Foster Grandparent Program, United Way of Northwest Vermont

01/03/2025

09/23/2024

Why Should You Volunteer?
Volunteering is self-care! Did you know that when you volunteer, you benefit yourself and those in need?

09/16/2024

What is AmeriCorps?

What is AmeriCorps? Our Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and v...

08/02/2024

Happy 19th Anniversary to Foster Grandparent, Louise Kelly!
Grammie Kelly has volunteered 34,500 lifetime hours in service to the children in Burlington and Winooski School District.
It is an honor to have her in our program!

07/26/2024

Gramma Sara serves as an AmeriCorps Senior volunteer enriching students’ lives during the Burlington School District SOAR summer program.

06/04/2024

A heartwarming message from kids to AmeriCorps Senior Foster Grandparents.

05/09/2024

Foster Grandparent, David Pratt, was nominated by his students at Franklin Central School for WCAX Super Senior.

01/10/2024

Thank you “Grammie Maggie!”

“I have a lot of love to give, and it makes me feel very good that I can do something helpful for children.”

In the spirit of looking back and celebrating our community, all of us at United Way of Northwest Vermont want to say a special thank you to Maggie Rutledge, a longtime Foster Grandparent volunteer who resigned due to health reasons in December 2023.

Over the course of 16 years, “Grammie Maggie” dedicated nearly 16,000 hours sharing her love and wisdom with local children as a Foster Grandparent volunteer.

At the age of 92, Foster Grandparent Maggie Rutledge was still volunteering four mornings a week! From putting puzzles together, to building houses and tunnels out of blocks, to reading and singing, to offering hugs and comfort, Maggie has been a beloved source of comfort and encouragement for young children, as well as their teachers and caregivers.

Maggie formed strong bonds with several children who needed a little extra one-on-one loving attention. One parent wrote a letter to thank her for helping their child accept his place in the family after the birth of a new baby: “With her love and compassion, Grammy supported our son while he adjusted to being a big brother. The two formed such a sweet bond. Without her, I am not sure how we (especially me) would have survived that time.”

When schools shut down during COVID, Grammie Maggie continued to Zoom with children a couple times every week, reading them books, listening to their stories, or just watching them play. Once vaccinations and guidance allowed, Grammie returned in person. “Having Grammie here (over Zoom, and in person) gave the children a sense of normalcy in a world that had been tipped upside down. Grammie listened to them, and read to them, and talked about their drawings with them. That extra love during such a difficult time made all the difference for our children (and teachers!),” wrote Julie LaFountaine, assistant director at Pine Forest Children’s Center where Maggie volunteered as a Foster Grandparent.

We are so grateful for and inspired by Foster Grandparent volunteers like Grammie Maggie who are helping us build a brighter tomorrow in Northwest Vermont.

10/03/2023

🎬 Exciting News! Join ESSEX CHIPS for a very special FREE screening of "Our American Family" on October 3rd from 7-10pm! 🍿 followed by a live discussion with Our American Family member, Linda! 🗣️

We'd like to extend our sincerest thank you to Essex CHIPS and the generous sponsors who made this event possible: Anonymous, Division of Substance Use Programs, Vermont Department of Health, Essex Experience, and United Way of Northwest Vermont. 🙏

Don't miss out on this opportunity to watch a touching story and engage in a meaningful conversation. Grab your FREE tickets HERE: https://sevendaystickets.com/events/our-american-family-10-3-2023

See you on October 3rd! 📅

10/02/2023

Anxious Nation Comes to Main Street Landing in Burlington this Thursday at 6pm 🎥

Our Mental Health Initiative is proud to be partnering with NAMI Vermont for this event alongside other state community organizations. Together we're bringing the documentary Anxious Nation to communities statewide throughout October. These screenings are free to the public thanks to a grant from the Vermont Community Foundation.

The events will feature a documentary screening, facilitated Q&A or panel discussions, and access to free mental health and su***de prevention resources. Screenings are made possible with the support of the American Foundation for Su***de Prevention and the United Way Mental Health Initiative.

About the film:
Academy Award-winning director Vanessa Roth and first-time co-director Laura Morton thoughtfully unfold the epidemic of anxiety and explore why we are such an anxious nation. The film sets out to lift the shroud of shame around mental health while giving emotional insights into how anxiety shows up in our children’s lives, impacts families, and what parents’ contributing role may be in the journey. The filmmakers offer deep insights into how we got here and what we can do to harness anxious energy for good.

ℹ️ NamiVT.org/anxiousnation for details