January 8, 2020
Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary Trinity Episcopal Church
Julie Richards from Lund Center is our guest and speaker today.
The Lund Center is 130 year old non profit organization. In 1890, a group of 14 women saw how society didn’t treat pregnant unwed women well, so they would go around the state and bring the women to an old Victorian house at the site of Hickock Boardman’s building. They would take the women in and care for them during their pregnancy. The baby would be put up for adoption and the mother would go back to society, not speaking of the pregnancy.
Lund Center has evolved and adapted over the years, with services falling in to 3 buckets. Adoption- Lund helps place newborns and kids currently in the state system. Vermont has hundreds of children in state custody. Currently 105 kids are in the state’s system trying to find forever homes.
Clinical treatment- 26 moms live with their kids in the Lund Center residential facility. The facility cares specifically for moms with substance use disorders and mental health disorders. Kids are placed in child care and moms receive treatment at the facility. Many of the children are traumatized from abusive relationships. Moms who are pregnant or parenting kids under 5 are eligible to reside in the residential facility. Moms with kids over 5 are provided with supervised visits and other services in their homes or other safe spaces. Moms need to be clean when they come to the residential facility. Intake counselors make sure the mom is ready to get well. Moms need to commit to 4 months but some stay as long as 2 years. Transition services are available when moms leave the facility.
Babies who are born addicted can take months to get well. These babies are placed in foster care and receive care there. Side effects to prenatal addiction include sensory disorder- these babies require constant holding and they are provided with weighted blankets to hold them tight and calm them down.
Child and Family Services-Lund has contracts with the state and federal government to provide services, with an 11 million dollar budget with 80% coming from state and local contracts.
Kids-A-part is a program for incarcerated moms and their kids. Vermont has one jail for women in South Burlington with 130 women. Lund has an agreement with the jail and provides a staff person with an office in the jail to help women parent their children while they are incarcerated. Studies show that communication is important to keep the mother/child bond while the mom serves her time. Kids come to the jail twice a month for two hour visits through the Kids-A-Part program with Lund volunteers. Lund also has people who do outreach with families taking care of the kids whose moms are incarcerated.
Immigrant families in need are served- translation services offered and high school ESL programs are available.
Lund has a family engagement specialist on staff who helps the family engage in the client’s life- teaching family members how to support the mom.
Moms find about Lund through referrals from UVM medical center, Howard Center, self referrals, family members. Those on the waiting list for the residential care facility are provided with resources until a bed is available.
Give Julie a call if you are interested in volunteering!
Keith led us in the 4 way test.
Our upcoming speakers include:
Tracy Shamberger from Age Well
Michael Kiernan from Habitat for Pollinators Linda Gilbert Hands for Honduras
Board meeting January 16
MEETING TIME WILL GO BACK TO 7:30 ON JANUARY 15, BREAKFAST STARTS AT 7, SPEAKERS THROUGH MARCH WILL START AT 8. STARTING APRIL SPEAKER WILL BE AT 7:30.
Shelburne’s Winter Carnival is at the Shelburne Field House on January 25. If there’s snow Rotary will help with a ski race around the grounds.
Rayne felt Rotary’s help for the race season was very helpful. Keith pondered how we can create a better presence if membership and outreach is really the goal. Rayne is proposing we share web links to help better our visibility. The question was raised as to whether or not Race Vermont is a for profit entity. While it’s an opportunity for visibility we need to determine if providing in kind services to the race series is within Rotary’s mission and purpose. Rayne is great for asking but he doesn’t give back much.
Service opportunity is available with the Vermont Commodity Program- clean and pack surplus crops. See Linda for dates.
Pies for Breakfast March 14.
$2130 raised for Rotary Foundation. One very large contribution which helped to raise significantly more than usual.
Letter campaign brought in $4664. Please consider bringing in a list of 10 people- we’ll keep it going throughout the year. 17 participated, but if you haven’t given Ric a list of names already please consider doing it now.
Month of January we need to nominate new officers for July 1 induction.
Our club needs to name a speech contest coordinator. Identify a date, recruit contestants from local high schools.
District Conference in May at Jay Peak- seeking sponsorships and volunteers. Packets will be forthcoming.
Sergeant of Arms
John Hammer hit 80 years old!
Margo announced the blood drive in Hinesburg at St. Jude’s on January 9
Linda thanked to Julie for coming
Trafton thanked to Lund and is happy for his 2 1/2 year old grandchild who is up on skis! Bob Sanders thanks to those booking the speakers
Carrie’s number is drawn- pot rolls over. Meeting is adjourned- see you next week!
Respectfully submitted, Carrie Fenn
