Making a Big Difference: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont
Ask Kimberley Diemond about the benefits of youth mentoring and she gets excited. She easily lists off a few of the many success stories she’s witnessed as executive director of nonprofit mentoring organization (and new Vermont Community Loan Fund borrower!) Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont .
There was the young boy who’d always shown a deep interest in flying. “Flight, airplanes, anything that flew fascinated him,” Kimberley recalls. “His mentor found a program in New Hampshire, and he ended up getting high school credit for taking pilot classes,” she marvels. “How else would he have had access to something like that, without Big Brothers Big Sisters?”
There was the eight-year-old girl, who came to BBBSVT looking for a mentor. “She had anxiety issues from an early age, but her mentor stood by her through those years,” Kimberley recalls. With her mentor’s support, she began participating in extracurricular activities at school, slowly emerging from her shell. “It was incredible to watch her bloom socially,” Kimberley says.
BBBSVT’s youth mentoring programs match youth ages six to eighteen, one-on-one, with non-parental adults to “promote positive development.” Mentors become role models, advisors, cheerleaders, confidantes and possibly even lifelong connections.
Recent BBBS studies show youth enrolled in mentoring programs are 52% less likely to skip school, 46% less likely to use drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking, among many other dramatic, positive outcomes.
Mentor candidates are screened and trained extensively. Once vetted, mentors (known as “Bigs”) commit to at least one year of service, typically meeting two to three times per week with their mentee (aka “Littles”) for anything from baseball games to in-school visits to hiking and other quality-time activities.
Big Brothers Big Sisters traces its origins to New York City in 1904. Witnessing a flood of young boys coming through the court system, a concerned clerk envisioned the benefits of matching at-risk youth with caring adults who could provide guidance and companionship. At the same time, young at-risk girls were similarly assisted by the Ladies of Charity organization. The groups evolved separately as Big Brothers, and Big Sisters, eventually merging in 1977. Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters chapters exist in all 50 states and 12 countries beyond the U.S.
Mentoring arrived in Vermont in 1975, when BBBS established a presence in Brattleboro, sponsored by a local youth service agency. “But in 2017, we became an independent affiliate of the national organization, and got our own 501c3 status,” Kimberley says. “We became our own entity and officially became Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont.”
The new independence would present some new challenges. “We were starting all over again, from the standpoint of future funding,” says Kimberley. “We needed money up front to make ends meet, pay our staff and programming expenses, before we could draw down future grant awards to actually pay for these things,” she says.
“I heard about the Loan Fund at a conference, did some research and connected with Paul (Paul Hill, Jr., VCLF’s Director of Affordable Housing and Community Facilities Programs), who was really easy to work with,” she says. “He looked at how the Loan Fund could help.”
The solution to BBBSVT’s funding conundrum came via a VCLF line of credit, enabling the organization to cover programming costs in the short term, which are eventually covered by future earnings and grant support.
“You get caught in this cycle of needing to prove yourself before funders will fund you, but then you don’t have the funding to offer the programs that let you prove yourself,” Kimberley says. “Or, some grants will only pay for certain things. Or grant funding comes in small increments, or there are dry spells between fundraisers,” she explains. “Small nonprofits face this, and the Loan Fund understands it.”
“Nonprofits rely on program participants, supporters and our communities to see the value of what we do and believe in us,” Kimberley says. “VCLF believes in us.”
To learn more about BBBSVT programming, becoming a mentor and more, visit bbbsvt.org
Financing was also provided to:
Agricola Meats, Panton
Agricola Meats was determined to expand their fresh pork product line to add cured products like prosciutto and salami. The plan necessitated moving production from shared space at the Mad River Food Hub to their own processing and aging facility. They used a VCLF loan to renovate their new home and purchase equipment. The loan preserves one full- and one part-time job, and led to the creation of three new positions. agricolavermont.com
Creative Discoveries Early Care & Education, Essex Junction
With growing local demand for infant and toddler care, seasoned early educator Katie McGee approached Essex Junction’s Children’s Preschool and Enrichment Center with a proposal. In purchasing the program, its equipment and supplies, she would dramatically expand enrollment both in terms of numbers and ages served, adding infant care to the program's offerings for the first time. She came to the Loan Fund to help finance acquisition and upgrades, renaming it Creative Discoveries Early Care & Education. This loan created new enrollments for 30 children including ten infants, and created six new jobs.
