In the past twelve months, 250 young Vermonters received babysitter training as a result of a partnership between the American Red Cross and the J Warren and Lois McClure Foundation. This partnership, now completing its fourth year, has trained a total of 900 babysitters. A fifth year of the grant has been approved, ensuring another 250 kids will receive training over the next year.
“Vermont has been incredibly fortunate to have the support of the McClure Foundation to bring these vital, and potentially lifesaving, skills to youth across Vermont,” said Larry Crist, Regional Executive of the Vermont & the New Hampshire Upper Valley American Red Cross. “The Foundation’s generosity is bringing opportunity to young Vermonters by providing skills and teaching them about responsibility.”
The 11- to 15-year-old students who participate in these grant-funded classes receive the 6-hour, instructor led American Red Cross babysitter training at no cost to them. This creates an opportunity for young Vermonters for whom the standard course fee may be an obstacle to take advantage of this training.
For some of babysitters trained through this grant, they are putting their newly acquired skills to use right in their own homes, where the schedules of working parents require older siblings to watch younger siblings. Others who take the class are budding entrepreneurs who use their training to sit for neighbors, family friends and others.
The J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation collaborates with educators, organizations and philanthropists to improve and promote postsecondary and career education opportunities within the state with the conviction that through this work, Vermont’s most important resource – its people – will become more fully empowered.
Through these grant-funded babysitting course, the participating students learn how to do the following:
- Care for children and infants;
- Be a good leader and role model;
- Make good decisions and solve problems;
- Keep the children they baby-sit and themselves safe; and
- Handle emergencies such as injuries, illnesses and household accidents.
In the year ahead, as it has over the past two years, the American Red Cross will be reaching out to community libraries to host the babysitting classes. Libraries interested in participating can contact Doug Bishop of the Vermont & the New Hampshire Upper Valley American Red Cross at[email protected].
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visitredcross.orgor visit us on Twitter at@RedCross.
About the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation:
The J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation is a supporting organization of the Vermont Community Foundation. The Vermont Community Foundation is a family of hundreds of funds and foundations established by Vermonters to serve their charitable goals. It provides the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise to make giving easy and effective. The Foundation also provides leadership in giving by responding to community needs, mobilizing and connecting philanthropists to multiply their impact, and by keeping Vermont’s nonprofit sector vital with grants and other investments in the community. Visitwww.vermontcf.orgor call802-388-3355for more information.