The Turrell Fund is proud to highlight one of the 2024 Landon Award winners: Good Beginnings of Central Vermont!
What is Good Beginnings of Central Vermont?
Good Beginnings of Central Vermont (Good Beginnings), founded in 1991, provides support to new parents and their infants.
Good Beginnings cultivates a community among families and their babies, as well as caregivers and other providers.
The key to Good Beginning’s mission is to help new parents during the postpartum stage through resources and workshops.
Good Beginnings of Central Vermont’s Work
Good Beginnings offers various forms of support for families throughout Washington County as well as Orange, Lamoille, and Chittenden Counties.
Programs are centered around prioritizing help for new parents and families as they adjust to having a baby.
Good Beginnings also provides resources surrounding: birth and postpartum, parenting, mental health, and adoptive families.
One key program is Postpartum Angel Family Support, led by community volunteers who provide companionship to new parents. Postpartum Angels visit families for up to 3 months after birth, spending 2-3 hours per week with parents and caregivers.
Postpartum Angels often help with light household chores, spend time with the baby, or spend time with older siblings so parents can have more one-on-one time with their new baby.
How Good Beginnings of Central Vermont Brings Community to Families
In addition to having community members visiting new families, Good Beginnings has multiple locations that encourage meetups among parents and caregivers.
The Nest, open in Montpelier, is a drop-in space that is open to all families for activities that range from playtime to parent group meetings.
Good Beginnings holds parenting workshops, provides baby-wearing consultations, and hosts a variety of events for additional family support.
Partnerships with the community help Good Beginnings’ parenting classes thrive. The Northfield Ambulance Service hosts an Infant First-Aid and CPR class, one of the most popular courses offered.
Good Beginnings’ services have become integrated into wrap-around supports available to families, whether it’s inside the home or within the surrounding community.
The Turrell Fund congratulates Good Beginnings of Central Vermont and supports its mission of connecting families with community resources. Thank you for all you do!
