The Times Argus reports that 13 sites in central Vermont now offer free summer meals for children. For example, the
city of Barre has just launched a free summer lunch program to combat the rise of childhood hunger. This year, Barre has six drop-in sites open to all children 18 and under: The Aldrich Library, the Hedding United Methodist Church, the Barre City Elementary School, the Highgate Apartments, Green Acres, and the city pool. In addition, the "Northfield Boys and Girls Club and Brown Public Library in Northfield also provide meals that are open to all children" and "meals are being offered for the first time to children enrolled in shorter programs at three other sites: Barre Auditorium (the Frost Heaves camp), the Kellogg-Hubbard library in Montpelier, and Williamstown Elementary School's camp."

Sarah Kunz, the summer nutrition outreach and policy specialist at the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, noted "that more Vermont families are struggling to put food on the table, based on the increased use of Food Stamps, which is nearing record levels, and the growing number of families turning to food shelves." Her organization "expects that up to 360 children will be fed daily through the Washington Country programs this summer – 150 more than last summer."

Link to article

The Times Argus reports that this fall, "Vermont will become the fourth state in the nation to add funding that will allow low-income students to have free breakfasts." Indeed earlier this year, lawmakers added a provision to the state's education budget to pay for each family's share of the reduced-price breakfast program – about 30 cents per meal. This 30 cents is supplemented by the federal government's $1.05 per meal share. During the 2006-2007, "about 21,250 students in Vermont qualified for free meals." This year, that number grew to 21,954, and starting next year, "the state expects to offer 613,338 [free] breakfasts annually."

Link to article

WCAX News reports that according to a new report released by the Every Child Matters Education Fund, Vermont "is the safest place for children to grow up." The report entitled Geography Matters - Child Well-Being in the States,
"ranks states based on ten wellness indicators: infant mortality, child deaths 1-14, teen deaths 15-19, births to teen mothers, little or no prenatal care, child poverty, uninsured children, juvenile incarceration rates, child abuse deaths and child welfare expenditures." Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire also received high rankings.  Linda Johnson, executive director of Prevent Child Abuse Vermont, lauded the state for its great work but added that she would like to "see more emphasis on education about shaken baby syndrome." The Department for Children and Families noted that "it would like to see more work in the area of child poverty."

Link to article

Boston.com reports that a new report by the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law has given "Vermont's congressional delegation high marks for its voting record on poverty issues." Indeed, "U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Peter Welch each got an A+ and Senator Patrick Leahy received an A." Notably, "Vermont is among just four states -- including Hawaii, Massachusetts and Rhode Island -- whose delegation received all As."

Link to article

The Rutland Herald reports that the Vermont Community Foundation will award a $200,000 to Building Bright Futures to "improve child care programs around the state." Building Bright Futures has twelve regional directors and runs the STARS program, "an incentive for child-care providers who exceed state certification requirements." Through the STARS program, childcare providers are "evaluated on factors including the educational degrees possessed by staff members, participation in community activities, ongoing professional development and the type of curriculum used for the children." Evaluated programs receive a rating of "one to five stars" and the childcare provider "receives a bonus of $250 to $1,500, depending on the star rating."

Link to article