Back to School Fundraiser for UpperValley Families

Since the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic, communities across America have faced not only a health crisis, but also an economic crisis as families, particularly those from low income backgrounds, have had to confront job losses, dangerous working conditions, and the sudden need for childcare as schools have closed around the country. 

Seeking to help out communities struggling with the effect of COVID-19, a group of Dartmouth students involved with the DREAM mentoring program organized this fundraiser to assist the under-resourced communities we work with in rural Vermont. The mission of the DREAM program is to close the opportunity gap for children in low-income housing by tasking college student mentors to work with children from under-resourced communities to provide them with trusting adult relationships, and the academic and social support to equip mentees with the necessary skills to overcome obstacles. 

The state of Vermont has not yet released guidelines on what schooling will look like this year, but as schooling will likely remain at least partially remote, and due to the lack of direct DREAM mentorship programming and the continuing economic crisis, the educational opportunity gap will become an even bigger obstacle to tackle for the low income communities we work with. This fundraiser seeks to help the children we work with weather the transition into an uncertain and difficult learning environment this school year, a transition that will be more difficult for the most vulnerable in our communities.

All funds raised will be used to set up a fund that families in the low-income communities we work with can access for books, educational supplies, food, and other supplies necessary for a positive transition into the coming school year. Supplies such as these are vital for ensuring a positive educational experience for the children we work with even in the face of all the challenges presented by COVID-19. As DREAM mentors, we are incredibly grateful for any contributions to aid the incredible children and families we have worked with for years!