Happy New Year!

I love fireworks! I don’t love the noise and I feel guilty about the pollution, but I adore fireworks. I’m sure that it comes from my childhood when the family would pack the car and head off to enjoy the annual display on Independence Day. The delightful celebration ended each year with a fireworks-flag, all lit up as we trooped out again. I enjoy the surprise of fireworks…what will the next sparkle in the sky look like?!

I feel the same way on December 31. (And luckily for me, Burlington has fireworks on New Year’s Eve!) I look forward to whatever good surprises lay ahead for all of us in 2024. I look backwards to both celebrate the delightful events as well as to mourn the heartache---people I will miss who left us in the past year.

As one year ends and a brand-new one is on horizon, we make New Year’s resolutions, or not. We look back in review and forward with excitement, or not. Either way, here we are. The calendar will turn and 12 months will face us. Why should we encourage kindness and assistance? What will we each do to urge some positive change along toward the finish line? How will we work toward equity, peace, and justice in our corner, as well as all corners, of the world?

Currently, Vermont holds the dubious distinction of the 2nd highest rate of homelessness in the entire country. There are almost 60,000 people in Vermont who struggle with food insecurity, and about 10% of these folks are older adults---tragically, that number continues to rise even post-pandemic.

In 2024, HANDS looks forward to the opportunities that will allow us to lend a hand. We plan to expand collaborations in our “Diverse Pantry” program so that even greater numbers of seniors in our BIPOC and immigrant communities will benefit from locally grown, culturally-friendly fresh vegetables and grains. Chef Robin will offer “HANDS in the Kitchen” fun and engaging nutrition education workshops. In this holiday’s “Season’s Eatings” program , we provided over 1,700 grocery giftcards and food access resource lists, with special attention to the elders who utilize food pantries around the county. Those numbers will surely rise in 2024.

Everyone at HANDS wishes you a very Happy New Year with a healthy and peaceful 2024 on the horizon. And enjoy the fireworks if you love them! Warmly, Megan