Healthworks Interview

A few weeks ago, we had the privilege of picking Jess Guardado’s brain about what Healthworks, an independent LLC that is a partnership of staff from Groundworks, Brattleboro Retreat, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and HCRS, is doing to help our community. She has been the team lead at Healthworks since July 2025– a role she stepped into after working at Groundworks for two years. When asked what Healthworks’ ideal world would look like, Jess said, “a place where there is quick access to the support people need without judgment,” and it shows in the level of effort they put in to understand and meet their clients’ needs.

Healthworks offers peer support, clinical counseling, addiction recovery support, referrals to primary and dental care, housing support, and more. These services can be accessed by calling (802) 257-5415. Groundworks also provides a number of other services, including a food pantry, shelters, and free meals. 

The folks at Healthworks seek to provide services in the most accessible ways possible, putting in a great deal of effort to remove barriers to care. When meeting with clients, they offer meetings in public places and house visits, not just office visits, as getting to an office can get in the way of some folks getting the care they need. On top of that, Healthworks provides high touchpoint services, meeting more often than other modes of care. They are committed to providing clients with care that genuinely meets their needs, even when those needs fall outside the limitations of traditional care. 

We would highly recommend that you get involved with Healthworks in any way you can, so here is a list of ways you can help:

1. Volunteering– Foodworks and the meal team could use your help!
2. Resource donation– sleeping bags, tents, hygiene items, and food are always helpful and always needed
3. Legal expertise– Healthworks is looking for someone with legal expertise related to housing, so if you (or someone you know) are able to provide this, please reach out to Jess at [email protected]

Finally, we asked Jess what three steps she would encourage folks to take to help our neighbors:

1. Have curiosity, be friendly
2. People are people– folks are not all that different just because they’re struggling or have needs others don’t have
3. Consider proactive investment in creating spaces for people who don’t have anywhere else to go 

To get in touch with Foodworks about volunteering, please call (802) 490-2412.

To log any hours you’ve volunteered, please fill out this brief form to receive a 5% discount at the register. Note: please log Healthworks hours under Groundworks.