JUMP’s mission is to promote the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of people by providing spiritual care, direct assistance to meet basic needs, and advocacy.
Joint Urban Ministry Project was founded in 1988 and is an interfaith organization supported by 27 area congregations. Service decisions at JUMP are made without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic or civil union status, national orientation, sexual orientation, place of birth, citizenship, mental or physical ability. JUMP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is not a member agency of the United Way of Chittenden County.
JUMP operates a drop-in center in downtown Burlington. We offer assistance on a first-come/first-serve basis for transportation, household goods, food, utilities, laundry, finance and medication co-pay. Methods of transportation include: gas for vehicles, GMT bus passes and bikes.
Most notably, the economically disadvantaged come for transportation gas assistance. The lack of affordable, accessible transportation often leaves low wage earners, working poor families and those in need unable to maintain a healthy, balanced livelihood and emotional well-being.
JUMP program goals include:
- Remain an accessible, dependable resource for economically disadvantaged neighbors in need
- Engage in community partner planning that supports all economically disadvantaged populations participating in their own decision making
- Enhance efforts to recruit board members from the business community
- Serve as an education resource to educate youth and community about poverty and raise awareness
- Increase transportation gas assistance and access to better support economically disadvantaged people with transportation needs
- Increase community partnerships to better meet the economically disadvantaged transportation needs
JUMP has distributed over $27,000 to help neighbors with transportation needs to maintain employment, eliminate multiple hardships and maintain a healthy, balanced livelihood.
This holiday season, JUMP is implementing their Gas Card Project, which provides Shell gas cards to economically disadvantaged community members. 42% of all JUMP clients request gas vouchers to help eliminate transportation barriers. JUMP is able to provide access to 17 gas stations throughout Chittenden County, serving a need that no other local or county front-line non-profit is addressing. Working poor families are much better off when they have access to reliable transportation assistance; they are able to maintain jobs, experience shorter waiting periods for assistance, are able to achieve a higher household income, have the ability to accomplish more each day, and greatly improve their quality of life. If you’d like to get your business involved with JUMP’s Gas Card Project, you can read more about it here.