Freedom Fund Sponsorship Deadline Extended

Good news! There’s still time to get your sponsorship in for the 2026 Freedom Fund Brunch!

The Rutland Area Branch of the NAACP will be hosting the 7th Annual Freedom Fund Event on January 17, 2026 at Grace Congregational Church in Rutland. This is our most important fundraiser of the year, and we rely on sponsorship support to make it a success. Held on the weekend of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, it is always an inspiring celebration of social justice efforts in our community and honors our local
leaders.

Sponsors receive a variety of benefits, and we have sponsorship levels starting at just $125. We hope you’ll consider this meaningful support for our work in a time when it is urgently needed.

Some Highlights of Our Work This Year

Community Engagement

• Proud sponsors of the Bennington Martens, the only ABA professional basketball team in the state of Vermont
• Partnered with Rutland County Pride to host the second annual combined Juneteenth/Pride event
• Coordinated the Rock Your Crown youth fashion show in Bennington, with professional stylists working with 10 youth across the southern region to craft comprehensive looks and a public fashion show with live music and entertainment
• Sponsored four statewide Soul Santa events, allowing youth to meet a Black Santa in their communities
• Sponsored high school senior students to participate in AAU Basketball tournaments
• Partnered with Middlebury SURJ and L’Chaim Collective to screen the film The Encampments
• Sponsored Camp Free to Be, a summer camp for youth of color organized by the Education Justice Coalition of Vermont

Justice

• We continue to push for legislation for criminal justice reform, so that all of us feel safe, regardless of racial identity
• We continue to fight for justice through advocacy that is both unshakable and active. Every day, we show up for individuals, sometimes quietly and sometimes publicly, always committed to moving them closer to the justice they deserve

Education

• Sponsored 5 awards for BIPOC students at the Vermont Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Fair
• Coordinated the Bright Power Fellowship, a leadership training program for 10 BIPOC Vermonters to serve on boards and other non-elected leadership positions
• Partnered with the BIPOC Financial Empowerment Program to provide workshops, coaching and other financial education support
• Continued communication with schools, teachers, administrators, and students to find ways to improve inclusive and safe environments into our public school system

Arts

• Sponsored a fellowship with the Outpost Residency, a residency for BIPOC writers in southern Vermont
• Partnered with Juniper Creative to create a mural at Manchester Middle/Elementary School