Grantees

We R H.O.P.E. is using this funding for its 2022 Upper Valley Youth Wellness Retreat which allows 75 kids to learn about their mental health, learn coping mechanisms, and create strong vulnerable connections with their peers. The Upper Valley Youth Wellness Retreat is an affordable camp that provides life-changing mental health support to kids who in many cases would not be able to receive mental health support without the retreat. Our Wellness Retreat is offered to low and moderate-income families for just $25 per day because We R H.O.P.E. understands how crucial it is to be able to provide affordable and accessible mental health support to all those that need it. We are so thankful to help the children within our community.

Capstone Community Action’s Head Start program operates under the core tenet that family and child outcomes improve when families are given opportunities to make positive changes and children learn strategies to support their social-emotional well-being. In our 2020 program year, 80% of all enrolled children experienced one or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) or traumatic events. In 2020, there was a 4% increase in the category of household and/or family member with depression or mental illness. After successfully implementing our resiliency-building program in our 3 preschool classrooms at our Lamoille County Early Learning Center, we are implementing this program at our center in Barre.

The Burlington Children’s Space is a 5 Star, nationally accredited early education program serving children from 6 weeks to 5 years, providing full day, full year care and wrap around supports for families. For 38 years, BCS has worked with community partners to enhance services and program quality. Partners include Head Start, The Howard Center, and local school districts. BCS now seeks to join efforts with 4 other early education programs working in partnership with the HowardCenter in order to improve implementation of the therapeutic model, increase access to high quality training for staff across programs, and collect data about the impact of therapeutic strategies on child and family health and mental health.

Changing Perspectives will provide direct support and resources to schools in the Northeast Kingdom to implement social-emotional learning practices. Geographic and economic obstacles prevent schools in the region from gaining access to high-quality SEL programming. Social-emotional learning refers to an array of fundamental skills (e.g., emotional regulation, building healthy relationships) that are linked to personal, academic, and professional success. Changing Perspectives is an educational nonprofit that partners with preK-12 schools to advance thinking and practice around SEL and inclusion. We support schools in five ways: curriculum, family workshops, educator professional development, site visits, and educator coaching.

The Family Place is planning the sustainable expansion of their Child and Family Therapy Program, in order to address the well-documented need for mental health services for families with young children in the Upper Valley, particularly those affected by trauma. After expanding the capacity of their program by hiring two new Child and Family Therapists in 2024-2025, they are planning to increase their outreach to ensure they are reaching all parts of our service area, provide training and consulting to community partners who work with children and families to amplify their reach, and integrate their therapists into their Early Care and Education Program to provide training, classroom support and consultation for their early educators.

Our mission at Addison Central Teens is to offer space, programming and resources which supports teen development and well-being. We envision a community where all adolescents are valued and supported to realize their full potential. Recognizing the critical role parents play, we are working to help strengthen relationships between teens and their parents. While parent/teen relationships can often feel difficult, twice a month we will provide an opportunity to get loose, connect, and enjoy each other's company. We will provide food and a fun activity designed to bring teens and parents closer together. Should anyone request additional help, we will be ready to provide support and resources to help teens and parents thrive.

The Teen Center is a community space for teens serving the ACSD school district. They plan to continue a program piloted last year, ConnecTeen. ConnecTeen was designed to bring teens and parents together for a fun night of food, games, crafts, or projects. The idea was simply to make it easier for teens to connect with their trusted adults. This year, they will expand their idea of 'parent', and invite trustworthy community members to their events.. For those teens who are reticent to invite their parents (and many are, because, well, they're teens), they will provide more social connections with adults in the community, with the hope of strengthening our teens' sense of belonging, ability to seek guidance, and access to support.

Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center was founded to ensure access to lake-based education and recreation for all community members regardless of gender, ability, income, age, race, culture & ethnicity. Now in their 30th year, theyy continue to seek new ways to ensure lake access and life lessons for all. The Diversity Access Initiative (DAI) has been designed to mitigate historic, social, and economic barriers to outdoor, water-based recreation experienced by children who identify as BIPOC: free summer camp and afterschool activities, with a pathway to employment.