Barre tire drive raises funds for emergency heat

Residents of Burlington and across Vermont gained access to low-cost heating support after the Wheels for Warmth tire program concluded its annual donation drive. The event, held Thursday and Friday, collected used tires at multiple state locations to fund emergency heating assistance for the coming winter.

On Saturday, the public could purchase tires that passed inspection. Department of Motor Vehicles staff checked each tire for structural integrity. If a tire remained usable for one or two more seasons, it was sold to neighbors at a reduced price. Tires that failed inspection were recycled. The Department of Agriculture collected those rejected units for use in crop fields by local farmers.

Erica Scott, a co-organizer of the program, noted the high volume of donations in Barre on Thursday afternoon. “Every year, I always get nervous, you know. We never have a shortage of people who want to come and buy tires at an affordable price, but you worry about the people who are going to donate them because obviously it’s expensive. Everything is expensive. So, to see this much support.. it just feels good,” Scott said.

The program operates on a simple financial model. Donors paid a $5 fee to drop off their tires. Last year, the initiative generated $60,000 from tire sales and collected an additional $30,000 in cash donations. Those combined funds supported emergency heating bills for Vermonters who qualified for aid during the previous winter season.

The drive relies on consistent participation to meet heating needs. Organizers emphasized that the physical act of dropping off tires, despite the fee, directly translates to cash in hand for assistance programs. The Barre location saw a long line of vehicles on Thursday, indicating strong community engagement for this year’s cycle.