Introducing the Alliance’s New Outreach Manager: Amy Russo-Perler

The Alliance is pleased to announce that Amy Russo-Perler has joined our staff as our new Outreach Manager. This new full-time position will oversee communications, membership, and events.

Amy joins us from the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE). At the NYC DOE, Amy worked as an Arts Program Manager, managing visual arts and dance programs for all public schools. Before her work at the DOE, Amy worked at various non-profits dedicated to student success. As a volunteer, Amy has devoted time to the Helping Hands Food Pantry, God’s Love We Deliver, and the Ronald McDonald House. Amy graduated with honors from the University of Connecticut and completed her graduate work at New York University. 

Please join us in welcoming Amy to our team. She looks forward to meeting many of you at the Early Childhood Day at the Legislature. To get in touch with Amy, you can email her at amy@vecaa.org. Her full bio and contact info will be posted to our website soon.

The Legislative Session is Fast Approaching – Join or Renew with the Alliance for 2020!

As the year comes to a close, the Alliance is hard at work preparing for the upcoming legislative session – we welcome you to be a part of this work as a member in 2020. The Alliance’s coalition of early childhood organizations, professionals, providers, parents, and employers is working together on its 2020 Legislative Agenda (to be released in the coming weeks). We hope you will stand in support by joining or renewing your membership with the Alliance today!

Food Service Director in Townshend is Addressing Child Hunger with Seed2Tray Program

With support from Farm to School and Early Childhood and other nutrition programs, many Vermonters are exploring creative ways to address child hunger by providing nutritious free or low-cost meals to children. One exceptional example is Chef Chris Parker's Seed2Tray Program in Townshend, highlighted in this WCAX story.

Hunger Free Vermont estimates that 15% of Vermont's children live in food insecure households. Children living in food insecure homes are at greater risk for nutritional deficiencies and obesity, as well as developmental delays, poor academic achievement, depression, and increased aggressive or hyperactive behavior.

Chef Parker says, "It's children. It's their education. We're supplying them with their gym supplies, pencils, paper, everything that they need for school, but we're not giving them the fuel to engage their brains."

For more information on ending child hunger and malnutrition in Vermont, visit the Hunger Free Vermont website.

Community Discussion on Early Childhood with Legislators in Windham County

On Tuesday, the Alliance's Public Engagement Director Charlie Gliserman traveled to Windham County to connect with community partners. After a delicious school lunch at Brattleboro's Academy School, Charlie attended "How to make Windham County the best place for kids?"

This community discussion, co-hosted by Windham Early Childhood Educators Co-op, Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development, KidsPLAYce, and Building Bright Futures, gave stakeholders in Windham County the opportunity to meet their legislators and share their thoughts on how to improve the lives of children and families in the area.

Participants engaged in fruitful small group discussions before local legislators, including Senate Majority Leader Becca Balint, shared their priorities for the upcoming session. Throughout the event, attendees highlighted several initiatives on the Alliance’s Legislative Agenda, including those connected to housing, nutrition, and child protection.

For more information about the event, please see this feature in the Brattleboro Reformer, or reach out to Charlie Gliserman at charlie@vecaa.org or Dora Levinson (Building Bright Futures) at dlevinson@buildingbrightfutures.org.