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A Vermont Harm Reduction & HIV/AIDS Service Organization. “Doin’ it Safer” for more than 35 years. Supporting people living with HIV and people who use drugs.
We are here for you. Help is free and anonymous.
We will meet you with Compassion, Acceptance and Respect. We will Encourage you and Support your goals and needs.
Get HelpOur Mission
Vermont CARES provides life-saving harm reduction services, education, and resources to Vermonters affected by HIV, Hepatitis C and substance use by increasing access to care, reducing social stigmas, and building relationships.
Our Vision
Celebrate every small change.
Accept people where they are at.
Respect individual choice and welcome diversity.
Envision compassionate communities.
Stand up for the rights of those we serve.
Programs & Services
Explore the wide range of impactful programs and services offered by Vermont CARES, dedicated to improving lives and fostering community well-being.
We help you get and stay connected to the medical, mental health, housing, and vocational services you need.
The quickest, easiest way to request services and supplies throughout Vermont. Privately chat with us anonymously.
Our Impact
As the state’s leading agency in Harm Reduction and HIV services, we are grateful for your ongoing support. Our impact is felt throughout the state and it is very likely that you know someone who has accessed and/or currently needs our services.
HIV and Care Services
More than 160 Vermonters living with HIV accessed case management to help them stabilize their medical care, mental health, and housing.
HIV Prevention Safer Sex Services
Over 6000 condoms were distributed and over 500 PrEP and HIV basic education pamphlets were shared with community members
Mobile Harm Reduction Services
More than 250 people living in 29 different towns were served, mostly in rural areas of Vermont with our mobile services across more than 500 visits.
Education & Trainings
Find Training Topics
- Harm Reduction & Syringe Service Programs
- Opioid Overdose Response & Administering Narcan
- HIV Basics
- Need something a bit more tailored to your work/environment/group? Contact us.
Request a Training
Are you seeking training for your group, agency, or organization? Please fill out our form completely and we will respond within a week.
Help us do more
Thousands of Vermonters are counting on us to be there for them everyday. Whether it is a gift of financial support, the gift of time or your expertise it can make a difference in someones life.
Vermont CARES
Our compassionate and knowledgeable staff at Vermont CARES are critical to the success of our services and the wellbeing of our participants. Each month, we’re highlighting a member of our staff so you can get to know them and our organization a little better!
Rachel joined Vermont CARES as the Syringe Service Program Manager. She came to Vermont CARES with a background in frontline harm reduction and street-based crisis response. Since 2018, she has worked in community drop-in and outreach spaces for unhoused people who use drugs in the greater Boston area. Before that, she worked on two different hotlines: one to support people experiencing suicidal ideation and the other to support survivors of sexual violence. She graduated from Boston University with a Master in Public Health in spring 2024.
She is deeply committed to building no-barrier programs that meet the needs, visions, and safety strategies of people using drugs. Participants and coworkers have influenced her approach and skills in this work.
Rachel is continuously impressed by the creativity and commitment of Vermont CARES, and looks forward to learning from staff and participants about harm reduction services in rural Vermont. In her free time, she loves spending time outdoors, crafting, and reading. Time with family and friends restores her energy and capacity.
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Thank you for all you do for our communities.
Interested in volunteering with Vermont CARES? We host a monthly Volunteer Night on the second Tuesday of the month from 5:30 - 8:00 pm at our Burlington office.
Our next event will be tonight at our Burlington office. We will be assembling Safer Use Kits of all kinds. Please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer01@vtcares.org if you have not volunteered with us before.
Can’t make it this month? Don’t worry, we’ll have these events every month!
These volunteer evenings are a great way to get to know your local harm reduction organization better and learn about the work we do! Your support will go a long way to ensuring our neighbors have the tools they need to stay safe and healthy. We ask all volunteers to be respectful of our participants and mission. No prior experience is required to attend. Thank you for your support!
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Oh darn. I didn't know this was a thing and am only hearing about it now/today. I'll definitely reach out for next month though!
Could our next Executive Director be YOU? 🌟
Vermont CARES, now in its 36th year, began as a grassroots HIV/AIDS service provider and has evolved to be one of the largest harm reduction services organizations in Vermont, serving thousands of individuals each year. Our organization provides harm reduction services, education and resources to Vermonters affected by HIV, Hep C and substance use by increasing access to care, reducing social stigmas, and building relationships. Our services are designed to reduce opioid overdose death, prevent injection-related disease transmission, and improve the lives of people who use drugs.
View the full job description at: vtcares.org/join-our-team/
📣 SHARE THIS OPPORTUNITY WIDELY!
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Dear friends of CARES,
As many of you know I made the decision in the spring of this year to step down as the Executive Director at CARES. I have learned, grown, and been endlessly inspired—our dedicated team, our compassionate partners, our supportive lawmakers, our generous donors, and the resilient communities we serve are what made this work possible. The groundwork we've laid together—whether in systems change, fund development, organizational capacity, or strategic planning—has positioned the organization for continued growth and success. Vermont CARES is in capable hands.
