From Our Executive Director

Dear Hilltowners,

I don’t know about you, but I sure am ready for spring.  As I start to plan out my planting strategy this year, I am beginning to get seeds ready for indoor starters.   I can’t wait to clean out the barn for the ducks and chickens and as soon as the ground thaws get back to completing our fencing for new goats to arrive this year.  Early in the COVID pandemic, we pruned our apple trees and blueberry bushes and expanded our growing capacity. I feel very grateful that I have the privilege of living the Hilltowns where we can grow our own food and make many of our own products for living.

I am also grateful for all the hard-working people in the Hilltowns who have helped our community through possibly one of the toughest years in our lifetimes.   Hilltown neighbors helped neighbors with food and transportation, checking in and staying connected.

Like all communities, not all of us are as fortunate as others.  Hilltown CDC has been in operation since 1981 and I am proud to be an employee at such an important organization. Mainly because the mission of the CDC is to look out for those in our community who may be experiencing a difficult time or struggle to make ends meet.

Because Hilltown CDC has been a successful organization in delivering on its mission, it was positioned to provide assistance to those who need it during this state of emergency.  Hilltown CDC prioritized food assistance and small business assistance as ways to help people get through the pandemic.   We continued to offer all our services with staff primarily working from home.  We have been following the Governor’s orders regarding COVID safety protocols and use of our office which is not open to the public yet.

Some things you may not know:  We purchased the old high school in Chester and have plans to renovate the building preserving 15 units of affordable housing.   We continue to operate a Mobile Market in the summer, selling food from local farms.  Stay tuned for this year’s market.  During COVID, we received a 5-year Public Health grant that we are using to engage 13 Hilltowns in healthy aging initiatives.  They include safe walking and recreating among other things.

We will continue to provide small business assistance and grants to do what we can to ensure local Hilltown businesses can make it through this economic downturn.   We will also continue to build from our advocacy efforts to demand more rural resources from our state government as the Hilltowns continue to evolve in the twenty-first century. 

I look forward to seeing people as the weather warms up.

Dave