Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak signs her name. Courtesy photo.
Vermont Business Magazine Leaders from more than 30 local organizations and government agencies came together today on the Church Street Marketplace to celebrate a collaboration aimed at strengthening the greater Burlington community. The Small Acts of Community effort, a twist on “small acts of kindness,” encourages people from all walks of life to take small actions to build a stronger community, recognizing the profound impact small acts can have.
At the event, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak joined leaders from the University of Vermont Health Network, Howard Center and Burlington Business Association in front of longtime local business Homeport on Church Street. Staff handed out stickers, tote bags, and window clings to people stopping by, and discussed the effort with shoppers and visitors. Throughout March and April, the team has introduced the idea and gathered pledges at several pop-up events.
Passersby on Tuesday, many walking by with a free ice cream cone from Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day, signed a pledge to intentionally find and do 10 small “acts of community.”
Small Acts of Community are things like starting conversations with neighbors; practicing patience when out dining or shopping; holding the door for others or offering to help them carry something; picking up trash on the sidewalk; and responding to tense interactions with kindness.
About 300 community members had signed the pledge before the event, with many more joining in throughout the day. To learn more and take the pledge (below), visit actsofcommunity.org:
- We value our community spaces and treat them with care.
- We practice kindness, even when we disagree.
- We choose love, even when it’s not easy.
- We value connection, withholding judgment and seeking understanding.
“Small Acts of Community have great worth,” said Jason Williams, Interim Chief External Relations Officer at University of Vermont Health Network. “This is an exciting movement to ensure our wonderful region is a place where everyone feels safe and comfortable, whether that means shopping here on Church Street with friends, spending time on the waterfront with family, or seeking health care services. By participating and committing to performing acts of community, we are holding ourselves accountable to be part of making things better.”
“We’ve all experienced the changes the Burlington region has been struggling with, which I have seen personally at my own business. But we also feel strongly that we can rise above it,” said Mark Bouchett, co-owner of Homeport. “Starting with one small act of community from each of us, we can spread positive change.”
“At its core, this is a strong and vibrant community full of people who take pride in and love where we live, work and play,” said Kelly Devine, Executive Director for the Burlington Business Association. “I believe that by encouraging each other to lean into that love and practice kindness, along with other important work, we can make an impact.”
“The energy we felt in the area last week as our friends, families and faraway visitors came out to gather in awe of the total solar eclipse filled me with hope for our future,” Devine added. “But just days later another business was vandalized. We have work to do, and I am proud to be part of a group that is working together to address our challenges.”
“As a lifelong Vermonter, I know this is the Vermont way,” said Denise Vignoe, Director of Development and Communications at the Howard Center. “We all want to live in a community where we are connected, respected, included, and cared about. A place where we are kind to one another.”
“Our work at Howard Center is about caring for and supporting people with mental health, substance use, and developmental needs,” Vignoe added. “The people we serve often face stigma and misunderstanding on a daily basis and Small Acts of Community can make a world of difference for people experiencing challenges.”
The effort is sponsored by the Workplace and Community Violence task force. UVM Health Network leaders convened the group in 2022 as a way for area stakeholders to work together to identify solutions that keep the people of the region safer at work and in the community. The Small Acts of Community campaign builds on work that has been done to improve safety of staff and visitors to the UVM Medical Center, as well as other community initiatives.
Local leaders, residents and business owners have already taken the pledge. Watch a few describe why below:
Mark Bouchett, Co-Owner, Homeport
Stephen Leffler, MD, President and COO at UVM Medical Center
Hans van Wees, General Manager, Hotel Vermont
Christine Werneke, MS, President and COO at UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice
Small Acts of Community is funded by generous contributions from Hotel Vermont, Northfield Savings Bank, Burlington Business Association, The University of Vermont Medical Center Foundation, and Courtyard by Marriott.
Source: 4.16.2024. BURLINGTON, Vt. – The University of Vermont Medical Center
