RUTLAND, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont officials have said children will need to re-engage this summer after the past pandemic year, and one way is through summer camps. Olivia Lyons visited one rapidly expanding program in Rutland.
The Summer Matters Initiative is run by Vermont Afterschool and has multiple components. It primarily funds 100 nonprofit programs in 13 counties with about $3.8 million from state and federal sources to pays for after-school initiatives extended into the summer and municipal-run camps. But it is also working with camps across the state they are not giving money to.
The MINT is a maker space in Rutland. This summer, it’s getting $55,000 from Vermont Afterschool as part of the Summer Matters initiative. Karen McCalla, Mint’s executive director, says the funding allows them to once again offer half-day camps to kids from area schools and lets them try something…