Downstreet Housing & Community Development/Franklin Square, Montpelier
Longtime Loan Fund partner Downstreet Housing and Community Development has been creating and sustaining quality, affordable housing in Central Vermont for over 30 years. The Franklin Square project’s six historic buildings comprise 18 condominiums, and is especially important to preserve given Montpelier’s low stock of affordable homes. VCLF financing helped fund urgent repairs to the buildings and bolstered the condo association’s reserves for future renovations. The loan helped preserve eight homes and created 10 jobs. downstreet.org
Helping Hands Childcare & Preschool, Beebe Plain
Orleans County is among the regions in Vermont most affected by a severe shortage of early care & learning programs. With plans to expand enrollment, Helping Hands was determined to help, but to do so, they needed to upgrade their wastewater system. VCLF financing assisted in covering costs of excavation and installing the new septic system. The loan helped them increase their enrollment to 13 children & families, while preserving two jobs.
The Kids’ School, Stowe
The Kids’ School has provided high-quality early care & learning since 1987. In 2012, the founder’s adult daughter assumed leadership; by 2019 she’d developed an expansion plan to move to a larger space in Stowe, double enrollment to 40 slots, and introduce much-needed infant and toddler programming. Loan Fund financing provided start-up capital and covered costs of internal and external renovations to the program’s new home. In addition to the 20 new enrollments, the loan preserved four full-time jobs, with four more jobs anticipated. thekidsschool.wordpress.com
Vermont Trade Winds Farm, Shoreham
Trade Winds Farm produces maple syrup and other maple products, selling wholesale, online and through their small, open-air, home-based farm stand. To boost sales and increase their capacity, the owners converted a large, unused barn on their property into processing & office space and a brand new, bigger farm stand with better road access and more parking. VCLF financing preserves three jobs and will create two new ones. vermonttradewinds.com
Making a Big Difference: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont
Ask Kimberley Diemond about the benefits of youth mentoring and she gets excited. She easily lists off a few of the many success stories she’s witnessed as executive director of nonprofit mentoring organization (and new Vermont Community Loan Fund borrower!) Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont .
There was the young boy who’d always shown a deep interest in flying. “Flight, airplanes, anything that flew fascinated him,” Kimberley recalls. “His mentor found a program in New Hampshire, and he ended up getting high school credit for taking pilot classes,” she marvels. “How else would he have had access to something like that, without Big Brothers Big Sisters?”
There was the eight-year-old girl, who came to BBBSVT looking for a mentor. “She had anxiety issues from an early age, but her mentor stood by her through those years,” Kimberley recalls. With her mentor’s support, she began participating in extracurricular activities at school, slowly emerging from her shell. “It was incredible to watch her bloom socially,” Kimberley says.
BBBSVT’s youth mentoring programs match youth ages six to eighteen, one-on-one, with non-parental adults to “promote positive development.” Mentors become role models, advisors, cheerleaders, confidantes and possibly even lifelong connections.
Recent BBBS studies show youth enrolled in mentoring programs are 52% less likely to skip school, 46% less likely to use drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking, among many other dramatic, positive outcomes.
Mentor candidates are screened and trained extensively. Once vetted, mentors (known as “Bigs”) commit to at least one year of service, typically meeting two to three times per week with their mentee (aka “Littles”) for anything from baseball games to in-school visits to hiking and other quality-time activities.
Big Brothers Big Sisters traces its origins to New York City in 1904. Witnessing a flood of young boys coming through the court system, a concerned clerk envisioned the benefits of matching at-risk youth with caring adults who could provide guidance and companionship. At the same time, young at-risk girls were similarly assisted by the Ladies of Charity organization. The groups evolved separately as Big Brothers, and Big Sisters, eventually merging in 1977. Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters chapters exist in all 50 states and 12 countries beyond the U.S.
