The purpose of the grant program is to increase access to summer enrichment opportunities for youth statewide during Summer 2021. At Spectrum, this grant will support the Multicultural Youth Program’s summer workshops and activities, including:

• Weekly life skills workshops, for 30 to 50 youth, to help them build learn about things like money management, self-care and mental health, as well as strategies for planning for life after high school and overcoming common obstacles among immigrant youth. a
• The Old Spokes Home bike repair apprenticeship program for 6 individuals ages 12 to 16. These youth will learn the basics of bike repair through hands-on practice.
• The Girls’ Group program that provides girls ages 12 to 24 who self-identify as multicultural a safe space to connect with peers and explore their realities and challenges through discussions and activities on mindfulness, self-care, dance, reading, and creative writing.
• Community outreach events, which provide low-barrier activities to engage youth in learning about local resources and connect with peers

“After such a difficult year for our community and particularly multicultural communities, these funds will allow us to provide a much-needed support and relief for the youth,” said Remy-Brice Uwilingiyimana, the Multicultural Youth Program Manager. “Being able to increase our staff capacity, allows us to increase the number of young people we can impact within our programs.”

The grants were funded by federal dollars secured by Senator Sanders and administered by Vermont Afterschool. They were awarded to a variety of programs, including summer camps, libraries, municipalities, teen centers, non-profit social services organizations and more, to expand the number of weeks and slots, as well as to increase affordability and accessibility of summer programs.

“Summer is the perfect opportunity to help kids reconnect and recharge. We are incredibly grateful to our state leaders and policymakers for their commitment to the development of the Summer Matters for All Grant Program,” said Holly Morehouse, Executive Director of Vermont Afterschool. “With this funding, communities and youth-serving organizations across the state will be able to create a great summer for Vermont children and youth that will help them make new memories and emerge from the pandemic strong, resilient, and hopeful.”

All Spectrum Multicultural Youth programs are free, thanks to this incredible support. Supportive services such as transportation, snacks, and other basic needs will be provided within each program. Youth and families can register by emailing the MYP team at myp@spectrumvt.org, calling (802) 864-7423 x428 or find more information here.

Located in Burlington, Vermont, Spectrum Youth & Family Services helps teens and young adults ages 14-24 meet their basic needs, access mental health counseling and substance use coaching, and get help with employment, education, and living independently to thrive as young adults. Learn more at www.spectrumvt.org.

Contact Erin Barnaby, Communications Officer at ebarnaby@spectrumvt.org or 802-363-0750 for more information.

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Charlie and Winston Smith choose their bowls.

What follows is a note from our Executive Director, Mark Redmond.

Thank you to all who joined us at the Empty Bowl Dinner on October 12th.

I was awestruck by the compassion and caring you showed for our youth. I am so grateful that our young people can rely on you to offer a hand when the going gets tough.

As René said that night, “Spectrum is about creating that sense of family. It is about creating a sense of community and knowing that we are loved and supported. And that there are youth and staff and, also, wonderful people like you out here who are supporting us every day. And I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you are doing.”

Thanks to you, we raised $68,400 that night—$15,000 from the giving board alone! And because of the generosity of all who donated food and services to the event, almost all of the money raised will go directly to helping our youth build their own success.

Thank you for being a part of such a great night.

With gratitude,

Mark Redmond

Empty Bowl volunteers and Spectrum staff at the end of the night.

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Governor Phil Scott cuts the ribbon with Detail Works employees, celebrating our official opening.

From our Executive Director, Mark Redmond:

I’m thrilled to let you know that last week was the grand opening of Detail Works, our car detailing business that helps our youth build skills to become successful employees.

As Gov. Scott put it that night, “They couldn’t accomplish all of this without all of your support.” And he’s right! Because of supporters like you, Detail Works is a reality. Thank you for believing in our youth.

“The biggest thing that I love about working here is knowing that each and every one of you supports all of us. You give us more support than we’ve had in our lives.” — Charles, a Detail Works employee.

From one happy customer this week: “They did a great job. My car hasn’t been this clean in years. Very complete and professional. Highly recommend this service.”

These appointments go fast, so make one now. And, while you’re there, check out our new website. As always, I’d love to know what you think.

Thanks,

Mark Redmond
Executive Director

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From left, Riverstone counseling staff: Sunnie Lobdell, Kristen Vogel, Leslie Ferrer, and Will Kraman.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Spectrum Expands to Include New Riverstone Youth Counseling Program
Nationally Recognized Leader in Youth and Adult Services Launches New Service

BURLINGTON, VT (August 25th, 2017) – Spectrum Youth & Family Services, a nationally recognized nonprofit providing youth and adult services to the Burlington area, today announces the addition of a new counseling program: Riverstone Counseling. This new branch of Spectrum specializes in working with teenagers, young adults, and their families, to help youth identify and work with their strengths to help achieve their goals.

