CCS provides essential supports to people with intellectual disabilities and autism
Champlain Community Services (CCS), Inc., now celebrating its 55th year of serving our community, offers coordinated one-to-one supported employment, home & shared living, school-to-career transition, and community supports to adults and children with intellectual disabilities and autism in Chittenden, Grand Isle, and Franklin Counties, Vermont. We also promote and coordinate self-advocacy activities, and offer crisis (24 hour on-call response) and respite (staffing and coordination of additional hours)
A small, family-centered organization providing lifelong supports, CCS offers personalized, intentional service. We work closely with each individual — and the people important to them — to help them create a fulfilling life respectful of his or her unique goals and dreams.
01/16/2026
Bridging Update From Liz Underwood
As I promised last week, we were out and about visiting new places and building amazing skills. We took job tours at AGH Fulfillment and Andy's Dandys to learn more about different workplace environments, expectations, and the skills needed for those roles. Some pods had the chance to visit the Burlington Train Station and the South Burlington Fire - IAFF Local 3671. Back in the classroom, we learned about kitchen safety and put our cooking skills to the test by making pizzas.
With a short week next week, we have lots of fun crammed in, so stay tuned for more Bridging adventures.
01/12/2026
Learn about the vital family supports provided by our colleagues at Northwestern Counseling & Support Services (NCSS) through its Parent Child Center in this sponsored-content piece in VTDigger. This is the first in a series highlighting the work of the agencies of Vermont Care Partners.
Through state and federal funding and strong community partnerships, Parent Child Centers and Vermont Care Partners (VCP) network agencies help prevent crises and improve outcomes for Vermont’s most vulnerable children.
01/09/2026
Bridging Update From Bridging Coordinator Liz Underwood
We’re back from vacation and getting both our bodies and minds moving.
We’ve begun preparations for our Culture and Interest presentations, where each student will choose a hobby, skill, or part of their background that helps define who they are and share it with their peers.
Edward came in midweek to get students moving with his theatre workshop. The timing was perfect, following our visit to Very Merry Theatre before the break.
We wrapped up the week with Free Choice Friday, featuring games, dancing, and creative art activities.
Next week, we’re back to our job tours and community engagement. Stay tuned to find out where we go next.
01/01/2026
Resolved to support CCS this year? Our 2026 Annual Fund has kicked off!
Because a community is better and more successful when everyone is valued and encouraged to contribute. Welcome to CCS, and THANKS for your support! CCS helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities find sustainable employment, build careers, stay healthy, live independently, learn,....
12/31/2025
25 pictures to look back on 2025 📸
Thank you to our staff, participants, families, partners, and supporters who made 2025 one to remember. We’re proud of what we accomplished together and excited for what’s ahead in 2026.
💚 Champlain Community Services
12/23/2025
✨🎭Lights. Bridging. Action.✨🎭
On our last day together before break, Bridging students toured Very Merry Theatre and got an inside look behind the scenes. The tour was led by VMT’s Marketing Manager, Ben Portway, who walked students through how stage productions come to life.
From backdrops and props to costumes and lighting, students explored every part of the process and we may have a few future performers ready to step onto the stage.
12/22/2025
The CCS 2025 Annual Report is now available for review on our website. Thanks to all our amazing CCS community for another great year! Check out the report at:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/680264c4cc04f23443736c47/t/694994735ddb41420a144bcc/1766429811831/CCS-2025-Annual-Report-WEB.pdf
12/20/2025
Some memories of the Holiday Party at Elley-Long . . .
12/19/2025
Hi spirits, lots of pizza and great shared treats at the CCS community's annual holiday gathering on Thursday. We also held a food Drive, coordinated by our Employment & Education team, which delivered 223 lbs of food to the Colchester Food Shelf. Well done, CCS!
12/17/2025
This is your reminder we have 3 days left in our Theta Massage And Bodywork LLC. raffle. Go to ccs-vt.networkforgood.com to make a donation. Every $20. donation is a chance to win a 90 minuet massage at Theta. The more you donate the more chances you have to win.
Make sure you put raffle in the comments for your donation to count!
12/15/2025
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Please help us congratulate Dino, who was recently voted Employee of the Quarter at Vermont Flight Academy by his peers!
Dino earned this award because he shows up every day ready to jump in and start working. He is always willing to take on any task or challenge and has built strong relationships with his coworkers, who know they can count on him. At Vermont Flight Academy, Dino supports aircraft cleaning and assists with the inspection process, helping keep inspections on track.
Not only did Dino receive this recognition, but his team also surprised him with a new tool cart, tools, and a flashlight to make his job easier and help him be even more efficient.
We are incredibly proud of Dino and grateful to Vermont Flight Academy for being such a supportive workplace. ✈️👏
12/12/2025
Bridging Recap!
From Bridging Coordinator Liz Underwood.
If this post had a soundtrack, it would definitely be “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”
This week, we barely had a moment to sit still. Our students were on the move with visits to WCAX-TV , Generator , ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Vermont Flight Academy and The Pop for some lively pickleball. We wrapped it all up with an awesome Hip Hop session with Rose from 2inspire DANCE .
The holiday break might be creeping closer, but we’re not ready to hibernate just yet. We’ve got a couple more sessions ahead—and I’ve got some fun things planned. Stay tuned!
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Champlain Community Services (CCS), Inc. is in its 53rd year of serving our community. We provide essential, coordinated supports - at work, at home, in school, for life - to Vermonters with intellectual disabilities and autism. Our goal is to build a community where everyone participates, and everyone belongs.
Our services are intentional, carefully coordinated, and highly personalized. We work closely with each individual — and their families and other people important to them — to support them in creating a life directed by her or his unique goals and dreams.
A true grassroots success story, CCS was founded by the family members of people with intellectual disabilities and has emerged as a recognized leader in its field.
CCS partners with dozens of employers across all sectors of the economy on our national-award-winning supported employment program, Way2Work. Through Way2Work we offer a unique continuum of employment training, placement, and career development from the pre-vocational stage through retirement. Our consumers are succeeding at employment - and self-employment - in the competitive economy, while helping employers strengthen and diversify their workforces.
We provide home supports and shared living options as well as community supports. CCS also promotes and co-facilitates advocacy activities, hosting Champlain Voices self-advocacy group.
CCS offers crisis (24 hour on-call response) and respite (staffing and coordination of additional hours).
If you share our vision of a truly inclusive community and want to learn more about how to access our services, join our staff, volunteer your time, or support our work, please contact us. For more, visit our website at www.ccs-vt.org.
