Vermont Business Magazine MENTOR Vermont announced today the recipients of the 2024-2025 Vermont Mentoring Grants, the only mentoring-specific funding available to youth mentoring programs throughout the state. This year, MENTOR Vermont awarded 20 grants, totaling $620,000, which will support more than 1,750 youth in communities across Vermont.
More than ever, youth need supportive, committed mentors in their life who see, hear, and champion them. Mentoring relationships provide individualized attention and support, a primary component of pandemic recovery. By increasing the quality and quantity of safe and effective mentoring relationships in places where young people live, learn, connect, and play, the Vermont Mentoring Grants help address the inequities plaguing Vermont youth.
Through state funding from the Vermont Department for Children and Families, MENTOR Vermont provides annual funding to mentoring agencies, investing in the creation and support of quality, long-term, youth mentoring programs.
At a time when research shows that loneliness and isolation are trending upwards, we know that relationships are powerful tools for significant change. They bring us together, help us to navigate our divides, and create a common purpose. Mentoring unites us.
Through the 2024-2025 Vermont Mentoring Grants, MENTOR Vermont has awarded 20 grants to agencies, schools and districts/supervisory unions, and independent non-profits throughout the state, including:
Statewide: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont; The DREAM Program; and Everybody Wins! Vermont.
Multiple Counties: The Collaborative (Bennington, Windham, and Windsor Counties); The Mentoring Project of the Upper Valley (Caledonia and Orange Counties); Spectrum Mentoring/Spectrum Youth and Family Services (Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle Counties)
Addison County: Mt. Abraham Unified School District; and Lincoln School District.
Also see Statewide section above.
Bennington County: See Statewide and Multiple Counties sections above.
Caledonia County: See Statewide and Multiple Counties sections above.
Chittenden County: Connecting Youth Mentoring/Champlain Valley School District; King Street Center’s Mentoring Program; Milton Family Community Center; and Crossroads: Where Cultures Meet/U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Vermont.
Also see Statewide and Multiple Counties sections above.
Essex County: See Statewide section above.
Franklin County: See Statewide and Multiple Counties sections above.
Grand Isle County: Grand Isle County Mentoring.
Also see Statewide and Multiple Counties sections above.
Lamoille County: See Statewide section above.
Orange County: See Statewide and Multiple Counties sections above.
Orleans County: See Statewide section above.
Rutland County: The Mentor Connector.
Also see Statewide section above.
Washington County: Cabot Mentoring; Mad River Mentoring; Twinfield Together Mentoring Program; and Youth First Mentoring.
Also see Statewide section above.
Windham: See Statewide and Multiple Counties sections above.
Windsor: Empower Up!/Mountain Views Supervisory Union; and Windsor County Mentors.
Also see Statewide and Multiple Counties sections above.
About MENTOR Vermont: MENTOR Vermont aims to close the mentoring gap and drive equity through quality mentoring relationships so every young person in Vermont has the supportive relationships they need to grow and thrive. To achieve this vision, MENTOR Vermont provides funding, resources, and support to the youth mentoring field in Vermont to strengthen the quality and broaden the reach of mentoring relationships throughout the state. In addition to managing the Vermont Mentoring Grants, the organization provides technical support to mentoring program staff, maintains an online program directory and referral system for volunteers, manages a quality-based program management database, raises public awareness of mentoring, works with programs to ensure they are meeting best practices, and leads statewide mentoring initiatives. MENTOR Vermont is the state affiliate of MENTOR. For more information about mentoring programs and initiatives in Vermont, visit www.mentorvt.org.
Source: 12.18.2024. Burlington, VT—MENTOR Vermont
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