Since 1970, Spectrum has been an integral part of the Burlington community by supporting thousands of children and families faced with homelessness, mental health issues, violence, substance abuse and countless other critical issues.

Through services like mentoring, skills programs, supportive housing, multicultural youth programs, a health center, and more, Spectrum has helped to make sustainable, positive changes within the community.

The addition of Riverstone adds a youth-focused counseling program to Spectrum’s wide range of services.

Open to the public, Riverstone counselors are trained clinical mental health/social workers and substance abuse counselors who focus on a client-centered approach to help teenagers and young adults work through and overcome mental health and substance use issues.

Riverstone counselors specialize in helping clients with mental health and substance use issues using cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR for trauma, narrative therapy and other proven treatments.

“The goal of Riverstone Counseling is to be a mental health resource for our entire Chittenden County community, not just clients being served in other Spectrum programs,” said Sarah Woodard, Director of Development and Communications at Spectrum. “The addition of Riverstone adds another level of specialization and focus to Spectrum’s current services and allows us to provide personalized one-on-one counseling support to youth in our community who could benefit from counseling. The team at Riverstone is skilled in working with youth and young adults in crisis, trauma, or those who just would benefit from a therapeutic relationship.”

For more information about Riverstone Counseling, please visit: www.riverstonecounseling.org.

To make an appointment, email hello@riverstonecounseling.org, or call (802) 864-7423 x310.

The post Spectrum Expands to Include New Riverstone Youth Counseling Program appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

“I had a bit of a rougher childhood than most. My mom was a drug addict and an alcoholic. It wasn’t uncommon for me to wake up in the house, all alone.”

Charles was without a home at the age of 18, but he’s not letting that define him. Thanks to generous people like you supporting Spectrum programs, Charles and other young people are building their resilience.

You can meet a group of young adults in our community facing homelessness, addiction, and struggles with mental health, and hear their stories of resilience in this video from Parent Co., made by Brendan Bubion.

Thanks, Parent Co., for sharing this story!

The post Resilient: A Parent Co. Story appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Thank you to all who came to our Empty Bowl Dinner on October 20th!

Our Executive Director, Mark Redmond, wanted to share this note with you about the evening:

The stories you heard that night, the quotes from our youth that you saw on the tables, they all underscore how tough the teenage and young adult years can be, especially when you start out with the deck stacked against you.

But I was so inspired to look around the room that night and see all of you showing up for our youth and letting them know you have their backs.

All told, we raised $57,000 that night thanks to YOU, $14,365 from the giving board alone, and because so much of the food and services were donated, almost all of that will go straight to helping our youth transform their lives.

From all of us, thank you for being a part of such a great night.

With gratitude,

Mark Redmond
Executive Director

P.S., you can see photos of the event on our Facebook page!

From left to right, celebrity soup servers Miss Vermont Rylee Field; TJ Donovan, Chittenden County State’s Attorney; Beth Sightler, Executive Director, Champlain Community Services; Craig Mitchell, DJ/Producer; Katharine Montstream, Artist; Rusty DeWees, Actor.

The post What a night! appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Bob and Ryan met four years ago through our mentoring program. Since then, Bob’s helped Ryan get his boating and driving licenses, and they’ve gone to Red Sox games and ridden along on fire department ladder trucks. They’re even participating in the Spectrum Sleep Out this year in solidarity with youth who are homeless! As Ryan put it, “The past four years have been the best four years of my life, and I couldn’t be any more thankful for you, Bob.”

January is National Mentoring Month, and Mobius Mentors organized a wonderful celebration day at the Vermont State House for the mentoring programs that reach across the state.

Each mentoring program nominated one mentor to win Comcast’s Vermont Mentor of the Year. Thanks to your votes, we’re excited to tell you that Bob Wheel and his mentee Ryan received the award for Comcast’s Vermont Mentor of the Year!

We are so excited for Bob and Ryan, and so grateful to you for casting your vote to support them. The celebration was especially wonderful because Bob’s friends and family came, too! It was truly a community effort.

Bob wanted to share this amazing news and his thanks to family and friends, and we’ve posted an excerpt below:

“My good friend Mark Redmond will be quick to tell you that it takes a village to raise a child. I will happily acknowledge that the members of my village have always been very eager to help me to provide my friend Ryan with unique opportunities. Without your generous and gracious support, the past four years would not have been nearly as exciting for Ryan and me.

“So to my daughter Carol, and other members of my family who have treated Ryan as a member of the extended family, thank you. To my many good friends, who have provided spectacular visits to the beach, or top tier tickets to Fenway, thank you!! Or to those who have helped to provide Ryan with an awesome experience with a championship Cannons Baseball season, thank you.

“And to my friends at South Burlington Fire Department who have helped develop Ryan’s sense of respect for public safety and have provided him with experiences that he will forever remember, thank you! To a great friend and their spouse, who hooked Ryan up with a full set of snowboard gear to facilitate our trips to the mountain (even the one when I tore my Achilles tendon), thank you.

