Staff writer Rachel Hellman came to Seven Days in June 2022 through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Her beat: Vermont’s small rural towns. She’s written dozens of stories about them. Help Seven Days publish Hellman’s in-depth reporting by contributing to our spring fundraising campaign. All donations to Report for America are tax deductible! (7D Promo)
Outside Chittenden County, many small Vermont towns are struggling. Low birth rates and an aging population are forcing schools to consolidate. As local retailers and.