A Legacy in Motion
A journey of faith, vision, and action—made possible through dedication and generosity.
Loneliness, helplessness, and boredom are often the realities of traditional nursing homes—realities we are committed to replacing. At Vernon Homes, we are bringing to life a long-held vision: providing exceptional nursing care within a true home-like environment. Today, the need for this model of care is greater than ever, as elders and their families seek settings that honor dignity, connection, and quality of life.
Our mission of compassionate care will not only be sustained but elevated through this innovative approach, ushering Vernon Homes into a new century of service. This timeline reflects our 106-year commitment to excellence and innovation in elder care, as Vermont’s First Green House® Project Reaches Key Pre-Construction Milestones. The Vernon Homes Green House Project includes the construction of a new 60-bed skilled nursing facility and the rehabilitation of the existing 44-bed assisted living facility on the Vernon Homes campus in Vernon, Vermont. The new skilled nursing facility will feature five 12-resident Green House® Homes, designed to foster community, independence, and personalized care.
Visionary Adeline Leavitt urges denominational leaders to purchase a local hotel as a home for retired missionaries, and Vernon Home was born. She did so at one of the unlikeliest of times: during the deadly Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-19.
After years of development, Vernon Homes becomes the first multi-tiered retirement community in Vermont, providing skilled nursing, congregate and independent living levels of care and housing.
Vernon Green becomes the first nursing home in Vermont to establish a Special Needs Unit with dedicated living quarters and specialized programming for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Vernon Green establishes the Neshama Multi-Sensory Initiative to help improve resident emotional and physical health through exercises stimulating taste, smell, vision, hearing and touch.
Feasibility, and predevelopment work completed, including initial design studies and Certificate of Need (CON) application preparation.
Certificate of Need (CON) approved by the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB), authorizing $36M in project costs, with Medicaid rate support covering ~90% of capital expenditures.
Vermont Act 250 environmental permit application submitted, confirming siting, flood, and wetlands compliance.
The full Vermont Act 250 Environmental Review and Approval completed. Project now fully entitled, with the exception of the final building permit from the Vermont Division of Fire Safety.
Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) developed by Engelberth Construction, confirming current cost estimates.
Amended Certificate of Need (CON) under preparation; capital restructuring and targeted funding outreach underway to close financing gap and advance to construction start.
Long before it became a trend or was written in to law, Vernon Green and thirteen other providers nationwide establish the “Restraint-Free” revolution, eliminating all physical restraints and most chemical restraints for residents in their nursing homes.
Seeking to expand services beyond our Vermont campus, Meetinghouse Village is established, providing the first privately owned independent living community in southern Maine for seniors of modest means.
–Vernon Green engages AgingIN and the Green House Project™ to establish a revolutionary model that restores 24 hr. nursing services to a real home environment and resident-centered care. Vernon’s Green House would be the first in northern New England.
JLL Market Study validated unmet demand for 60 skilled nursing beds, supporting Green House® model viability.
Design Development and Construction Documents phases completed by SWBR Architects and engineering team. Project designated as “shovel-ready.”
Third-party financial feasibility and market appraisal studies completed by Cushman & Wakefield | JLL and BerryDunn.
Project team revised total project budget and capital structure following a $15 million cost escalation (funding gap) identified in GMP pricing.
Vernon Advent Christian Homes (VACH) has successfully completed all major pre-construction milestones for Vermont’s first Green House® Project, including full Act 250 and Certificate of Need (CON) approvals, as well as finalized construction documents.
The project continues to receive strong and consistent support from the Vernon Selectboard, Planning Commission, Windham Regional Commission, BDCC/SEVEDS, and the Vermont Agency of Human Services.