Federal aid to summer, after-school and enrichment programs for K-12 children has tripled, leading to an unprecedented expansion of affordable programs, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, said Friday.
“My appeal to school districts is we have got to make these programs affordable or free — my own preference will be actually making them free,” Sanders announced at Gov. Phil Scott’s regular Friday press conference. “Every family in the state of Vermont, regardless of their income, should know that come this summer, there’s going to be really great programs available for their kids.”
The American Recovery Plan dedicated $71 million to this programming, something Sanders said had long been neglected.
Deputy Secretary Heather Bouchey of the state Agency of Education announced the debut of a new map for families to search for summer programs near them. The Agency of Education is partnering with local school districts to provide grants to offer more options for summer programs and to make them open to all income levels.
The options will include academic programming, meant to compensate for a year of mostly remote schooling, Bouchey said. But programs will also offer recreation, arts, nature and other enrichment activities.
“We want every child and every adolescent to have access to something fun and engaging this summer, whether that is a full-time parks and recreation or camp experience, a summer internship, or a pre-apprenticeship for our older youth,” she said.
Financial assistance for Covid-19 funeral costs
Human Services Secretary Mike Smith announced a new program to provide compensation for the funeral costs of families who lost a loved one to Covid-19.
The financial assistance could be up to $9,000 for an individual or up to $35,000 for more than one individual who died of Covid-19 during the pandemic, he said. Families should call the Federal Emergency Management hotline at 844-684-6333 to apply.
New opportunities for vaccine clinics
Vermont has two new partnerships to provide more vaccine clinics: one with the Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook, New Hampshire, and another with more grocery and pharmacy locations across the state.
The hospital, located close to the state border, will vaccinate Vermonters on Mondays starting April 19, Smith said. Vermonters can make their appointment there through the state website.
Shaw’s will begin holding vaccine clinics beginning today. Rite Aid and Price Chopper will begin vaccinating April 12, Smith said, the same day vaccination eligibility will open to Vermonters 30 years and older.
As of Friday, 44.6% of Vermonters 16 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 28.5% have been fully vaccinated, according to health department data.
About 28,000 Vermonters in the 40- to 49-year-old age group have signed up since Monday. Smith said that besides the age categories, 3,671 homebound Vermonters have received at least one dose; it’s unclear how large that population is. Another 5,300 people of color and their household members have signed up to receive the vaccine under the state’s new eligibility system for that population.
The state reported 145 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday and one new death, bringing the total to 231 deaths. Twenty-three people are currently hospitalized with the virus, including seven in the ICU.