Cheese Brings Hope
and Help to Haiti
 Hairdresser, angel, cheese ambassador. All three are labels that can be applied to
Vernon, Vermont resident Karen Gilbert.
Karen travels to Haiti three to four times a year to work with
organizations helping children and women.
In October, Karen spent time with Heartline Ministries and brought 40
pounds of cheese donated by Grafton Village Cheese.
Karen volunteered at Maranatha House, which takes in
orphaned babies with the goal of getting them adopted out in the U.S. Nutrition is a challenge, and Grafton Village Cheese
provides much-needed protein to the orphans, as well as to some of the village
children. Karen's done everything from
cleaning and painting to holding sick children. During this visit, Karen made macaroni and
cheese, a welcomed treat for children who have never tasted cheese.
 Karen also volunteers with Heartline's women's program,
which provides support for many pregnant women.
They teach the women healthy habits and parenting skills, and again,
Grafton Village Cheese was used in cooking to ensure healthy pregnancies and to teach
the women the importance of nutrition for themselves and their children. They hold classes in sewing, language and
literacy, with self-sufficiency as the ultimate goal. The women make bags, and each time Karen
goes, she brings back 50 or so bags to sell to friends, clients and locals.
Brittany Gilbert, Karen's daughter, started volunteering in
Haiti three years ago, and is now spending a college semester there. Karen's first trip was supported, but now she
pays for her travel and expenses herself.
She's thankful to her hairdressing clients, who understand when she
disappears every few months. We're proud
to support the efforts of Karen, Brittany and others who bring the best of
Vermont-and Vermonters-to people in need.
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Gifts from Grafton
Tastes Good, Feels Good
When you give gifts from Grafton Village Cheese, you help us continue programs like those listed above. We're part of the non-profit Windham Foundation,
whose
mission is to promote Vermont's rural communities
through its philanthropic and educational programs and its subsidiaries
whose
operations contribute to these endeavors. We only use premium milk
from small Vermont family farms, and handcrafting our cheese provides
jobs for dozens of Vermonters.
If you want to give a special gift from Vermont this holiday season, choose from one of our many gift packages, like the Sap Bucket or one of our cheese samplers, such as Four Ages of Cheddar, both pictured.
 In
fact, you can send anything on our site as a gift, even a single bar of
cheese. Just tell us where it's going and what your message is, and
we'll do the rest.
Looking for the full Vermont experience? Visit us in Grafton or Brattleboro. Both locations feature viewing windows to watch the cheesemakers at work.
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Healthy Kids
Grafton's Goal
During the 2008/2009 school year, Grafton Village Cheese donated 2,400 pounds of cheese to 36 schools serving 5500 students.
According to Grafton Village Cheese President Adam Mueller, "We are dedicated to providing a product that
contributes to a nutrient rich menu for school children. Our commitment to rural Vermont communities
ensures that our local schools are given a little extra help during these
difficult economic times. We are proud to help in any way we can."
 John Ayer, foodservice coordinator for
Bellows Falls Middle School, Bellows Falls Union High school,
Saxton's River and Central School, uses about 275 pounds of cheese per school year,
reaching around 1000 students. The
cheese is used for a salad bar and for a healthy apple cheddar sandwich. Ayer notes, "The
students really notice the difference in our Mac 'n Cheese. It's great!"
Academy School is using their cheese
donations for its snack program.
Reaching over 440 students, Grafton Village Cheese is providing the extra
protein students need to excel in tests and classroom studies. The cheese is served with crackers, with a
vegetable platter and as a topping for nachos.
Last year, Academy School received nearly 140 pounds of donated cheese.
Results from two studies of middle school
children indicated that the addition of cheese to various menu offerings may
help increase the consumption of some Food Groups to Encourage - fruit,
vegetables, and whole grains - compared to when cheese was not offered. Source: Safeguarding the Health of America's Children:
The Importance of Dairy Foods in Child Nutrition Programs. National Dairy Council,
July 2009.
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Quotes of Note
Posts & Press
In a blog entitled "Suffering Writer and Unappreciated Genius Scholarship Fund", we find this post:  This is what Vermont in Fall tastes like: And in the blog " Litvak Palate, My Cheese Diaries," the author talks about not loving cheddar, but writes this about Grafton Cave-Aged Clothbound Cheddar: That said, this cheese? This is probably the best cheddar I have tasted
so far. But then, I also love its texture; a lot of the other fancy
cheddars still ran to the moist, sandwich-cheese side of the spectrum,
you know, pieces that give to the knife before they cut. This cheese is
more to the dry, parmigiano side; it merely fragments. The flavor is
cheddar, but subtle; you have to think about it before you recognize
it. It's interesting.
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Supporting Rural Communities
Windham Foundation Visa
 Introducing the new Windham Foundation custom Visa Platinum Rewards Card. It's a small way to make a big difference. Funds raised from our card will help support the philanthropic and educational programs of the Windham Foundation. Learn more at Windham-Foundation.org.
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