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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
Vermont CARES has a wishlist of items available to order from Amazon that will ship directly to our offices! Each Wednesday we will highlight a Wishlist item and share a little bit about how these supplies support the communities we work with.
Personal hygiene is important for everyone, yet many face barriers to accessing hygiene supplies. Disposable wipes like these are helpful when our participants are between showers or don't have reliable opportunities to wash their hands. Adequate personal hygiene helps prevent people from getting sick.
Donating an item from our wishlist is a great way to have a direct and positive impact on the wellbeing of our participants and some of the most-vulnerable members of our communities. Thank you for your support!
🌠 WISHLIST LINK: ow.ly/6JKJ50U3KZM
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Although I totally get why people may choose to shop at Amazon, I try really hard not to personally. If I purchase items locally would drop-off be okay to your offices?
please seek another way then amazon. convenient, yes, but they are part of the greed that creates poverty.
Vermont CARES is coming to campus on Nov. 18 at 12 p.m. to provide training on NARCAN and overdose response. Please join us inside Campus Center's Upper Level Lounge to engage in the conversation, learn, and raise awareness.
Open to all students, faculty, and staff!
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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 on Tuesday, November 12th at our Burlington office. We will be assembling Safer Use Kits. 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!
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Darn it I can't attend this month either. Hopefully next month... 😕
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.
1 CommentComment on Facebook
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!
1 CommentComment on Facebook
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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