On Tuesday, June 20, 2023, during a veto override session, Vermont’s legislature passed H.217, a historic act related to investing in the state’s early childhood system. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2023, with portions of the law being phased in over time through 2026. In this legislative recap, we look at the roles […]
We’re excited to introduce four new BBF team members: Michelle Kersey, Kate Bailey, Tanya LaChapelle, and Valerie Wood. These new hires come as we ramp up our activities under “Vermont Integration Project: Building Integration in Vermont’s B-5 Early Childhood Systems (VIP B-5),” the three-year, $23 million federal Preschool Development Grant (PDG) awarded to Vermont at […]
Flor Diaz Smith’s passion for education and supporting children and communities clearly shines through from the first minute you talk with her. She is an interior designer, a parent of two, and a school board member serving the Montpelier area for the past 14 years. Diaz Smith wears a lot of hats: She serves as […]
The Vermont Lake Monsters baseball team will host a fundraiser to benefit Building Bright Futures at their game on Thursday, June 15, at 6:35 p.m. at Centennial Field in Burlington. From May 25 through June 14, discounted grandstand tickets will be available for $8, with half the proceeds going to BBF. The June 15 Vermont […]
The Child Outcomes Accountability Team (COAT) is one of seven committees monitoring progress toward Vermont’s Early Childhood Action Plan (VECAP), with a focus on Goal 1: All children have a healthy start. To support a child’s well-being, we must consider the well-being of the entire family. It is particularly challenging to support family well-being when […]
Last year, more than 600 people across Vermont took the Vermont Early Childhood Family Needs Assessment. Next week, Building Bright Futures’Families & Communities Committee is offering a virtual briefing where you can learn more about the recently released report on the results. We invite you to join us on Wednesday, May 17, from noon to […]
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This short video about mental health for children and families in Vermont highlights one of the key sections from our yearly State of Vermont’s Children report. Watch the video Our report found that from 2018 to 2021, the percentage of Vermont children ages 3 to 8 with anxiety, behavioral/conduct […]
On March 27, Vermont’s Early Childhood State Advisory Council (SAC) gathered in person for the first time since 2019 to build relationships among members and deepen our understanding of the SAC’s charge and SAC members’ roles. At the meeting, we also marked several transitions in membership. Ilisa Stalberg of the Vermont Department of Health took […]
Building Bright Futures’ Families and Communities Committee has released the results of the 2022 Vermont Early Childhood Family Needs Assessment, providing valuable insights into Vermont’s early childhood system. The survey asked about services and supports for families with children from the prenatal period to age 8, with a focus on better understanding the barriers families […]
Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, BBF has been helping to raise awareness about lead exposure alongside the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, Vermont Department of Health, and the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP). In a previous blog post, we shared how important it is for all […]
On January 9, Building Bright Futures presented a virtual briefing on The State of Vermont’s Children: 2022 Year in Review. This short video clip from the briefing focuses on Vermont’s mixed-delivery early care and education system (including child care, preschool, and afterschool care). In the video, we discuss the gap between demand for and availability […]
Building Bright Futures is hiring! We have five new positions, all open immediately, four of which are grant-funded positions through Dec. 31, 2025, and one of which (Regional Manager) is a permanent position. All are full-time and home-based, with some in-person meetings and/or travel required. BBF is a great place to work; we are a small, […]