VITAL COMMUNITIES
Emergency Ride Home
If you carpool, vanpool, take the bus, bike, or walk to work, EMERGENCY RIDE HOME reimburses the cost of a cab or rental vehicle if an emergency arises and you need to get home, to the park & ride, to the hospital, or to your child’s school or daycare.
- If you live OR work in Vermont, register at GO! VERMONT to qualify. The benefit offers reimbursement up to $70 per trip (maximum six times per year).
- New Hampshire residents working within Advance Transit’s New Hampshire service area qualify for the Upper Valley TMA’s Emergency Ride Home program. The benefit offers reimbursement up to $50 per trip (maximum six times per year). Download the UVTMA ERH Reimbursement Form here.
Zipcars are also available in an emergency, but you must create an account in advance. You can rent cars hourly in two locations:
Get Around the Upper Valley
Safe Routes to School During Pandemic
School reopening is the big topic right now: how to do it safely, effectively, and efficiently. New requirements for health checks, physical distancin [...]
Lend Your Voice to Local/National Commute Survey
The commutes of many Upper Valley residents have changed significantly due to COVID-19, with many shifting to telecommuting. Now that workplaces are s [...]
Y’all Curbed the Car!
On Friday, May 18, the Upper Valley celebrated its newest holiday: Curb the Car Day.
Riffing off National Bike to Work Day, Curb the Car Day embra [...]
Need Transportation in the Upper Valley?
This fall, Vital Communities' Transportation Program collaborated with Go! Vermont to develop a one-page guide to transportation in the Upper Valley, [...]
Your Bus in Real-Time.
Not sure when and where to catch Advance Transit or if the bus is on time? Download the Advance Transit Real Time App or check the Where’s My Bus? f [...]
Attention, Vermont Schools: It’s WAY TO GO! Time
This year's statewide Way to Go! School Challenge is September 25 - October 6. It’s a great way for schools to battle carbon pollution head-on!
[...]
Bike to Work Day at Dartmouth College
Bethany and I arrived bright and early at the Hop at Dartmouth College Friday, May 19, to greet employees and students who arrived that morning on two [...]
Dirty Hands, Clean Bikes
I had a lot of fun teaching a Basic Bike Maintenance workshop at the Upper Valley Haven on April 29, ably assisted by Lisa from the Haven!
A doze [...]
Spring Into Bike Riding Season…
...with practical skills training to get you riding more!
What is Everyday Bicycling?
It’s using your bike for those everyday trips that we all ma [...]
Survey Says: Parking and Transportation in White River Junction Are…
Thank you to the more than 500 downtown White River Junction residents, employees, business owners, and visitors who took our survey about parkin [...]
Vital Communities Program News
Vermont Everyone Eats Serves Its One-Millionth Meal!
On Thursday, April 29, Vermont Everyone Eats, an innovative COVID-19 response program, is celebrating 1 million restaurant meals served to Vermonters experiencing food insecurity. The program was launched in August 2020 with an allocation of ...more
Flavors of the Valley 2021: The Fun Goes Digital!
Flavors of the Valley, the Upper Valley's favorite local food tasting expo, will not be stopped this year! We're moving it to May, with a month-long digital celebration of spring, our local farms, local food, ...more
Slow Cooker Pork Ribs
This recipe is courtesy of The Beeroness. Cook up some Stout & Sriracha Barbecue Sauce to go with these for your next dinner. Ingredients 2 lbs country-style pork ribs 1/4 c tomato paste 3 Tbsp soy sauce 3 Tbsp balsamic ...more
"Light River Junction" Kicks Off May 7 with "Toons and Tones"
https://youtu.be/1CHhlNDazVI The celebratory summer series Light River Junction First Fridays with WRIF kicks off May 7 with a fantastic line-up called "Toons and Tones." Throughout downtown White River, there will FREE outdoor arts to inspire and ...more
April 8: "Investing in Home Creation"
Investing for Home Creation Thursday, April 8, 5:30 pm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUwM8Z2FD3Q The Upper Valley faces a shortage of housing, particularly in the lower-cost sector, that's affecting our ability to be a vibrant, equitable community. This session discussed how even ...more
April 15, 2021: “Putting Your Money to Work Locally: Investing Clubs 101”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnLZ7akjtGw Interested in investing locally but don’t want to do it alone? Investment clubs pool money to collectively invest in local businesses and bring a social aspect to the process – they make investment fun! In this ...more
Valley Quests Open May 1—including a Guided Event to a Vernal Pool!
Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 1: It's a big one for Valley Quests! Not only is May 1 Opening Day for Quests—"treasure hunts" that share the natural and cultural history of 160+ special areas in ...more
Braised Pork + Cabbage: A One-Pot Late Winter Farmers Market Meal
Braised Pork & Cabbage: A One-Pot Late Winter Farmers Market Meal Magazines and radio shows are already gushing about springy greens recipes, but if you’re eating seasonally in the Upper Valley, winter food is still on the table. And ...more
Zucchini Chard Cakes
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve shared this zucchini chard cake recipe with folks this summer. I was sure that as soon as I mentioned zucchini I would be greeted with a sigh ...more
Have an Idea That Could Use a Lift?
New Hampshire Businesses, Farmers, Entrepreneurs, Nonprofits, Community Initiatives: Do you have an incredible project just waiting to happen? Want to grow your organization, our community, and the local economy, but don’t have access to capital? The Local Crowd ...more
Free Webinar on Writing Waterway Quests, April 8
Valley Quests are treasure hunts set in special locations around the Upper Valley. Each Quest follows a unique set of clues that teach you about a place’s ecology, wildlife, and history while leading to a ...more
Quest to the Star!
Have you seen the star alight upon Mt. Tom in Woodstock? Wouldn't it be fun to see it up close? You can if you follow the clues of the Mt. Tom Quest. The star traditionally ...more
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Save Energy
This week marks the close of Vital Communities and volunteers’ 2020 Vermont Energy Savings project in seven towns in the Vermont side of the Upper Valley. Vital Communities partnered with Sustainable Woodstock (serving Woodstock, Hartland, ...more
Weatherize Webinar, August 17
Weatherize Webinar with NHSaves Monday, August 17 at Noon Did Covid-19 stop your 2020 weatherization plans in their tracks? NOW is the right time to jump back on the weatherize band wagon. Lower energy bills and cozy ...more
Welcome 31 New Upper Valley Change-makers
Vital Communities celebrated the graduation of the Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2020 on Wednesday, June 10. This event marked the program’s 14th graduating class, as 31 local leaders completed the 10-month program with a ...more
Five Inspiring Stories
On March 18, Vital Communities held a webinar featuring five inspiring stories from energy committees across the Upper Valley. Stories included: Electric charging stations in Bethel An Upper Valley eBike lending library Energy saving window ...more
Stand in Your Circle of Strength and Lead
Ed. Note: On May 30, Vital Communities honored 12 community leaders who’ve added immeasurably to the vitality of the Upper Valley at its annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration. The following are the event’s keynote remarks ...more
Heroes & Leaders: Creating a Vital Upper Valley
Every spring, Leadership Upper Valley, a program of Vital Communities, hosts the annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to the Upper Valley. In 2019, we are pleased to honor ...more
