Clear skies. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable..
Clear skies. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable.
Let's Grow Kids teamed up with United Counseling Service's Head Start program to honor Bennington County state legislators Thursday for their commitment to children and families in the community. Seated are state legislators Brian Campion, Dick Sears and Mary Morrissey.
Katlyn Mason has two children in the UCS Head Start/Early Start program and spoke of the many ways that the program has positively affected her childrens' well-being.
Let's Grow Kids teamed up with UCS' Head Start program to celebrate Bennington County state legislators for their commitment to children and families in the community.
Let's Grow Kids teamed up with UCS' Head Start program to celebrate Bennington County state legislators for their commitment to children and families in the community.
Let's Grow Kids teamed up with UCS' Head Start program to honor Bennington County state legislators for their commitment to children and families in the community. Rep. Mary Morrissey, left, and Sen. Brian Campion, right, cat with attendees.
Let's Grow Kids teamed up with UCS' Head Start program to celebrate Bennington County state legislators for their commitment to children and families in the community.
Let's Grow Kids teamed up with United Counseling Service's Head Start program to honor Bennington County state legislators Thursday for their commitment to children and families in the community. Seated are state legislators Brian Campion, Dick Sears and Mary Morrissey.
Katlyn Mason has two children in the UCS Head Start/Early Start program and spoke of the many ways that the program has positively affected her childrens' well-being.
Let's Grow Kids teamed up with UCS' Head Start program to celebrate Bennington County state legislators for their commitment to children and families in the community.
Let's Grow Kids teamed up with UCS' Head Start program to celebrate Bennington County state legislators for their commitment to children and families in the community.
Let's Grow Kids teamed up with UCS' Head Start program to honor Bennington County state legislators for their commitment to children and families in the community. Rep. Mary Morrissey, left, and Sen. Brian Campion, right, cat with attendees.
Let's Grow Kids teamed up with UCS' Head Start program to celebrate Bennington County state legislators for their commitment to children and families in the community.
BENNINGTON — Legislators were honored in front of the Spring Center on Thursday for their dedication to early childhood development and quality child care.
Community members gathered around a ginkgo tree outside the Bennington Recreation Center that was dedicated to the legislators in Bennington County and their commitment to children and families in the community.
Sens. Dick Sears and Brian Campion and Rep. David Durfee were in attendance. Representatives from Let’s Grow Kids, a child care advocacy organization, and United Children’s Services, which falls under the umbrella of United Counseling Service, were also present.
Betsy Rathbun-Gunn is the director at United Children’s Services, and she opened the ceremony. She spoke kindly of Let’s Grow Kids and the funding the Head Start programs have received from the state.
She said the Spring Center was critical during the pandemic, because its child care services allowed essential workers to return to work.
“We never stopped serving for more than two weeks during the whole pandemic,” Rathbun-Gunn said. “We shut down for two weeks in March.”
Still, working through the pandemic required a large push from the staff, and now they need more support.
“We needed additional funding. We needed additional structures,” said Rathbun-Gunn. “We know that it takes more than just a village; it takes a state.”
A ginkgo tree was planted in dedication to the legislators that helped the Spring Center grow. Ginkgo trees, according to Rathbun-Gunn, symbolizes life and the growth to come.
Aly Richards, CEO of Let’s Grow Kids, understands the importance of growth in child care. She said three out of five kids under age 6 in the state need child care but do not have access. That’s 8,700 children.
Richards said, on average, early childhood educators make $14 an hour.
“So something is wrong. Something is really truly wrong. These are our kids,” she said.
She wants Vermont to be the first state in the country to take care of children and families by supporting early educators with these programs.
“The time is now for public investment to fix this. … Child care is essential infrastructure, and we all benefit, we get it right,” she said, adding that this is a bipartisan issue.
Beth Wallace, the assistant director at United Children’s Services, gave some data points associated with the Spring Center. Last year, the center served 52 children; it was open 175 days a year and provided 9,100 breakfasts, lunches and snacks.
This year, the program will serve 60 children.
“When parents are able to go to work with a peace of mind, have trust that their children are well-cared for and not have to worry — they’re more productive employees,” said Wallace.
Katelyn Mason was the final person to speak. She is a parent of children that attend the Spring Center.
“It allows me peace of mind,” she said. Her children had the opportunity to grow and overcome their fears in social and emotional situations.
She said both of her children’s education have improved. Her son had a delay in his speech before attending Spring Center. Now, Mason said, he never stops talking. She hopes that the program will expand so others might benefit from these opportunities.
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