity for interested folks to gather more information, ask questions, and collaboratively work with experienced team members to be ready to take on this fantastic and rewarding role. If you are interested in further understanding the motivations and goals of our New Vermonter clients, and how to best support them with the help of a volunteer team and CVRAN staff, please join us! Teams and team leaders are needed in Montpelier, Waterbury, and surrounding towns.

Orientation/Overview: May 19, 6 – 7:30 pm at Bethany Church, Montpelier
Team Leader/Family Friend Training: June 17, 6 – 7:30 pm at Bethany Church, Montpelier

For more information and to RSVP: dianeellenfitch@outlook.com

You’re Invited!

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