Grantees: Equipment Grants

The Bristol Recreation Department creates opportunities for families and children to enjoy Bristol, explore new interests, get outdoors and learn new skills. The role as a Recreation Department is to improve the quality of life for community members and make Bristol a better place to live. BRD is looking to expand our Mountain bike library, a resource that provides access to free, quality, maintained bikes for the community - both child and adults.

Green Mountain Mobile Therapy is purchasing an electric generator battery, which will increase the mobile healthcare units electric watt capacity. This is a sustainable renewable energy source that is efficient and reduces overall costs for the organization. Green Mountain Mobile Therapy is a nonprofit organization that provides therapy and social/emotional services to Vermont’s youth and families in locations that do not have appropriate therapeutic spaces and accessible services. Green Mountain Mobile Therapy engages with schools and community organizations to provide direct
mental health services and social/emotional resources.

Kids in the Country is a small non-profit child care that serves families in the many surrounding towns in Southern Vermont. We provide quality care for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. We are purchasing learning materials, so that we are able to rotate often and keep the children engage in learning and exploring their environment. We will also purchase organizational materials to get our current learning material closet organized and easy to use so that teachers are able to rotate learning materials often to support the children's development and provide them with the ability to build a strong foundation that they will build on for the rest of their life.

Maple Leaf Childrens Center is located in orange county where childcare availability is low. We plan to increase our outdoor enrichment space for all the children we serve and bring art from the inside! MLCC loves using full-body multiuse learning. Art is such a large important of learning. We plan to use this funding to create an outdoor art learning space.

ONE Arts is on a mission to facilitate and coordinate unique and significant art experiences in our local community (Chittenden County) and to build a larger creative community of all ages. Our art center provides daily after school programs and creative camps for elementary ages and middle school in the Old North End of Burlington, while our two early learning locations serve ages 0-5 and their families. We need a new gate to keep the toddlers from leaving the classroom, specifically in our gross motor space. We used a baby gate system, but unfortunately the gate broke, pulling out of the wall. We currently have a couch blocking the exit but this is not a sustainable long-term solution. We are looking forward to replacing the broken gate with a higher quality, safer gate and having it installed by our handyperson. With the $2,000 from the Vermont Children's Trust Foundation, we will be able to install a high quality safety gate, long enough and strong enough to create a barrier to the exit door and specifically made for children that is ADA compliant.  Installing a new gate will help us control exits more safely and securely.

Starksboro Cooperative Preschool has a well-established garden space, comprising two 14 X 20 feet plots located within the Starksboro Community Garden, and adjacent to our school. We use the garden for our Morning Meeting year-round, and for many learning activities. We plan to purchase tools to help children do necessary garden work such as digging, moving dirt, and transporting mulch and debris. We believe that giving children hands-on access to tools and work opportunities will increase their health and developmental skills. Research has shown that heavy work (pushing, pulling, carrying heavy objects) helps regulate a child’s sensory system, provides a calming effect, and improves strength, stability, and stamina.

The Town of Brighton plans to share the communities love of Island Pond. Currently there is no ability for children, young adults, or adults to enjoy the outdoor recreational space that is Island Pond. We hope to encourage residents to learn more about outdoor recreation on the water, water safety, swimming, and all things related to our love of Island Pond and bring recreational water sports to the residents of Brighton and to future generations.

The funds from the Vermont Children's Trust will help us purchase equipment to offer the All Kids Bike program - a complete learn to ride program for Vermont's youngest citizens! Grant funds will be used to purchase 4 strider bikes, 4 pedal conversion kits, and 4 helmets. With our coaching staff and equipment funded by the Vermont Children's Trust, we'll expand access to and promote cycling as a tool for enhancing physical and mental development, and build confidence in a fun and safe environment. By partnering with area schools, we are able to offer this 8-week program after-school and in the summer in a gymnasium environment.