CVRAN Statement & Call To Action On Behalf of Pastor Steven Tendo

February 7, 2026 0 Comments

Steven Tendo Taken Into Custody Steven Tendo, a Ugandan asylum seeker whom CVRAN sponsored for several months in 2021 and 2022 while he lived with the Hankin family in East Montpelier, was taken into custody by ICE on Tuesday February 4 outside his workplace in Shelburne and removed to a detention center in New Hampshire, …

Watch The Online Webinar ‘Beyond Minnesota – Supporting Refugees and Immigrants In Vermont’

February 3, 2026 0 Comments

On January 29th, there was an online briefing and information session for anyone interested in refugee and immigration assistance in Vermont. The recording is now available online (click here to access). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Info Session Referenced Resources Vermont Immigration Legal Support Services Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP) – Request Immigration Legal Support Sign up to volunteer …

Sip Some Sunshine To Support CVRAN!

January 29, 2026 0 Comments

CVRAN is honored to be the recipient of Lawson’s Finest Liquids’ Sunshine Fund from February 1 – 15. By providing their staff with a living wage and benefits, 100% of patron’s ‘tips’ during these two weeks will become donations to CVRAN that directly benefit our work. So if you’re headed to Waitsfield for some awesome …

Gearing Up For The 2026 March Arts Marathon!

Painting of aspen trees in late winter_Jenn Anthony_used with permission
January 27, 2026 0 Comments

CVRAN invites painters, writers, poets, musicians, fabric and multimedia artists, sculptors, and photographers to join our sixth annual March Arts Marathon. This is one of our big fundraisers of the year and a beautiful way to donate to support CVRAN’s work! Registration is open now through February 28. Look for the March Arts Marathon button on …

Immigration Applications From Afghan Nationals Halted

November 28, 2025 0 Comments

On Wednesday, two National Guard members in DC were shot by an Afghan national (see NPR and the Guardian). In response, the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services announced that they had stopped processing immigration applications from ALL Afghan nationals “pending further review of security and vetting protocols.” CVRAN and the Vermont Afghan Alliance sent out …

CVRAN And Just Basics Team Up To Provide Food

November 21, 2025 0 Comments

  Immigrant families across the country have lost access to food benefits as a result of the Big Beautiful Bill signed into law this summer. CVRAN and Just Basics, operator of the Montpelier Food Shelf, are working together to replace lost food benefits for these families. Click here for an article in the Montpelier Bridge …

CVRAN Family Picnic and 10 Year Celebration!

A mural of colorful handprints. Image: A. Zelie
November 6, 2025 0 Comments

CVRAN families and friends gathered in late September for a picnic at the North Branch Nature Center. The weather was glorious. Kids played soccer, adults socialized (on the look-out for errant kicks), and most people spent their time outside enjoying a perfect fall day. There was a also painting mural (see the photo above) for …

Summer Reading Program Connects Kids with Books and Community

Two girls reading a book outside. Image: Ben White, Unsplash.com
October 29, 2025 0 Comments

We know it’s already autumn, but we could not go on without shouting out one of CVRAN’s favorite annual offerings – the Summer Reading Program! This summer we brought together 14 local children and an equal number of volunteers for a season of learning, laughter, and connection. Over several weeks, each child met with their …

Local Actions Push Back Against Federal Anti-immigrant Stance

Newspaper headline in the Montpelier Bridge, Oct 2025
October 22, 2025 0 Comments

The impacts of the Big Beautiful Bill and other decisions at the state/federal level are being felt by Vermonters, including Afghan families assisted by CVRAN. Two articles that came out in the Montpelier Bridge this week cover the situation facing these families and how CVRAN is working to minimize these negative impacts. Here are the …

The CVRAN Fall Fundraiser Is Underway!

Two children hugging. Image: Irina Markova 2023.
October 20, 2025 0 Comments

Thank you for being a part of the CVRAN family. We wish we were sending a traditional fundraising letter, explaining our ongoing work and typical needs. Instead, thanks to the increasingly hostile national landscape, we are in full mobilization mode. Every resource, partnership, and ounce of staff capacity is being stretched to sustain critical support …