Mentoring arrived in Vermont in 1975, when BBBS established a presence in Brattleboro, sponsored by a local youth service agency. “But in 2017, we became an independent affiliate of the national organization, and got our own 501c3 status,” Kimberley says. “We became our own entity and officially became Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont.”
The new independence would present some new challenges. “We were starting all over again, from the standpoint of future funding,” says Kimberley. “We needed money up front to make ends meet, pay our staff and programming expenses, before we could draw down future grant awards to actually pay for these things,” she says.
“I heard about the Loan Fund at a conference, did some research and connected with Paul (Paul Hill, Jr., VCLF’s Director of Affordable Housing and Community Facilities Programs), who was really easy to work with,” she says. “He looked at how the Loan Fund could help.”
The solution to BBBSVT’s funding conundrum came via a VCLF line of credit, enabling the organization to cover programming costs in the short term, which are eventually covered by future earnings and grant support.
“You get caught in this cycle of needing to prove yourself before funders will fund you, but then you don’t have the funding to offer the programs that let you prove yourself,” Kimberley says. “Or, some grants will only pay for certain things. Or grant funding comes in small increments, or there are dry spells between fundraisers,” she explains. “Small nonprofits face this, and the Loan Fund understands it.”
“Nonprofits rely on program participants, supporters and our communities to see the value of what we do and believe in us,” Kimberley says. “VCLF believes in us.”
To learn more about BBBSVT programming, becoming a mentor and more, visit bbbsvt.org
Financing was also provided to:
Agricola Meats, Panton
Agricola Meats was determined to expand their fresh pork product line to add cured products like prosciutto and salami. The plan necessitated moving production from shared space at the Mad River Food Hub to their own processing and aging facility. They used a VCLF loan to renovate their new home and purchase equipment. The loan preserves one full- and one part-time job, and led to the creation of three new positions. agricolavermont.com
Creative Discoveries Early Care & Education, Essex Junction
With growing local demand for infant and toddler care, seasoned early educator Katie McGee approached Essex Junction’s Children’s Preschool and Enrichment Center with a proposal. In purchasing the program, its equipment and supplies, she would dramatically expand enrollment both in terms of numbers and ages served, adding infant care to the program's offerings for the first time. She came to the Loan Fund to help finance acquisition and upgrades, renaming it Creative Discoveries Early Care & Education. This loan created new enrollments for 30 children including ten infants, and created six new jobs.
Downstreet Housing & Community Development/Franklin Square, Montpelier
Longtime Loan Fund partner Downstreet Housing and Community Development has been creating and sustaining quality, affordable housing in Central Vermont for over 30 years. The Franklin Square project’s six historic buildings comprise 18 condominiums, and is especially important to preserve given Montpelier’s low stock of affordable homes. VCLF financing helped fund urgent repairs to the buildings and bolstered the condo association’s reserves for future renovations. The loan helped preserve eight homes and created 10 jobs. downstreet.org
Helping Hands Childcare & Preschool, Beebe Plain
Orleans County is among the regions in Vermont most affected by a severe shortage of early care & learning programs. With plans to expand enrollment, Helping Hands was determined to help, but to do so, they needed to upgrade their wastewater system. VCLF financing assisted in covering costs of excavation and installing the new septic system. The loan helped them increase their enrollment to 13 children & families, while preserving two jobs.
The Kids’ School, Stowe
The Kids’ School has provided high-quality early care & learning since 1987. In 2012, the founder’s adult daughter assumed leadership; by 2019 she’d developed an expansion plan to move to a larger space in Stowe, double enrollment to 40 slots, and introduce much-needed infant and toddler programming. Loan Fund financing provided start-up capital and covered costs of internal and external renovations to the program’s new home. In addition to the 20 new enrollments, the loan preserved four full-time jobs, with four more jobs anticipated. thekidsschool.wordpress.com
Vermont Trade Winds Farm, Shoreham
Trade Winds Farm produces maple syrup and other maple products, selling wholesale, online and through their small, open-air, home-based farm stand. To boost sales and increase their capacity, the owners converted a large, unused barn on their property into processing & office space and a brand new, bigger farm stand with better road access and more parking. VCLF financing preserves three jobs and will create two new ones. vermonttradewinds.com