Janet S Munt Family Room

THE JANET S. MUNT FAMILY ROOM IS A PLACE THAT BUILDS HEALTHY,CONNECTED COMMUNITIES BY SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN

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PRESCHOOL:OUR 5 STAR PRESCHOOL PROGRAM SERVES 16-18 CHILDREN, AGES 3-5 YEARS OLD. PRE-PANDEMIC, THIS IS HOW MANY CHILDREN ATTENDED, BUT DURING THIS TIME, WE REDUCED THE NUMBER TO ABOUT 50%ENROLLMENT. CHILDREN ATTEND 3 DAYS A WEEK FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS A DAY. WE PROVIDE THEM WITH BREAKFAST AND LUNCH AND FOCUS ON AN EMERGENT CURRICULUM. STAFF WORK WITH PARENTS WHEN THEY COME TO TRANSITION THEIR CHILDREN TO A SCHOOL LIKE ATMOSPHERE. MANY OF THE FAMILIES HAVE ATTENDED OTHER FAMILY ROOM PROGRAMS THUS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE STAFF AND THE SPACES WE HAVE. DURING THIS PERIOD, WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD A BATHROOM IN THE PRESCHOOL SPACE AS WELL AS AN ACCESS DOOR TO GET TO THE PLAYGROUND. THIS HELP CUT DOWN ON TRANSITIONS FOR THE CLASSROOM AND KEEP THE PRESCHOOLERS AND THE STAFF SAFE FROM HAVING TO CROSS POLLINATE WITH OTHER PROGRAMS. WE ALSO PROVIDED SUPPORTS FOR FAMILIES AND ASSISTED FAMILIES WITH THEIR CHILDRENS TRANSITION TO KINDERGARTEN AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. CHILDREN EXPERIENCED A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES FROM ART EXPRESSION, LITERACY AND LANGUAGE (MANY OF OUR CHILDRENS FIRST LANGUAGE WAS NOT ENGLISH), SINGING, FIELD TRIPS TO THE GARDEN, BURLINGTON CITY ARTS, VERY MERRY THEATER AND LOCAL FARMS. WE INCLUDED PARENTS IN SOME OF THE OFF CAMPUS ACTIVITIES SO THEY COULD BE ENGAGED IN THEIR CHILDRENS EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE.

FOOD PANTRY:DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE STARTED UP OUR FOOD PANTRY PROGRAM. THIS WAS THE GREATEST NEED FOR FAMILIES IN A TIME OF GREAT UNCERTAINTY, SAFETY AND HEALTH CONCERNS. WE BEGAN IN 2020 PROVIDING FOOD FOR 35 FAMILIES. OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, THIS GREW TO 150 FAMILIES A WEEK WE WERE DELIVERING TO. WE ALSO LEARNED THAT WE NEEDED TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FOODS TO FAMILIES AS DIFFERENT DIETARY NEEDS AND FOODS WERE NEEDED. WE WORKED WITH LOCAL FARMS, LOCAL MARKETS AND VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE A RANGE OF DIFFERENT FOODS. WE ALSO PROVIDED GIFT CARDS FOR FAMILIES TO GET SUPPLIES THEY NEEDED. OUR PANTRY BOXES INCLUDED FRESH PRODUCE, RICE, BEANS, EGGS, CANNED GOODS, MASKS, SANITIZER, VACCINE AND TESTING INFORMATION, LAUNDRY SOAP, CLEANING SUPPLIES AND MORE. WE USED THE DELIVERY METHOD AS A WAY NOT ONLY TO SUPPORT FOOD AND SUPPLIES, BUT A WAY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS TO FAMILIES, SEE A FAMILIAR FRIENDLY FACE AND A PERSON TO CHECK IN WITH. WITH SO MUCH ISOLATION HAPPENING FOR FAMILIES, THESE CONNECTIONS WERE VERY IMPORTANT. IT ALSO GAVE US A CHANCE TO SEE THE KIDS AND INTERACT WITH THEM. WE BEGAN TRAVELING PLAYGROUPS AS AN OFFSHOOT OF THIS BECAUSE PARENTS WERE NEEDING AND MISSING THIS KIND OF SUPPORT. THIS EFFORT TO SUPPORT FAMILIES WITH FOOD AND SUPPLIES WAS A GROUP EFFORT AND GAVE US WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. OUR MODEL WAS ADOPTED BY THE VERMONT FOODBANK, ONE OF OUR VERY GOOD PARTNERS.