Deepening Corps Members’ Experience and Expanding Capacity to Drive Organization’s Future

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Breck Knauft, VYCC Executive Director
802-434-3969 ext. 110 |  Breck.Knauft@VYCC.org | PDF Version |

RICHMOND, VT, Tuesday, April 2, 2019 –
The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC) is excited to announce the hiring of key new leadership roles.

Susie Walsh Daloz, VYCC’s new Food and Farm Program Director. In this leadership role, Ms. Walsh Daloz will oversee all farm operations, partnerships, and programming. “I am thrilled to be joining VYCC. I look forward to building upon an inspiring foundation and working with an exceptional team to strengthen our communities, empower youth and grow amazing food together,” said Ms. Walsh Daloz.

In addition to a strong farming and youth education background with organizations like The Food Project in Boston and The Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, Ms. Walsh Daloz developed and led UVM’s Farmer Training Program and, most recently, has worked for the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts with a focus on water quality and direct support of Vermont farmers.

In recent years, the Food and Farm program at VYCC has emerged as one of Vermont’s leading work and learning programs for aspiring young farmers. The majority of all food grown and raised on the Farm at VYCC is distributed to food insecure Vermonters through the Health Care Share, a unique and innovative partnership with medical centers who identify Health Care Share members. In 2018, approximately 1,200 individuals benefitted from Health Care Shares.

Daniel Schmidt, VYCC’s new Officer of Programs. This critical and new position will foster VYCC’s #OneCorpsAllCorps connection across Conservation and Food and Farm Programs, deepen the Corps Member experience, and play a critical role in making

VYCC possible for every young Vermonter. Schmidt said, “It’s incredible to see the excitement and optimism of crew members after completing a season with VYCC. I’m looking forward to further developing pathways, through education, career readiness, and crew member support programs that pave the way for crew members to become the next generation of community and environmental leaders.”

Mr. Schmidt returns to VYCC, after a year abroad, and previously served as the Conservation Watershed Manager and as a staff member on the Farm at VYCC. Prior to VYCC, Schmidt was the Education Manager at Green Mountain Audubon Center, an Instructor in the Environmental Science Department of CCV, and a National Science Foundation Graduates STEM Fellow.

“VYCC is committed to making the Corps experience possible for every qualified applicant. Right now, we have roughly three times as many applications to positions. Susie and Daniel bring tremendous leadership as we build capacity and lean into the never-ending work of program quality,” said Breck Knauft, VYCC’s Executive Director.

This summer and fall, VYCC Conservation and Food and Farm programs are expanding learning with new program elements for all crews. Offering a variety of paid positions to approximately 270 youth and young adult Vermonters, ages 15 and up, VYCC crews will work in every part of the state. Many of these opportunities are AmeriCorps positions through SerVermont and the Corps Network that come with Segal Education Awards upon successful completion of the service period.

More about VYCC:
Vermont Youth Conservation Corps is a 501c3 nonprofit youth development organization that believes young people change the world. VYCC achieves this by teaching young people personal responsibility through meaningful work that connects us to the land, community, and one another. VYCC Corps Members, are youth and young adults 15 years and older who, work, live, and learn together in small groups, completing priority conservation and agriculture projects throughout Vermont under the guidance of highly trained Crew Leaders. Learn more at VYCC.org.

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