Joshua House (JH) was founded in 1996 as a grass roots organization, created to help meet the basic needs of Vermonters in an area with a significant gap in services. In 2008, it became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit after receiving growing financial support from community members interested in supporting their neighbors. In 2011, JH joined the Community Partners of Orleans and Northern Essex Counties, further strengthening its collaborative approach.

In May of 2019, a new Board of Directors took leadership and expanded the organization’s scope to include a larger demographic, larger fundraising goals  and a closer tie with community partners. A particularly strong partnership was formed with Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA), especially within the housing department. Through this collaboration, JH became more accessible and was able to  help when no other assistance was available. 

Joshua House’s Care Coordinator provided flexible, hands-on support to meet urgent needs. Some examples included; picking up and delivering mattresses, supplying and delivering kerosene to individuals in need of heating campers, and providing gas assistance for medical travel to Dartmouth or Burlington. The JH also contributed to the area’s housing stabilization by helping individuals obtain subsidized housing with funding security deposits and providing transportation.