VT Everyone Eats Program: $5 million available for community projects

VT Everyone Eats

Proposals Requested for Everyone Eats Program

$5 million available for community projects that engage restaurants in emergency feeding.

In response to COVID-19, restaurants, farmers, and community organizations across Vermont have stepped forward to help feed neighbors experiencing food insecurity. These programs have helped stabilize communities by nourishing Vermonters, alleviating the surging demand on food shelves, and providing economic support to restaurants. The State of Vermont has allocated $5M from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) to a new program called Everyone Eats, which supports restaurants feeding Vermonters who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.  

Southeastern Vermont Community Action Agency (SEVCA), the fiscal agent for the program, is requesting proposals from the community organizations around the state. Proposals should feature collaborative partnerships that address the three goals of providing nutritious meals to Vermonters in need of meal assistance, providing a revenue source for restaurants that have been economically impacted by COVID-19, and providing Vermont farms and food producers with an opportunity to increase sales. 

Participating restaurants will be paid $10/meal and at least 10% of the ingredients for each meal must be sourced from local farms and value-added food producers. Projects will be awarded on a rolling basis starting the first week of August until the funds have been allocated. Program funds need to be expended by December 18, 2020.

The Request for Proposal is available for download here.

An information session will be hosted to provide an overview of the program and application process on Aug 3, 2020, at 04:30 PM EST. Prospective applicants can register to attend that webinar via the following link:   https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApc-Chpz4iGdMRdkAVKeTTGZt921aNCTtx.

Everyone Eats is being developed by a Statewide Task Force with representatives from organizations with expertise in hunger relief, the restaurant industry, local food and agriculture systems, and key project partners like the VT Agency of Commerce & Community Development (ACCD) and Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA). 

If you would like more information about Everyone Eats, please email [email protected] or call 802-777-6546.