Addison Building Bright Futures and Integrating Family Services
Collaboration comes easily when families are at the 
of our work.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)
Building Resilience
The IFS/BBF council met in March to learn more about
ACES and AFES (Adverse Family Experiences)
. Charlie Biss, Dept. of Mental Health, provided up-to-date information about the prevalence of AFES in Vermont. This body of current research links early trauma and maltreatment to health issues and well-being later in life. The council spent time brainstorming how to mitigate the effects of early trauma, and identified raising awareness as a key first step to building a resilient community.
Middlebury College student volunteer organizations,
DREAM and
Community Friends, and
MiniBury.com
, are partnering with IFS/BBF to bring the documentary,
Resilience, The Biology of Stress and Science of Hope, to our community. The first screening will be held in early May, and is open to the community. Learn more about this award-winning film
here. Event details will be available in early April.
Getting Children to Eat Well
Healthy Children, Happy Families
This free workshop will help parents understand how food and nutrition impact child health and well-being. Community partners will be present for hands on cooking, and information about how to access healthy and affordable local food.
Free dinner and childcare provided. RSVP required.
Wednesday, April 19th
5:30-7:0pm
Congregational Church, Vergennes
*WIC Approved Activity
Next up... Kindergarten Transition in Bristol, May 2017.
More information will be available soon.
Kindergarten Transition
What to Expect Guide
for Parents with children entering Kindergarten in Addison County in Fall 2018
Special thanks to Meg Baker, Addison Universal PreK Coordinator, and the Kindergarten Transition Planning Team for compiling this amazing resource for parents and staff.
Supporting Breastfeeding Working Moms
The Vermont Department of Health-Middlebury has long 
been working on spreading the word about the benefits of breastfeeding- to mothers, children and employers.
As part of their mission, VDH-MIddebury is visiting businesses and offering information about becoming a breastfeeding-friendly employer, how to support nursing moms, and sharing grant opportunities for creating a lactation space in the office! Contact Gillian to learn more:
388-5746.
