REclaimED Makerspace Fundraising Campaign

Reclaimed is a non-profit makerspace and community workshop in Poultney, Vermont that provides vocational education and access to tools, for anyone with an interest in woodworking. The space will build upon the legacies of local manufacturing to serve youth and families, craftspeople and businesses. Reclaimed is a product of Poultney residents and Green Mountain College (GMC) alumni coming together to fill a gap in the community left by the recently closed GMC. The Renewable Energy and Ecological Design (REED) program at GMC was one of the most popular, unique and specialized majors available to students. REED education covered everything from basic carpentry skills to advanced architectural theories, while utilizing state of the art technology and renewable energy. When GMC announced that it would be closing in 2019, the founders of Reclaimed took action to save the REED shop run by the college, and to turn it into a new kind of educational center, and a community resource. 


It is becoming clear that the trend of small colleges closing will only continue in the coming decade. The lack of vocational skills training in public schools has also become a rising concern in recent years. Down the road this could leave a large portion of the job market and career potential for students untapped, especially in rural Vermont. With growing statewide demand for vocational trades jobs, we have a responsibility to keep vocational education programs alive in rural communities, with or without the presence of accredited institutions. Alternative education and shared resources are needed now more than ever before. Reclaimed was formed out of necessity to support a resourceful community in a changing world. Reclaimed will be working closely with Poultney Highschool to offer woodworking and vocational skills classes to students, with hopes to soon expand course offerings to other schools in the surrounding area. The community workshop will also be running after-school and summer programs available to local youth.


So what are we waiting for? The Reclaimed staff has been hard at work turning this vision into a reality, and we’re almost there. With a startup capital of just $20,000, we will open shop in the Spring of 2020 and begin offering courses and services to the community, but we need your help. Before we can open to the public, funds are needed to cover first-year operating costs, insurance, security, shop improvements, equipment repair and maintenance. 100% of funds raised over the $20,000 goal will go into a scholarship for low-income students to participate in  after-school classes and summer programs. Your donation in any amount will go directly toward funding this operation to hit the ground running in the Spring of 2020. Reclaimed is a 501(c)3 non-profit, which means your donation is tax deductible. We cannot stress enough that every dollar counts, even a small contribution will make a difference in this collective effort! We thank you for your interest and support, and look forward to updating you on our progress!







 1 Vermont Department of Labor. Vermont Declining and High Demand Occupations 2018. August 2018.
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