To usher the organization through this pivotal time, we have contracted Think Again Consulting to bring on Interim Executive Director, Chelsey Branham. It is with excitement that we welcome Chelsey to the Vermont CARES team. She will be overseeing the agencies high level administrative and financial operations, as well as supporting us with our permanent ED Search. (See job posting here: ow.ly/4V7250TxnUa)
Chelsey comes to this work with the kind of experience and passion that aligns with the mission and vision of CARES, and we couldn’t be happier to work with her. Chelsey can be contacted at interimED@vtcares.org
With love and gratitude,
Theresa
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A message from Chelsey:
I am excited to join VT CARES in this transitional period as the new interim Executive Director. It is with great enthusiasm that I step into this role, ready to collaborate with our dedicated team, partners, and community to advance our mission of harm reduction and support for
those with lived and living experience.
My commitment to making systems and spaces more equitable is driven by the belief that when we center the leadership of those most impacted by the issues we seek to impact, our efforts are more fruitful. I have worked within and outside of public, private, and tribal systems to help create the building blocks to step us closer to that reality, and at Vermont CARES I am eager to collaboratively build on successes, explore new opportunities, and strengthen our programs to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people we serve. Together, we can further our mission and drive lasting change in the community.
Thank you for the warm welcome. I am excited about the journey ahead and am grateful for your support as we move forward.
Chelsey
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For the third year in a row, Team Sharing Vermont is hosting a day of remembrance for loved ones lost to substance use. Join Vermont CARES and other dedicated harm reductionists for an in-person gathering in Burlington’s City Hall Park on August 29 from 5-7pm.
We will be standing in solidarity to:
- Honor loved ones lost to substance use, including family members of Team Sharing Vermont
- Celebrate the courageous legislators — 104 Representatives and 20 Senators — who overturned the veto of H.72, making it possible to establish an Overdose Prevention Center in Vermont
- Rally in support around the City of Burlington and its Mayor’s Office as we commit to establishing an Overdose Prevention Center as quickly as possible
This event will have speakers and tables from different providers and activists. Special guests include Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, Representative Taylor Small, and ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s.
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Today is National HIV Testing Day!
Vermont CARES is proud to offer services for those looking to test for HIV. We currently offer HIV self-tests and are excited to soon offer in-person, rapid HIV testing at all of our offices. Get in touch with us by visiting or calling one of our four offices in Burlington, Rutland, Barre, and Saint Johnsbury.
Learn more about HIV testing services across Vermont at ow.ly/rZfY50SraBa
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Dear Vermont CARES Community,
We wanted to share with you an important leadership transition within our organization. Over the last decade Theresa Vezina has had a significant impact on the lives of so many people while serving at Vermont CARES. Theresa has continued to support the Syringe Service Program team in all her roles at the organization as she grew to be one of the state’s most trusted Harm Reduction leaders sharing this life-saving work. She has been a fierce advocate for securing resources to expand lifesaving services for people who use drugs. After 13 years of dedicated service, Theresa has decided to move on from her role as Executive Director.
While we will miss Theresa, we are filled with excitement and optimism for the future of Vermont CARES. The board has initiated our succession planning process, and we have a talented and dedicated team in place, a strong base to build from, and a clear vision for the future. Please join us in expressing our sincere gratitude to Theresa for her extraordinary leadership and service and in wishing her all the best wherever her future endeavors take her and embracing the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for our organization.
Sincerely,
Vermont CARES Board of Directors
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To read Theresa's goodbye letter to the community, please visit: ow.ly/8Leq50SqjNl
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Theresa, you are an absolute harm reduction rock star! Thank you for all you’ve done for our communities 💜
Thank you, Theresa for your dedicated service to Vermont Cares. Especially your expertice and leadership in the state heading up the SSP program. We will miss you, but know wherever you go, you will take your skills and love to your next employment. All the best luck to you. ♥️
❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥All star team of harm reductionists serving Vermonters. Thank you NASTAD, Vermont CARES, and AIDS Project VT for your time!
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Interested in volunteering with Vermont CARES? Our Burlington office hosts a monthly Volunteer Event open to current and new volunteers and YOU’RE INVITED!
Our next event will be on June 18th from 5:30 to 8:00pm at our Burlington office. We will be assembling Safer Use Kits of all kinds. If you have not volunteered with us before, please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator at VOLUNTEER01@VTCARES.ORG prior to the night of the event.
Can’t make it this month? Don’t worry, we’ll have these events every month!
These volunteer evenings are a great way to get to know your local harm reduction organization better and learn about the work we do! Your support will go a long way to ensuring our neighbors have the tools they need to stay safe and healthy. No prior experience is required to attend; we ask all volunteers to be respectful of our clients and mission. Volunteers under the age of 18 years of age can attend with an adult.
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