Grantees

As one of the few remaining places with free access to information and resources, rural libraries have evolved beyond lending books to becoming true community centers. With close proximity to our town’s recreation fields, tennis courts and nature trail, the Moretown library will extend our commitment to the community outside of our walls by providing a collection of outdoor games, sports equipment and nature exploration kits available for anyone to borrow. This will especially help marginalized families spend time in a community space creating social connections with friends and neighbors. Being outside together also enhances the overall well being of children and caregivers, promoting healthy choices and positive family bonding.

A portable scanner will be purchased to manage library circulation on the Bookmobile truck. The circulation laptop would then have two purposes for the growing demands of the Bookmobile program.

Purchase three light tables for the Center.

Lil' Sunshine(LSCC) is a start up child care center. A Grant from First Children's Finance provided funding for most of our basic operational equipment. Health and Safety is a top priority at LSCC, and our equipment requests will enhance this goal. A high quality crib will provide safe and comfortable sleep for an additional child. The gates will keep children within caregivers sight at all times. The outdoor play pen and stroller will allow infants to safely spend time outside in the fresh air. The toddler furniture for the dramatic play area will provide a safe place to store props and easy access will promote independence. Caregivers will model and encourage proper clean-up. All children at LSCC will benefit from this Grant.

Vermont measures child care quality through a 5-level STARS (STep Ahead Recognition System) program, which recognizes centers that exceed basic licensing requirements. Our program director is currently working towards earning a level 2 STAR. Improving the quality of care often requires significant investment. We are seeking funding to integrate the Arts permanently into our Outdoor Classroom. The weather proof art easel in our outdoor classroom will foster creativity, hand-eye coordination, sensory stimulation and fine motor development. Music provides numerous benefits for toddlers, supporting development across several key areas, including emotional regulation and brain development. The Musical Fence consists of vertical, galvanized, metal tubes spaced closely together that make musical sounds when children drag their hand or mallet along the pipes. These pipes teach them about the randomness of sounds, and that making "music" is up to them. Funding for these two pieces of equipment will move our outdoor classroom beyond basic, minimal programming and provide a truly high-quality experience.

STEAM Learning is a consistent area of focus in our preschool. Our program engages preschoolers through a combination of books, music, art, and hands-on exploration to introduce complex topics. The combination of high quality hands-on learning materials with multiple avenues of learning has made our program highly successful. The grant funds would help us acquire updated toys/materials that will be used by the students daily.

Provide gap funding in tuition and transportation for children to continue their preschool program regardless of parent's ongoing change in service need.