Current News

Click here to view our April 2012 e-newsletter, Big News from DREAM. Features include a write-up on our Teen Retreat, new AmeriCorps job postings, a review of Boston's very first DREAMstock, and an announcement about our nomination to win a StayClassy Award this year.

Volunteering on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has become a tradition in DREAM. On January 16, eight mentees ages 13 and up from our Local Programs across Vermont came together for a day of job skills training, team building activities, fun and games.

The day kicked off with sessions focused on developing job interview skills and filling out applications to a variety of businesses and organizations. Teens and staff then worked on creating resumes and lists of accomplishments to highlight their skills and interests. An extended brainstorm period allowed teens to structure part of the upcoming DREAM Teen Retreat, an overnight event in which participants take part in facilitated discussions on issues including healthy body image, sexuality, and career planning. Finally, the teens and staff learned about making healthy food choices with a fun and energizing scavenger hunt competition in a local Shaw's Supermarket.

On its National Service Blog, Corporation for National and Community Service CEO Robert Velasco, II states that over a million high school students drop out each year, and one-third of all students do not graduate on time. “The problem is even more severe among African American and Latino youth, and those from low-income backgrounds... at the root of the problem is the fact that many of these young people do not have the benefit of a caring and committed adult in their lives.”

CNCS, the government program that also over oversees AmeriCorps, is the national coordinator for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Serice. DREAM teens and staff were just a few of the thousands of volunteers, including President and Mrs. Obama and Vice President Biden, who chose to spend their holiday volunteering for causes important to them.

DREAM is committed not only to pairing our youth and teens with caring adult mentors, but also providing them with enriching activities outside of their weekly mentoring program. We believe this dedication to service to children of all backgrounds from low-income neighborhoods would make Dr. King proud.

Check out photos from our Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service by clicking here!

For the 11th year, the President has declared January as National Mentoring Month. President Obama issued a proclamation on January 3, beginning "Every day, mentors help young Americans face the challenges of growing into adulthood. By setting a positive example and sharing their time, knowledge, and experience, mentors play an essential role in preparing our Nation's youth for a bright future."

Despite all the benefits of youth mentoring, the President went on to note that only about three million children in the United States have mentors; a fraction of the 15 million in need of "a caring adult mentor in their lives."

In honor of National Mentoring Month, Mobius Mentors, a Chittenden County youth mentoring advocacy organization, holds an annual Thank Your Mentor Breakfast. This year's presenters included Senator Patrick Leahy, and Burlington Chief of Police Michael Schirling. Molly Mulcahy and Amer Avdagic, both mentors from our Elm St. program, were among the volunteers recognized throughout the morning as Molly received an Honored Mentor award and addressed the crowd with her mentee, Noah.

DREAM would like to thank Mobius for putting on this special event, and to Senator Leahy, Michael Schirling, and anybody who supports youth mentoring during National Mentoring Month.

For the second year running, DREAM has been selected to be one of the twelve organizations sponsored by Boloco’s 12 Days of Giving campaign. Members of DREAM’s Central Office will be on hand at the Boloco restaurant on Church Street in Burlington on Wednesday, December 21 from 12-3pm to hand out information and answer questions. During the campaign, sponsored organizations are featured for one day, and receive 50 cents from each burrito, salad, wrap, or bowl sold on that day.

Boloco, whose tagline is Inspired Burritos, is a Boston-based restaurant chain with a strong social conscience. DREAM has partnered with Boloco several times in the past for donations of their healthy wraps and delicious burritos.

Learn more about Boloco by vising www.boloco.com, and be sure to check out DREAM on Wednesday, December 21!

The crowd of over 60 that gathered in the beautiful West Monitor Barn in Richmond, Vt. set the scene for a very memorable evening. The made-to-order, crackling fresh crepes were a nice addition, as were the hot drinks on the seasonably chilly mid-November evening.

But the thing that truly stood out from the “Dessert Before Dinner” celebration were the feelings of excitement and warmth generated by giving to a wonderful cause.

DREAM has always had a unique ability to bring out the energy and enthusiasm of people of a variety of ages. In most cases, this is to prepare them to lead groups of children in games or adventures. In the event of DREAM’s 10-Year Anniversary, the focus was on what the program had accomplished and the lives it had touched in its first decade as a non-profit.

Reading from a letter by Ashley Seymour, a former mentee now in her junior year at Lyndon State College, DREAM co-founder Mike Foote intimated “DREAM picked me up and taught me the most important lesson of my life so far: it is perfectly okay to be yourself.”

DREAM would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Cailie Burns and the staff of VYCC for their gracious donation of the West Monitor Barn space, to Connor Garvey for his gift of music, to The Skinny Pancake for cutting us a great deal on catering, to Ben & Jerry’s for their delicious ice cream, and to all the guests of “Dessert Before Dinner” for helping DREAM drive its mission.

In Ashley’s words, “on the hard days, the days you wake up achy and feeling exhausted… know for a fact that to even one kid like me, it counts for everything.”

Check out photos from our event on our Photo page!