Village Voices 
Network members' voices bring good news and share highlights from around our community.   

Thank You
A special thank you to all community members, families, partner organizations, AmeriCorps Vistas, staff and everyone else part of the Vital Village Network. The work and accomplishments that you all have done has really been inspirational.  We wish our village team members who are moving on to their next chapters all the best in the year to come and thank you each for your service.  Through your help we've been able to increase our focus in Social Justice, have courageous conversations on Discipline, talk about mental health & opportunity, and celebrated Innovation. This year has sparked new collaborations across sectors and inspired network members to engage their community in new ways that promote health 
and wellness for families in Boston and beyond.  
We look forward to continuing this work together in 2018-2019

Introducing New Staff at Vital Village
Ronda Alexander and Diana Rivera are leading the 
Networks Of Opportunity for Child Well-being (NOW)
Learning Community at the Vital Village Network. Ronda is  extremely passionate about making sure all youth, especially those from her hometown of Detroit, have access to a world-class education. She is especially committed to empowering students and communities of color to lead their own transformation. Diana is  committed to advancing racial, economic, and health equity ensuring that our most vulnerable communities thrive in healthy communities of  opportunity and are at the forefront driving policy  and  systems-level change.
Read their full Bios  and check out their  Press Release !
You can also follow NOW on Twitter .

Vital Village Network Survey! #TheVillageSays
Every other year Vital Village surveys our members to find out if we are reaching our goals as a Network. This valuable feedback from network members will guide our work in the coming years. Let us know how we're doing by completing the survey within the next two weeks. We will have in person opportunities to meet and fill it out the survey on August 8th , August 13th, and
Questions? Contact Erica Pike at Erica.Pike@bmc.org or 617-414-3674.

Scholar Series Blog Interview
Check out the Boston Breastfeeding Coalition  Scholar Stories video blog interview with Breastfeeding peer counselor, Adrienne Brown. Network member, Dominique Graham, captured the many breastfeeding support groups across the city and the scholars who lead them.

Network Events
Connect with Vital Village Network at these upcoming events. Click event to RSVP or learn more.

This is National Breastfeeding Month and Black Breastfeeding Week is on the horizon! Join and mobilize around the following events by the Boston Breastfeeding Coalition and Breast Powered.
4:30-7:00pm @ Union Capital Boston,1544 Columbus Avenue,  02119 
Mingle, learn and practice self care with VVCP at this free event. There will be social time, self care strategies, music, art, childcare and light refreshments provided.

6:00-8:00pm @ BU School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St.
Reconnect and celebrate the start of a new school year with Vital Village at our Network Connection Meeting. More details to come.

8:00-4:00pm @ The Kroc Corps Community Center (Salvation Army), 650 Dudley St.
Vital Village Network is excited to offer the Fifth Annual Leadership Summit. Reserve your spot todayPlease note the change of Date!


 
Community Events
Join Vital Village Network partners and other community organizations at these upcoming events. Click event to RSVP or learn more.
 
August 4 This Dad Cares Grill Off 
Check out the showcase and celebrate what Fathers are doing well presented by Fathers Uplift.The FREE event was a community celebration filled with excitement, prizes and fun for the entire family. Be sure to check out the new location in Dorchester @ 12 Southern Ave.

August 11th: BreakfastIVBrothers
8:30-1030am @ The Kroc Center, 650 Dudley St.
BreakfastIVBrothers (BIVB)  is a safe space for brothers to converge & promote their collective experiences. A platform for mentoring, sharing, and growing with one another. The goal is to create a consistent platform that promotes cross-generational dialogue.

6:30-9:30pm @ The  Children's   Museum
Join this unique Boston Grown Ups Museum. There will be  Artisans Asylum 
provi din g amazing activities including jewelry making, 3D printing and much more!

10:00am - 7:00pm @ The  Boston Common Park
Leonard Tshitenge, an active Network member is one of the lead organizers and MC for the Annual Boston African Festival, which is considered the Multi-cultural Celebration of the year and the largest gathering of Africans in Boston. This free event features the best of African arts, fashion, vendors, foods, amazing line up of musicians and talents promoting diversity/inclusion and community building through the arts.
Check out  more community events on our Website and Facebook
Opportunities
Check out job, volunteer, and grant opportunities available in our community.

Cradles to Crayons (C2C) mission is to provide children from birth through age 12 with the essential items they need to thrive - at home, at school and at play. C2C is at the cutting edge of volunteer management, and through its "Giving Factory" provides unique, hands-on opportunities for people to help other people. The Group Volunteer Leader oversees many of our 30,000 volunteers each year through all steps of their engagement process within our "Giving Factory". The Group Volunteer Leader is responsible for providing a high quality orientation and wrap-up and conveying Cradles to Crayons' mission and quality standards.

Job: Action for Boston Community Development Infant/Toddler Teacher
ABCD is a community of diverse people working together bringing ideas, passion and experiences to an environment rooted in creating a better tomorrow for families in Boston, Mystic Valley and surrounding neighborhoods. The responsible of would be to provide infant and toddler children at the local Early Head Start center with a nurturing, safe and healthy environment and individualized learning experiences to help them develop socially, intellectually, physically and emotionally in achieving social competency. Apply here!

Scholarship: In partnership with Urban College of Boston, the Vital Village Network is accepting applications for scholarships for the Certificate in Leadership and Advocacy for Child-Centered Communities, a year-long, 9-credit, college-level certificate program that builds upon the capabilities of community leaders who are working to maximize child, family, and community wellbeing in Boston. Seminars meet Wednesdays 6-9pm. Apply by 8/15.
Resource Connector
Learn more about resources relevant to children and families in our community from our community.

Summer Resources for Children and Families
There are many free or low-cost programs around Boston that will prepare students for their upcoming school year. Check out these resources filled with free or low-cost programs:  Summer Resources and Activities Partner BPS, and  2018 BPS Summer Opportunities.

Free Summer Meals
Free meals are provided to children 18 years of age and under, without regard to race, color, national origin,sex, age, or handicap. Meals will be provided, at a first come, first serve basis, at the sites and times found here. The free summer meals program will run until August 24, 2018.

Fathers Uplift and  365 Dad share a mission of ensuring fathers around our community are equip with the best parenting knowledge. This program meets every Wednesday from 6:00pm-8:30pm at 230 Center street in Dorchester.

 
Scoop on the Stats
Explore data related to child and family well-being.

Vital Village is committed to increasing access breastfeeding support for families in Boston and pathways for community leadership development. Below are statistics that show the foundation that breastfeeding provides.