Our Mission

Just Basics, Inc. confronts cycles of injustice by providing programs that increase awareness and access to basic resources needed for a resilient and vibrant community.

What we are doing

Emergency support

Just Basics addresses emergency food assistance by operating the Montpelier Food Pantry and a grocery delivery service. We also provide mutual aid to help people with emergency funds to cover basic human needs.

Collaborative support

We actively partner with local organizations and food justice programs to build sustainable, resilient, and equitable food systems for our community.

Business support

We strive to be dynamic and flexible to respond to the changing needs of our community. One way we achieve this is through Fiscal sponsorship.

Our vision

Just Basics, Inc. envisions a community where the root causes of poverty and vulnerability are confronted through unprejudiced and sustainable solutions with a person-focused approach.

We are seeking to create resiliency through developing evidence-based programs and collaborations that enable people to overcome the need for continued emergency assistance by obtaining the skills necessary to sustainably thrive.

As the number of our patrons increase so too does the costs associated with operating our nonprofit. So, we’re asking the hard questions and implementing pilot programs to understand how we can best meet the needs of our community through creativity and collaboration.

Where we are going

Average patrons per month by fiscal year

Meet the Team

Board of Directors

  • Steve is a retired educator who lives in Montpelier and volunteers at the Montpelier Food Pantry.

  • Maryann is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who has lived in Vermont and worked at the University of Vermont Medical Center for 25 years.  She has also been an avid veggie gardener for about 45 years, and has co-led hands-on gardening classes at UVMMC. 

    In recent years, she co-founded, with clinic social workers, a food pharmacy (a food pantry with a “food as medicine” focus) for food insecure kids and their families who are patients at the Children’s Specialty Center at UVMMC. The food pharmacy continues to grow and thrive through grants from various supporters, including the Vermont Food Bank. 

    Maryann lives in East Montpelier with her wife Donia. In addition to gardening, she loves other outdoor activities, such as kayaking and cross-country skiing, and of course making simple and delicious meals from all those garden veggies!

  • Eva is a self-employed homecare provider, artist, Food Pantry patron, and a Montpelier renter. Eva currently chairs the racial justice committee of the board.

  • Nancy is a retired educator and teacher educator who has lived in Vermont for over 50 years- mostly in the Randolph and Brookfield area. Since moving to Montpelier 10 years ago she has been involved in a number of community volunteer groups including the Community Lunch program, Just Basics, Washington  County Diversion Program, the cold weather overnight shelter program at UCM, the Guardian ad litem program and Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice. 

    She is deeply committed to community and related justice issues.

    Additionally, she is currently on the board of Capital City Concerts and The Bridge. 

  • John practiced law in Vermont for thirty years, most recently as a partner with the law firm Downs Rachlin Martin. He has been active in Montpelier community life throughout his career, serving as mayor and chair of the Montpelier School Board. He has delivered food for Just Basics since 2024. In addition to the board of Just Basics, John serves on the boards of Lund and the Windham Foundation. He is also a member of the Capitol Complex Commission, which oversees the architectural and aesthetic integrity of the capitol complex.