When it comes to our Health Care Share program, which connects Vermont families with weekly deliveries of VYCC-grown produce via a prescription from their health care provider, we’ve heard plenty of anecdotal stories about how much it impacts both the people who receive the food and those who grow it. But we wanted to understand a bit more.
With the help of SerVermont, we teamed up with Green Mountain Evaluation to take a deeper dive into the HCS program processes and outcomes by talking to participants, program partners, and Corps Members to learn more about how this program impacts everyone involved. The result: a concise look at this program’s impact, including new insights, positive feedback, and affirmation that this important work is core to the VYCC mission.
Those who know and love Vermont are likely aware of the dual forces of an aging population and shrinking workforce.
They also likely know there are several strong nonprofit organizations that work with young people.
Four organizations formed a collaborative called Serve Learn Earn in 2021 to pool expertise and resources and to align programming so young people can move between the organizations to build skills. Those organizations are Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC), ReSOURCE, Vermont Works for Women (VWW), and Audubon Vermont. Each provides training, service, and work opportunities for young adults.
When we work together, we can do more for Vermont. The collective impact of Serve Learn Earn partners is now available at servelearearn.org. As Kate Gluckman, SLE Director noted:
“The launch of our new website means we can share more widely stories of impact, as well as feature partner organizations and upcoming training opportunities. Through the site we will highlight our continued efforts to empower our young people and those sidelined from quality employment through skill building, personal development, and connection with caring instructors and ready-to-hire employers.”
VYCC, ReSOURCE, VWW, and Audubon Vermont work with over 550 Vermonters annually, providing over 4,250 weeks of training and service opportunities. In the last year, participants earned over 300 industry-recognized credentials of value, college credit, and over $2 million dollars in wages and stipends. The various programs under the SLE umbrella can kickstart careers and set young adults on the path toward well-paid jobs in the state.
Meanwhile, Vermont sees the benefit of skilled and engaged young adults with a desire to remain here. Many internship and service experiences turn into or lead to job offers.
Numerous VYCC Members have opted to remain and work in Vermont over the years. Like Claire Scherf (pictured above), who served as a Food and Farm Leader in 2023 and then joined us as a fulltime staff member. Or Petra Castaneda, who moved all the way from Arizona to join a Forest Crew last season, and is now working in early childhood education in Vermont. These are just two of the many stories that illustrate the impact of the programs within the SLE collaborative.
Visit the brand new SLE website at servelearnearn.org to learn more and stay on top of SLE news!
/ Naomi Galimidi
VYCC had a blast hosting 15 inquisitive participants on campus as part of Open Farm Week on August 8th. Vermont news station WCAX joined in and put together a video featuring the East Monitor Barn restoration (check it out below!). Open Farm Week, organized by DigInVT and partners, offers the public the opportunity to go “behind the scenes” on a multitude of Vermont farms. Each farm offers a unique experience—guests can do anything from meeting farmers, to milking a cow, to enjoying wood-fired pizza.
Attendees of our event got an insider’s look at the veggie fields, the West Monitor Barn, and the Farm Barn. They heard from staff about the Health Care Share and food programs and enjoyed a delicious farm fresh lunch of pasta and veggie-ful sauces made by Corps Members. They also donned hard hats and entered the active East Monitor Barn restoration site.
Lead Restorationist Eliot Lothrop chatted with the group while they watched folks prep the ground floor for a concrete pour (a big moment in this phase of the restoration!). Eliot described his path to working on the barn, the history of the site, the amazing progress thus far, and next steps—check out our other blog posts on those topics on the East Monitor Barn site if you haven’t already.
WCAX Feature
In conjunction with the tour, WCAX chatted with VYCC Executive Director Breck Knauft about the scope and the purpose of the East Monitor Barn restoration. To see footage of the barn in the current stage of restoration and hear Breck’s take on the project, click play below! To read the full article and view a separate video about the Health Care Share program, click here.
