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BENNINGTON â When Scott Winslow became head of the Greater Bennington Interfaith Community Services Inc. a year ago, he was looking forward to the challenge of running one of the areaâs busiest nonprofit organizations.
GBICS operates the largest food distribution site in southern Vermont. It also provides medical, dental, insurance and financial assistance to people who live in poverty or near-poverty.
But then came the coronavirus pandemic, which has sickened and killed millions throughout the world.
Like other organizations, GBICS needed to make changes to its operating procedures to protect its employees, clients and the public from the COVID-19 disease. Staff worked remotely whenever possible, but that certainly couldnât be done with its Free Clinic and Kitchen Cupboardâs thrice-weekly food distribution.
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BENNINGTON â Using traditional media, the GBICS website, and social media, Greater Bennington Interfaith Community Services, Inc. and partners far exceeded their $10,000 Bennington Empty Bowls: COVID Edition campaign goal, raising over $23,000 to feed families and individuals in the Bennington area.
GBICS will use the funds to buy food to distribute at its Kitchen Cupboard program throughout 2021.
âIn a year when we could not gather in community to share delicious soups out of handmade ceramic bowls at our traditional Empty Bowls Soup Supper, we decided to do things the COVID way: Differently!â former GBICS director and Empty Bowls coordinator Sue Andrews said.
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BENNINGTON â After 12 years as the volunteer medical director at the Bennington Free Clinic, the organization he helped to found, Dr. G. Richard âDickâ Dundas will retire on Thursday.
The 78-year-old is a highly respected clinician who established the Bennington Free Clinic in 2009 to provide care for citizens without medical insurance. Since its opening in 2009, Dundas has provided and supervised care for over 3,000 patients.
The clinic covers all-important health and medical procedures including giving vaccines, screening patients for substance use/abuse, mental health, depression, and dental health issues. In addition to medical services, the clinic also helps patients get connected to one of Vermontâs health insurance programs.
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The South Central Vermont Board of Realtors announced Tuesday that it has donated a total of $18,475 to seven area food pantries to help communities impacted by COVID-19. As a result of the pandemic, the board said, food insecurity rates and reliance on food pantries are skyrocketing.
Typically, on any other given year, the South Central Vermont Board of Realtors collects donations at each of their meetings. This year, the board was not able to meet in person, so members decided to form a fundraising committee, which far surpassed its goal of $10,000.