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"FOSTERING HARTFORD"  
A SPECIAL EDITION E-NEWSLETTER FOR FOSTER, KIN AND RESPITE CARE PROVIDERS IN THE HARTFORD DISTRICT
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JANUARY, 2021

 

 
 

 

 

 




 

 





 



 

 



 







 
 
 

 

A Note from District Director, Kathy Hemenway

During these unprecedented and difficult times, we want to express how truly grateful we are for all of the ongoing hard work and dedication that you have shown for the children in custody.  We are all finding the “silver linings” and becoming more creative about how to connect with each other.  We hope that you all feel supported and know that we are truly all in this together.

Kathy Hemenway
District Director - Hartford
118 Prospect Street, Suite 400
White River Junction, VT 05001

* Remember When?  This postcard heralds back to a time in our local history when the 25,000 Gift Shop was one of our main attractions! Do you remember it?
WELCOME HARTFORD DISTRICT FOSTER CARE FAMILIES!
 
Hello Foster, Kin, and Respite Care providers! This Hartford District newsletter was created just for you as a special edition!  In it, you will find a greeting from our District Director, Kathy Hemenway, and news from around the region you might find interesting and helpful as a foster, kin, and respite care provider.

In addition, this is also an invitation to you to read our regular, biweekly e-newsletter "Fostering Vermont". It comes to you every other Thursday at 6:45am and is full of helpful information, events, training opportunities, and news from around the state.   If you are not receiving it, please email Carrie Aldrich at: carrie.aldrich@vermont.gov and she will make sure you are added to the list of recipients. (You can opt out at any time but we hope you don't as it is a terrific resource that is updated twice monthly.)


THANK YOU!

As challenging as this past year has been, I wanted to mention the “silver linings” that I have found by working in this role.  Every week I have been truly inspired by the efforts of our kinship and foster families. 

Partnering with DCF and Easter Seals, navigating COVID regulations and restrictions, and being
a consistent support for the children in custody are only a few of the wonderful efforts I have witnessed.  Foster parents sharing the “little moments”, which turn out to be huge, healing moments for our children is heartwarming.  The advocacy for the children in custody makes me proud to be part of the Hartford District. 

Thank you for all of the work you are doing every day!

Carrie 
Carrie Aldrich
Resource Coordinator
carrie.aldrich@vermont.gov

Hartford District Office

Phone: (802) 295-8840  Fax: (802) 295-4101
118 Prospect Street, Suite #400, White River Junction, VT 05001

Barnard | Bethel | Bradford | Bridgewater | Briggs | Chelsea | Cookville | Corinth | Dewey Mills | East Corinth | Ely | Evarts | Fairlee | Gaysville | Gilead | Goose Green | Hartford | Hartland | Lewiston | Lympus | Norwich | Pomfret | Pompanoosac | Post Mills | Prosper | Quechee | Randolph | Robinson | Rochester | Royalton | Sharon | Stockbridge | Strafford | Taftsville | Talcville | Thetford | Tunbridge | Union Village | Vershire | West Fairlee | White River Jct. | Wilder | Woodstock

WELCOME HARTFORD DISTRICT!
Welcome to this special edition Hartford District Newsletter for the Vermont Department for Children and Families, Family Services Division, Foster Care.  You are receiving this as a foster care provider in the Hartford District, and as a dedicated community partner.

It is also being sent to you as a gentle reminder that our biweekly e-newsletter may already come to you (alternating Thursday mornings).  If so, we invite you to participate with us in this important conversation about foster, respite, or kin care in Vermont. Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome!


Our goal is to provide you with the most helpful and reliable information, resources and guidance to help you foster children with all the tools and support you will need and that they deserve. 

"Fostering Vermont" 
provides helpful tips, dates for important training, classes, events, and other useful information to assist you as a foster care provider.  You are not obligated to receive the newsletter and can opt-out at any time - however, it is the best resource for ongoing news about Vermont foster care! We hope you will become an avid reader and contributor!  It is provided to all foster parents, FSD staff, legislators, and
to many of our community partners.  We hope it is a helpful resource for you and we look forward to hearing from you as you begin or continue your journey into foster care.

Many thanks for your commitment to Vermont's children and youth.

 
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR REGULAR BI-WEEKLY NEWSLETTER,  CONTACT MARY.COLLINS@VERMONT.GOV
OR, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DISTRICT RESOURCE COORDINATOR, CARRIE ALDRICH AT:
CARRIE.ALDRICH@VERMONT.GOV. PHONE: (802) 585-9724. YOU MAY ALSO
CONTACT THE  RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION SPECIALIST IN YOUR DISTRICT WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT CHILDREN OR YOUTH IN YOUR CARE. 

HERE IS A LINK TO ALL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT VERMONT:
https://dcf.vermont.gov/fsd/contact-us/districts

VIRTUAL COFFEE HOUR!
Our virtual coffee hour has been successfully meeting for the past 3 months!  It has been wonderful to place faces with names and hopefully provide all of you with an opportunity to learn, ask questions, and connect with each other. We plan on inviting various speakers to share information on topics such as attachment, trauma, local agencies, court processes, and are always open to hearing more suggestions for topic ideas.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES!
The Child Welfare Training Partnership is offering on-line trainings including;  A Hartford-specific RPC+ class this Spring with Amy Bielweski-Branch.  To register, contact Carrie Aldrich at carrie.aldrich@vermont.gov for specific dates and registration information.
 

