NEWPORT CITY –– On a chilly Thursday, a committed group of individuals came together outside the Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA) building to rally for a cause close to their hearts: raising awareness about the homelessness crisis in the region. This gathering included a diverse mix of health and social service professionals, State of Vermont employees, community members, and those who have personally experienced homelessness. Kicking off the event, participants, some carrying signs, took a meaningful walk along Main Street before returning to the Emory Hebard State Office Building, where they shared and listened to powerful personal stories that highlighted the struggle of homelessness in our community. Safety seemed to be one of the homeless individuals’ main concerns.
Chris Mitchell, field director for Vermont Agency of Human Services, helped organize the rally event in his role as co-chair of the Northeast Kingdom Local Housing Coalition in collaboration with Casey Winterson, Director of Economic and Community Based Services at NEKCA and co-chair of the NEK Housing Coalition.
During an interview, he explained that each year The Homeless and Housing Alliance of Vermont (HHAV) organizes either a single day or several events to advocate for and bring awareness to homelessness, and Thursday was that day for 2026.
In past years, they placed flags in front of the NEKCA Building in Newport City and in St. Johnsbury. One color flag represented an unhoused adult, and another colored flag recognized an unhoused child. But this year, organizers wanted to get community members active and come out in full force, as well as do something that people could participate in.
“I was happy that I wasn’t out there walking alone,” Mitchell said. “We didn’t really have high expectations. I think we were hoping for at least ten people, and we doubled that today. I think we had 20 or 25 folks. I’m very pleased with the turnout.”
During the open forum, Mitchell said in their most recent count there were 257 individuals experiencing homelessness throughout the Northeast Kingdom.
Alana Webb, who was one of the individuals at the rally event, said she has been homeless for the last two and a half years.
“It’s not easy being out there, especially this time of year,” she said. In tears, Webb said she wants to help people who need help. Webb said it’s not fair for children to be out there, the elderly, or anybody who has a disability. “It’s appreciated to have all of you here to make an awareness for homeless people. There are people who think we choose to live like this. We don’t.”
Gina Putvain, of NEKCA, said they were able to help Webb and others like her get propane who live near each other in separate dwellings in a little community. Webb added that the homeless population tries to help as many people as they can, whether they knew them or not.
“I’ve let dozens of people come up and stay with us until they are able to get back up on their feet,” Webb said. “It’s hard. I don’t want to see anybody outside freezing. I don’t want to see anybody starving.”
Webb would like to be able to help with homelessness and put more awareness out there so people know they can get help and don’t have to be alone.
“You’ve got people who are scared or ashamed of it, and they shouldn’t feel that way,” she said.
Casey O’Brien was another participant. He has not had a place to stay at night since age 13. He now has a desire to help other homeless people. He also said this area was the only place where he saw a Facebook group that was pro-helping the homeless instead of being against them.
O’Brien said he attended a homelessness conference in Burlington, and nobody had anything to say about homeless people, and nobody had anything to say about how to fix the homelessness crisis. He added that he has not seen anybody with a bullet-point list on every single situation that a homeless person goes through and every single solution that can fix the problem. O’Brien continued to speak about his struggles, including some with authorities and officials whom he indicated didn’t treat him properly, as well as concerns about his safety.
“The best thing you guys can do to help is help us get a sanctuary,” he told the group, referring to himself and others like him. Later on, he said that homeless individuals just need to lay out in the woods and be safe. “I think that this will solve a lot of this. We’re not picky. We don’t need homes. I don’t think a kid should be out here, but most of us really want to feel safe enough to think, so we get the clarity to make better decisions. They don’t let us have that anymore, so we run around with our heads cut off fighting for survival.”
O’Brien said that he doesn’t, but others whom he knows pretty much escape to drugs and live in a world that doesn’t exist “because the world out here is terrifying and it’s hurting them.”
At least some of the others on the panel agreed and noted that homeless individuals steal from each other. Webb noted that last winter she had a job working as a dietary aide at a local nursing home and was able to save up enough money to buy a solar panel and Jackery Power Station, but someone went into her camp and stole them. The system cost her over a thousand dollars, and she didn’t have enough money to buy another one.
“It’s hard that people go and do that to us,” Webb said. “We have people who come up and slash our tents because they think that it’s funny to watch us suffer and have to go out and try to buy new ones. It’s hard.”
The panelists believe that the best thing at this moment is for the homeless to have a sanctuary where they can be safe and not have to worry about people stealing from them or hurting them. Webb and O’Brien both agree that a sanctuary doesn’t need to be a building, but just a piece of land where people can go to and feel safe until they get back up on their feet. Somewhere they don’t have to be concerned about someone criticizing them for the way they are living and making them feel like they are worthless. The panel talked about how someone took the poles out of a campsite, let everything collapse, and left a note that they needed to get out of where they were or would be going to jail.
Putvain said that being homeless can be expensive. She added that Webb lives off battery-operated items and goes to the NEKCA Building to charge them. Putvain noted that the hotel program doesn’t have laundry facilities or cooking facilities. Webb gets her clothing by using clothing vouchers every couple of months.
At least one person in attendance suggested the homeless individuals consider talking to the Homeless Coalition, which is a committee that meets on a regular basis throughout the year to talk about strategies and ways to help the homeless situation. But O’Brien said usually these community programs offer a place to listen to them. He suggested it’s better, at least for him, to go to the faith community.
