Grantees

Art VanGo: The Arts Bus Ever is seeking Project funding for an all-weather vehicle (cargo van) to continue with the magic we’ve created in our award-winning, growing & going Ever After Kids Program (and other programs New RouTEEN, Art from the Start). We expect that within 90 days of funding we will begin impacting over 1,200+ kids in Year 1 with weekly art enrichment, likely to double by Year 5 – and this ‘project’ should keep on rolling for a decade of thousands of children’s empowerment thru art! The research-supported, needs-based Ever After Kids Program is based on 2 systemic facts: 1) there will FOREVER be children at-risk in AFTER care programs; and 2) quality art education will ALWAYS be sacrificed from school budgets. We started with routinized year-round teaching 3-5x/week in afterschool, daycare & summer camp settings, but with the onset of the Covid pandemic, we altered course by starting the Kits4Kids initiative to deliver creative & high-quality guided art enrichment & supplies to remote areas. We are now fully engaged year-round and need a vehicle that can accompany our work to fulfill our mission!

An Arts program at the Boys and Girls Club of Vergennes

Increase developmental asset levels among youth by providing them with asset-building programming, including peer on peer mentoring, teambuilding, service learning, leadership training and creative activities.

A prevention based, educational group which meets in Hardwick every week . Involves expanding the program so it will be available to yough who live in the more rural schools in AWARE's service area.

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. By purchaseing paddle boards, oars and life vests 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.

Although the Covid-19 pandemic has kept Cabot's youth out of the library, they will return in the coming year. With disproportionate numbers of trauma-impacted youth, the Library is a key partner in engaging youth in program activities to help them recover from isolation and re-engage with their community and extra-curricular connections. The Cabot Public Library will serve as a Base Camp of sorts—a place for after school crafts, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities, game clubs, book discussions and outdoor adventures, from which middle school children and teens can gain skills before their challenging climb to adulthood. VCTF resources will help to stabilize and grow accessible and equitable Library programing.

The Basement Teen Center (BTC) is a drop-in space in downtown Montpelier that provides quality afterschool opportunities for youth ages 12-18. The BTC provides youth with a unique, unparalleled opportunity to explore interests, solve problems and develop creative programming and skills of their own choosing. In this proposal, the BTC will help youth address their concern that they don’t feel valued in their community. Through the development of collaborative community events, youth and adults will act as equal partners in planning, implementing, and evaluating activities that help them to identify common interests, to learn and have fun, and to recognize each other’s inherent strengths. Youth will develop a sense of belonging and purpose.