The Village Association is a non-profit foster parent support group which can be accessed for membership on Facebook.  

HOLIDAY GRATITUDE
We are truly grateful for the following individuals and businesses that were able to donate a variety of items this fall for winter gear and for our holiday stockings:
 
Farmway-sponsored "Snowbuster Pass" private donor 
Farmway
Norwich Book Store
Vermont VA Hospital
Dan and Whits 

St. Anthony’s Church - WRJ
Grace Methodist Church - Bradford
VT Teddy Bear Factory
Red Kite Candy
Marilyn Hunt
Knights of Columbus - a donation of winter coats
Barb Lurie - for the handmade masks, hats, and mittens

Potter’s House for adopting two of our families to provide gifts 
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WINTER FUN ON ICE!

If you love winter sports and are looking for a great way to stay active when the temperature dips below freezing in Vermont and New Hampshire, ice skating fits the bill. After you have figured out the WHAT for this winter, it is time to take a closer look at the WHERE and WHEN. Check out these local ice skating rinks and locations in the White River Junction area and enjoy some winter excitement. Open skate times will vary, be sure to check local listings.

Wendell A. Barwood Arena – White River Junction VT
Campion Ice Skating Rink – West Lebanon NH
Union Arena – Woodstock VT
Thompson Arena at Dartmouth College – Hanover NH
Giorgetti Rink – Rutland VT
Riley Rink at Hunter Park – Manchester Center VT
Silver Lake State Park – Bethel VT
 
(THIS LIST COMES FROM A BLOG WRITTEN BY WHITE RIVER JUNCTION TOYOTA)   
Thank you for all the ways you care for Vermont's children and youth! Know of another potential foster or respite care provider? We would love to hear from you! Contact Resource Coordinator, Carrie Aldrich at: carrie.aldrich@vermont.gov, or call her at (802) 585-9724.  
 
THINGS TO DO IN AND AROUND THE HARTFORD DISTRICT!

 
Full Moon Hikes at Merck Forest in Rupert
February  13, 2021
Saturday   4:00 PM (on various days)

3270 Route 315
Rupert, Vermont 05768
Map
We look to the winter sky at twilight in hopes of seeing the full moon. Please visit www.merckforest.org/events/ for full details and to register. 802-394-7836. Cost: $5; call to register.  This event repeats
on:  Mar 13
 
Online: Early Literacy Story Time via Facebook Live
 Tuesday, January 19, 2021 10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tuesday, January 26, 2021 10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tuesday, February 02, 2021 10:30 am - 11:00 am
153 US Highway 5
Hartland, VT
Led by Hartland Public Library children's librarian Amy McMullen.
Contact Info: Hartland Public Library
 
Kids: Live with Amy!
Hartland Public Library
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Additional Dates
 Tuesday, January 26, 2021 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Tuesday, February 02, 2021 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Conversations, reviews, games & more with our children's librarian.
Presented via Facebook Live. No registration required.
Contact Info:Hartland Public Library
publicity@hartlandlibraryvt.org

Winter Weekends on the Farm
January 18 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Recurring Event (See all)
January is a Winter Wonderland at Billings Farm!
Enjoy scenic winter landscapes among the barns and pastures of Billings Farm & Museum in January. Open each Saturday & Sunday from
10am-4pm, plus Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 18, with engaging activities indoors and out for visitors of all ages.   Farm Animals & Winter Fun  Visit the sheep, chickens and goats all cozy in the Small Animal Barn.
Don snowshoes!  Bring your sled! Take a Story Walk! Reserve a Sleigh Ride! Take a Cooking Class! Join our Vermont Film Series! Find links to tickets and reservations at
www.billingsfarm.org.

Zoom Basics for Teaching & Learning
January 19, 2021
Tuesday  12:30 PM

1 Penn Plz # 2406

Hanover, New Hampshire 03755
Discuss strategies for delivering content, engaging students, recording sessions, and using breakout rooms in your class on Zoom. Attendees will have the opportunity to practice, as host and participant, with Zoom tools like breakout groups, screen sharing, polling, and annotation.
Register Here

Where Do We Go From Here? : King's Still Unanswered Question
January 19, 2021
Tuesday   7:00 PM

1 Penn Plz # 2406
Hanover, New Hampshire 03755
JOIN EVENT HERE
Speaker:
Clayborne Carson
Martin Luther King Jr. Centennial Professor of History Emeritus
Founding Director of the King Research and Education Institute
Stanford University.
Dr. Clayborne Carson discusses Martin Luther King, Jr.'s global vision to address racial injustice, poverty, and war. Dr. Carson will consider how that vision and King's unanswered
question can help us process current events and find ways to take action.
Host:
Cheryl Bascomb ’82
Vice President for Alumni Relations
Dartmouth College
Copyright © 2021
STATE OF VERMONT DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES 
FAMILY SERVICES DIVISION/FOSTER CARE
All rights reserved 

Hartford District Office
Phone: (802) 295-8840  Fax: (802) 295-4101
118 Prospect Street, Suite #400, White River Junction, VT 05001
Central Office mailing address:
* DCF Family
Services . 280 State Drive . Waterbury, VT . 05671*
Attention: Mary L. Collins

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VT DCF Family Services Division · 280 State Dr · Fsd Building B · Waterbury, VT 05671-1030 · USA