The church rents the Bank Street building to Vermont CARES, which is one of two needle exchanges on the block. Prior city council votes have demonstrated bipartisan support for the proposal. Despite Vermont CARES’ rocky start, executive director Melissa Farr said in a statement that the needle exchange isn’t going anywhere. On Monday, dozens of harm-reduction activists spoke during public comment at a city council meeting. Troopers have gone to the Vermont CARES building on Bank Street, too, to make sure no one is loitering.