ST. JOHNSBURY, VT (January 26, 2026) –Wednesday, January 22 was NEK Day at the Statehouse and NVRH leaders and staff joined other local community advocates in Montpelier to share stories of local strength and resilience and to advocate for the needs and priorities of rural Vermonters. Regional leaders identified housing, healthcare, affordability, climate resilience, and funding stability as the most urgent challenges facing the Northeast Kingdom.
NVRH Community Health Workers Crystal Bigelow and Erica Beer advocated on behalf of the Vermont Foodbank at the Vermont Statehouse on NEK Day.
“The Statehouse was flooded with people from the Kingdom,” said NVRH Community Connections Community Health Worker (CHW) Crystal Bigelow who attended the session with fellow NVRH CHW Erica Beer. “One Representative even asked if there was anyone left in the NEK!”
From housing and healthcare to food insecurity and substance misuse, representatives from across the region brought important issues to the forefront, showcasing the depth of commitment shared by Northeast Kingdom advocates, community partners, and Vermont lawmakers.
Senator Peter Welch engaged directly with NEK advocates and residents and took the time to listen to testimony. The collaboration and accessibility between constituents and lawmakers underscored a shared goal: building a resilient, thriving future for the NEK.
“NEK Day is a great opportunity for our friends and neighbors to share their stories and advocate on behalf of this region that we love so much,” said NVRH CEO Shawn Tester. “Some areas of notable focus this year included the Director of the Chamber advocating for changes to our housing regulations to help make it easier to build in rural areas, the Headmaster of Lyndon Institute sharing the value of our independent schools, and of course sharing the good work that our hospitals and local health system does.”
Bigelow and Beer testified in front of the Health and Human Services Committee on behalf of the Vermont Foodbank. They highlighted the connections between healthcare and food access and asked legislators to support the FY27 budget request that will be used to purchase local produce, supporting the Foodbank’s network of partners to ensure that Vermont communities have food during disasters and emergencies.
“Crystal and Erica were awesome,” said Carrie Stahler, Sr. Manager – Government and Public Affairs for the Vermont Foodbank. “The committee paid such great attention, asked relevant follow-up questions, and were clearly engaged by their testimony.”
“It was a terrific opportunity for our CHWs to share the work NVRH supports in helping our fellow community members be well,” said Community Connections Supervisor and Community Health Team Lead Deborah Locke-Rousseau. “We have such a great team here at Community Connections.”
Brion Houston, who works with the NVRH Substance Misuse Prevention Program as Region 3 Prevention Coordinator, drew hope from both the passion and dedication of NEK community advocates and the response from legislators. “NEK Day serves as a reminder that when community voices are met with legislative engagement, meaningful progress is possible.”