Between 2012 and 2014, The Heart & Soul of Essex project (with funding from the Orton Family Foundation, now operating as Community Heart & Soul,) directly engaged with over 1,000 people who live or work in the Town of Essex and Village of Essex Junction. Over the course of two years, we held community conversations in living rooms, libraries and local businesses, answered surveys, attended forums, held pop-up coffee shops, and created a community wide art project.
As the result of this work, the community identified six core values: local economy, health and recreation, community connections, education, thoughtful growth, and safety. These values helped to shape our community over the years that followed, providing the inspiration and momentum for initiatives including Essex Eats Out, the creation of the Essex Westford School District, Voices for Education, the arrival of several new coffee shops in town and more. In addition, the values provided the central content for the Town of Essex’s 2016 Town Plan, which won several awards, including the Plan of the Year Award from the Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association, and the Plan of the Year from the Vermont Planners Association.
Once the grant period ended, the volunteer board continued to support the community. The non-profit served as the fiscal agent for several groups including the Essex Farmers Market. In the Spring of 2020, the Heart & Soul of Essex responded to the Covid-19 shutdown by raising over $45,000 and distributing those funds in $500 emergency cash payments to over 90 families who had lost their incomes due to the shutdown. Visit www.heartandsoulofessex.org to find reports, history of the project, and more information.
Our most recent effort, Across the Dotted Line, is an opportunity for Essex residents to remember that despite the recently contentious merger vote and revote, we have many deep ties and relationships that span the "dotted line" that is the border of the Village within the Town of Essex. These connections are important and we are confident that they will endure no matter what our governance structure becomes in the future.
After 10 years of serving Essex and Essex Junction, the board has decided to dissolve the organization and make way for new community-led efforts. Remaining funds will be donated to Voices for Inclusion in Essex and Westford (VIEW). This new initiative is a group of diverse community members who are working to create opportunities for Essex and Westford residents that allow for all community voices to be heard and understood. VIEW wants to strengthen our community by looking at it through the various lenses of people we live and work with. This work is closely aligned with the community’s shared values of education, safety, and community connections and with the Heart & Soul of Essex project.
It has been a privilege to serve our community through the Heart & Soul of Essex, and we look forward to what’s next.
Heart & Soul Board Members:
John Alden, Lori Houghton, Brad Luck, Susan McCormack, Gabrielle Ratté Smith, and Liz Subin
April 2021
As the result of this work, the community identified six core values: local economy, health and recreation, community connections, education, thoughtful growth, and safety. These values helped to shape our community over the years that followed, providing the inspiration and momentum for initiatives including Essex Eats Out, the creation of the Essex Westford School District, Voices for Education, the arrival of several new coffee shops in town and more. In addition, the values provided the central content for the Town of Essex’s 2016 Town Plan, which won several awards, including the Plan of the Year Award from the Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association, and the Plan of the Year from the Vermont Planners Association.
Once the grant period ended, the volunteer board continued to support the community. The non-profit served as the fiscal agent for several groups including the Essex Farmers Market. In the Spring of 2020, the Heart & Soul of Essex responded to the Covid-19 shutdown by raising over $45,000 and distributing those funds in $500 emergency cash payments to over 90 families who had lost their incomes due to the shutdown. Visit www.heartandsoulofessex.org to find reports, history of the project, and more information.
Our most recent effort, Across the Dotted Line, is an opportunity for Essex residents to remember that despite the recently contentious merger vote and revote, we have many deep ties and relationships that span the "dotted line" that is the border of the Village within the Town of Essex. These connections are important and we are confident that they will endure no matter what our governance structure becomes in the future.
After 10 years of serving Essex and Essex Junction, the board has decided to dissolve the organization and make way for new community-led efforts. Remaining funds will be donated to Voices for Inclusion in Essex and Westford (VIEW). This new initiative is a group of diverse community members who are working to create opportunities for Essex and Westford residents that allow for all community voices to be heard and understood. VIEW wants to strengthen our community by looking at it through the various lenses of people we live and work with. This work is closely aligned with the community’s shared values of education, safety, and community connections and with the Heart & Soul of Essex project.
It has been a privilege to serve our community through the Heart & Soul of Essex, and we look forward to what’s next.
Heart & Soul Board Members:
John Alden, Lori Houghton, Brad Luck, Susan McCormack, Gabrielle Ratté Smith, and Liz Subin
April 2021
Heart and Soul of Essex was a community engagement initiative funded by the Orton Family Foundation from 2012 - 2014 in order to identify our most common values. We met in living rooms, churches, libraries and businesses. We met in rural Essex and the very center of the village. We talked to many kinds of people (village and town residents, New Americans, youth and elders, elected officials, members of the business community and more). Each conversation was unique and people expressed a wide range opinions and hopes for the future. No matter who we talked to though, there was a clear set of shared values that rose to the surface, including: Education; Community Connections; Safety; Thoughtful Growth; Health & Recreation; and Local Economy.
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Local EconomyOur residents contribute to a vibrant economy by working for and patronizing a diverse mix of businesses, from small, locally-owned enterprises to international corporations. We are committed to fostering an environment that produces a world-class workforce and a strong economy for years to come.
EducationEssex invests time, energy, and resources to ensure that our highly respected schools meet the needs of everyone in the community. We are proud to support learning that extends beyond the traditional classroom and includes the arts, athletics, and vocational instruction. Community programs and libraries offer diverse and affordable opportunities that prepare residents of all ages for lifelong learn- ing and for work in an evolving economy.
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Health & RecreationWe value public places for outdoor and indoor recreation for all ages and abilities. We treasure Indian Brook reservoir, neighborhood parks and the chance to connect by bicycle or on foot. Community institutions provide education and programs to support healthy lifestyles.
Thoughtful GrowthWe value wide-open spaces and tight-knit neighborhoods, rural roads and vibrant downtown streets. Essex is a place where we can enjoy a beautiful view, walk in the woods and go out to eat without ever leaving town. We support a diverse housing mix, opportunities for business development and a transportation system with a variety of options including a connected network of walking and biking routes.
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SafetyEssex is a safe place where neighbors watch out for one another. We value an active, visible police force and strong fire and rescue services. Upgrades to our physical infrastructure will allow us to move about our community with comfort and security.
Community ConnectionsOur deep connections with each other make Essex special. Neighbors help each other during good times and bad. We value diversity and welcome everyone. We build our sense of community at local events such as the Memorial Day Parade, Five Corners Farmers Market, and Winter Carnival. Our local newspapers and online forums give us plenty of ways to stay in touch. Residents participate in local government and volunteer.
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