Board Meetings
Our Board meets regularly. Their meeting minutes are chronologically available for review as follows:
Pilot Residence on River Street Has Opened!
11/11/2025
Dear Friends & Supporters,
It is with profound gratitude and joy that I formally announce that our pilot residence for men officially opened on 11/07/2025.
After months of tireless renovation efforts by our partner developer, the first three men quietly moved into the pilot residence on River Street in Rutland over the weekend. Although it is a small space, it carries a large message of hope and optimism for the recovery residence landscape in Vermont. The fact of the matter is, the housing and drug crisis lingers on, and sustainable solutions are needed. We hope that the residence on River Street is the first of many Level 1 residences across the state. The fact of the matter is, we simply need more options in terms of recovery residences in our state. There just isn’t enough space at any one given time. Anyone who wants to better their lives in their recovery journeys in a safe, sober, and supportive environment should be given all the opportunities to do so. What is the alternative? When you stop to think about it, Level 1 residences simply makes sense from the standpoint of potential long term sustainability and from the standpoint of basic human dignity.
In addition to the soft launch of the pilot residence, we were delighted to receive word that the Vermont Country Store has given CGR an enthusiastic thumbs up for its innovative and caring approach to transitional living opportunities for members of the recovery community. We are profoundly grateful for this vote of confidence and look forward to a long and impactful partnership with such a well renowned organization in our state.
Photos of the pilot residence will be posted soon! Additionally, we fully intend on having an open house so that supporters and community members can come see the work that is being done. We hope that the open house will garner interest as we also hope to start a dialogue about where our community goes from here. At CGR, we are steadfast in believing that viable solutions to problems are only found when people come together. At the end of the day, all we are trying to do is bring people together and make Vermont a safer, healthier, and more equitable place for all Vermonters.
Should you wish to contribute to CGR, please click here to donate. Also, we are currently running a GiftDrive as we try to collect winter clothing items to disperse to those in our community who face severe hardship in obtaining basic essentials just to stay warm. The supply & gift drive is located here.
From all of us at CGR, we cannot thank you enough for helping us get this far so quickly. Momentum is on our side! Let’s keep it going. We hope to see you soon, and hope you will support us (or continue to support us) as we march on to the next exciting chapter in this amazing journey. Please join us.
With gratitude,
Tim, CGR Executive Director
A Message from the Executive Director
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
At Common Ground Recovery (CGR), we hold a vision that is both ambitious and urgent: to create safe, trauma‑informed housing opportunities for individuals at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness. We know that stable housing is the foundation for long‑term recovery, dignity, and hope.
But we also know this truth: we cannot do it alone.
With the current government shutdown and the ongoing wave of budget cuts affecting organizations that champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, the struggle is real for nonprofits like ours. We want to do so much more—expanding housing, offering public education on prevention and recovery, and building a stronger, more resilient community. Yet, to make these goals a reality, we rely on the generosity of people like you.
Your support—whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word—truly makes the difference between vision and reality.
Gratitude for Our Supporters
We are deeply grateful to those who have already stepped forward to help us build this foundation of hope:
• The Stanley Family and Lauri Contarino of Killington, Vermont — for their steadfast support and generous donation of furnishings for our pilot residence for men.
• Vermont Bedrooms — for their extraordinary gift of three brand‑new queen‑sized mattresses, ensuring comfort and dignity for our residents.
• Rutland Regional Medical Center, the Bank of Bennington, and The Grassroots Fund — for their generous monetary contributions, each one bringing us a step closer to making our mission a reality.
To all who have contributed in any capacity: a million thank‑yous. Your belief in our mission fuels our determination to keep moving forward.
Join Us in Building the Future
We’re excited to share that CGR has a raffle fundraiser and a community bake sale coming up soon. These events are not only a chance to raise critical funds for our urgently needed services in Rutland and across Vermont, but also an opportunity to come together as a community. With great prizes and delicious treats, we hope you’ll join us in this noble effort.
Every ticket purchased, every cookie sold, and every dollar donated brings us closer to expanding recovery housing and support services for those who need them most.
Closing
At CGR, we believe in the power of community to transform lives. Together, we can build a future where recovery, dignity, and opportunity are within reach for all.
Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for believing in this mission. And thank you for helping us turn hope into action.
With gratitude,
Tim