A Night to Remember: Our Community Comes Together at “Home Growing Under the Stars”

On a beautiful September evening, around 200 community members gathered on the Bristol Town Green for Addison Housing Works’ annual celebration, Home Growing Under the Stars. With music filling the air, delicious local food, and laughter all around, it was a joyful night dedicated to raising awareness and funds for affordable housing in Addison County.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our sponsors and guests, the event raised a record-breaking $45,700, the largest total in AHW’s event history! These funds will go directly toward providing and maintaining affordable homes and offering supportive services that help our residents thrive.

Guests enjoyed live music by Scarlett Annie and the Individuals, food from La Chapina, Tailgate with Kate, Adventure Dinner, and lu•lu Ice Cream, and activities for all ages including face painting by Julie Cousino of Handwork Studio, lawn games, and horse-drawn carriage rides by Driven by Drafts featuring our Firehouse Apartments property.

The evening also included heartfelt words from AHW Board President David Hamilton, resident Everett Lee of Lauritsen Mobile Home Park, AHW Executive Director Elise Shanbacker, and Firehouse Apartments resident Zachary Pittel, each reminding us how home builds community.

This event would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors:

• Diamond Sponsors: Otter Creek Engineering Inc., Neagley & Chase Construction Company, and Deppman Law
  
• Platinum Sponsor: The University of Vermont Health Network/Porter Medical Center
  
• Gold Sponsors: Behrens Venman, PLLC; White & Burke Real Estate Advisors, Inc.; Smith & McClain, Inc.; NBT Bank; Otis Atwell; Vermont Mutual Insurance; National Bank of Middlebury; LONDONMiddlebury;  rk Miles, Inc.; Dennis Newton Electrical, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc.; Acrisure, LLC; and Champlain Valley Properties
  
• Silver Sponsors: IPJ Real Estate; Casella Waste Systems, Inc.; Silver Maple Construction; Geobarns; Cabot Creamery; FLORA; Foam Laminates of Vermont; Craig Scribner, Sr.; Co-operative Insurance Companies; Naylor & Breen Builders, Inc.; The Vermont Book Shop; Evernorth; SRH Law PLLC; Vermont Integrated Architecture, PC; and Vermont Housing Finance Agency
  
• Bronze Sponsors: County Tire Center, Inc.; Productivity Vermont; Vermont Transco LLC/VELCO; Evernorth; and Counseling Service of Addison County
  
• In-Kind Sponsors: Vermont Cookie Love; The Rokeby Museum; Middlebury Fitness; Middlebury Floral and Gifts; Stone Leaf Teahouse; The Rooms at the Stone Mill; Vermont’s Own; American Flatbread; Danforth Pewter; Cabot Creamery; Vermont Pure CBD; Emerald Rose Gifts; Simon Says; Vermont Honeylights; The Middlebury Inn; Vermont Soap; Greenhaven Gardens & Nursery; Black Sheep Bistro; Park Squeeze; 3 Squares Café; Basin Harbor Club; Diddle & Zen; Lily Boutique; Malabar; Jay Peak; Vermont Teddy Bear; The Montshire Museum; Dakin Farm; Lincoln General Store; Verde Mountain; Tourterelle Restaurant and Inn; Sally Burrell; and Beverly Desforges.
• A Very Special Thank You to: Bristol Recreation Department; the Town of Bristol, Shaws Supermarket of Bristol, The Rotary Club of Middlebury. The Better Middlebury Partnership and our wonderful crew of AHW employees and volunteers who made this event possible.

We extend our deepest gratitude to our sponsors, volunteers, vendors, and everyone who attended. Together, we’re creating more opportunities for safe, stable, and affordable homes in Addison County.

If you’d like to stay connected, you can subscribe to our newsletter or make a donation to support our ongoing work.

Thank you for helping us build a stronger, more inclusive community one home at a time.