“To my good friends Lee Ann Donner and Mark Redmond of Spectrum Youth and Family Services, thank you. Your never-ending support and guidance ensures our success, so again, thank you.

“To Mobius Mentoring and to all of the individuals, corporations, and businesses that support mentoring in Vermont, thank you! Your generosity allows mentoring pairs the opportunity to embark on adventures that may not be possible otherwise.

“To my own mentor and Scoutmaster, Larry O’Keefe, thank you!

“But I really need to thank my mentoring partner Ryan Wallace for a great four years. The rewards in our mentoring relationship are bisynchronous my friend, they go both ways. Mentoring may end at some point, but friendship is for life.

“And to Ryan’s mom, thank you for trusting me with your kid. I know very much how important he is to you, and I appreciate your trust and support.

“So, if you are thinking about being a mentor, but think you don’t have the time, just ask yourself, who mentored you?”

We are so moved by Bob’s words of gratitude, and the words of praise from his community:

As one person put it, “You have been such a strong supporter and a big influence in his life … you’ve always stood tall by his side with such great advice and unconditional love and support.”

Ryan told us, “Bob has made me realize that school is not really a game or a joke anymore. If you want to do something, you’ve got to work for it. He’s worked for everything he has.”

One of Bob’s friends said, “You deserve recognition for showing Ryan that giving back to your own community is what can help heal a broken world.”

We couldn’t agree more! Congratulations to Bob on his well-deserved award for Vermont Mentor of the Year.

To learn more about our mentoring program and become a mentor, email Lee Ann Donner at ldonner@spectrumvt.org, or call (617) 480-8215.

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We’re teaming up with Phoenix Books and Chris Bohjalian to raise some holiday cheer for our youth!

For every copy of Bohjalian’s upcoming novel The Guest Room that you preorder before December 24th, $5 goes directly to our youth.

Plus, the first 300 books preordered will also be signed and personalized by Bohjalian in time for the release of The Guest Room on January 5th, 2016.

“This program is the epitome of what makes Vermont so special: a local, homegrown talent supporting his community, working in partnership with a locally owned bookstore, to raise needed funds for one of the most important social service organizations in Vermont,” says Phoenix Books owner Mike DeSanto. “I am so happy to work with Chris Bohjalian and our fantastic booksellers along with the wonderful staff at Spectrum Youth and Family Services to do what we can to support Spectrum. May the gift giving begin!”

All three Phoenix Books locations – in Burlington, Essex, and Rutland, Vermont – will be chipping in to help! For more information, please call 802-872-7111 or visit Phoenix Books online.

Mark Redmond, our Executive Director, said, “We’re so grateful that Chris wanted to help the teens and young adults we serve this way. There is no question he is a masterful writer who knows how to keep a reader hooked from the first page to the last. But as far and wide as he travels, he is always reaching out to help his community back home any way he can. We appreciate it so much.”

“It has never been easy to be a teenager,” adds Bohjalian, “but these days it might be tougher than ever. That’s why I support Spectrum. Over the years, I have met — and written about — so many teens whose lives were changed by the group. Spectrum sees the promise in our kids and gives them a future.”

Read more about The Guest Room on Chris’s website.

The post Why your holiday shopping helps our youth appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

The Teen Intervention Program for Substance Use (TIPS) program combines weekly, individual motivational and behavioral coping skills counseling and a motivational incentive program that involves earning rewards for getting and staying abstinent.

“Spectrum was selected to partner with Dartmouth because of their superior leadership and active use of the most effective treatment strategies available,’’ said Dr. Alan Budney, Co-Director of the Dartmouth Addiction Treatment and Research Program.

“Spectrum and their clinical leader, Annie Ramniceanu, are unique in their enthusiasm for embracing opportunities to modify their programs when new information about more potent options becomes available. It is very difficult to change substance use patterns and behavior. So we always look to clinical science to guide our ideas, and Spectrum leadership thinks the same way.”

In the TIPS program, parents or guardians also meet weekly with the counselor to develop and manage a reward and consequence plan for the home that can motivate abstinence from substance use. These types of interventions can increase the probability that teens can be successful in stopping marijuana and other substance use compared to usual programs offered in community settings.

In addition, this research program is designed to test whether or not a computerized program can further increase the chances that teens in treatment can get and stay clean from all substances.

“The hope is that their thinking ability will improve, which will help them make better decisions when faced with risky situations, and may even help with school performance,” said Ramniceanu, Spectrum’s deputy director.

The program is funded by a research grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which was awarded to Drs. Alan Budney and Catherine Stanger, faculty members at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. They have spent the last 15 years continuously working on science-based ways to improve substance abuse treatment outcomes so that teens and their families have a better chance of success when seeking help.

Download the full press release here.

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