On Dec. 18, the Vermont Center for Independent Living, a statewide disability rights organization, honored the Vermont Arts Council with an Ally of Accessibility Award. The Vermont Arts Council has been on the forefront of accessibility for years and has shown a strong commitment to disability. The organization has a staff person dedicated to offering technical assistance to arts organizations… Continue Reading VCIL Honors Vermont Arts Council
On Dec. 21, the Vermont Center for Independent Living honored a young Grand Isle woman who is striving to make the world a better place. Jacqueline Kelley received the Deborah Lisi-Baker Youth Leader Award. VCIL, a nonprofit organization directed and staffed by individuals with disabilities, works to promote the dignity, independence and civil rights of Vermonters with disabilities. The VCIL… Continue Reading VCIL Honors Amazing Young Advocate
The Vermont Center for Independent Living, a statewide disability rights organization, recognized a Burlington restaurant on Nov. 29 for its commitment to accessibility. Butch & Babe’s owner Kortnee Bush received the Rosemary J. Miller Dining for All Award. Bush opened the Old North End eatery in 2015. Butch & Babe’s serves up good American food and a welcoming family and… Continue Reading Butch & Babe’s Honored for Accessibility
We held our monthly full staff meeting recently at the Vermont Center for Independent Living. At every staff meeting we pause to honor with a moment of silence those who have died within our movement. We say their names out loud and reflect on how they impacted our lives. This month the list was a bit longer as we honored… Continue Reading Look for Ways to Support Our Black and Jewish Neighbors
This week multiple news outlets reported that the Trump administration is considering narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth, which will eliminate the rights of transgender people. The plan includes having the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) ignore modern science, medicine and the law. This is… Continue Reading VCIL Opposes Weakening of Transgender Rights
On Oct. 4, Burlington High School’s ReEnvisioning Committee held a press conference to announce a new public education committee dedicated to helping voters understand the $70 million plan to rejuvenate BHS. More than 40 community members attended the announcement which also featured prominent community members voicing support for the plan and encouraging the community to tour the facility before Election… Continue Reading BHS ReEnvisioning Committee Announces Public Tours for $70 Million Renovation Bond
The Red Sox Foundation is honoring the Vermont Center for Independent Living for its dedication to social justice, diversity and inclusivity. At a home game tonight, July 9, against the Texas Rangers, there will be an on-field check presentation to VCIL Executive Director Sarah Launderville. VCIL won the $10,000 first-place IMPACT Award, thanks to receiving the most online votes out… Continue Reading Red Sox Foundation Honors VCIL
On June 8, the Vermont Center for Independent Living presented an Ally of Accessibility Award at a Middlesex business. The award went to Red Hen Baking Company owners Eliza Cain and Randy George, as well as the former owners of the Red Hen building, Donny and Lise Wexler of Strider Development. Red Hen is not only a bakery and café… Continue Reading Red Hen Bakery Excels at Access
The Vermont Center for Independent Living has named longtime employee Peter Johnke deputy director. He has been involved with assistive technology since first joining the disability rights organization in 1990. For the past few years, he has managed VCIL’s database and computer network. As a non-driver, Peter also advocates for expansion and improvements to public transportation. He serves on national,… Continue Reading Peter Johnke Named Deputy Director of VCIL
The Vermont Center for Independent Living recognized a Montpelier institution on April 17. The Unitarian Church of Montpelier received an Ally of Accessibility Award for its efforts to become increasingly accessible to people with disabilities. VCIL Executive Director Sarah Launderville said, “We are pleased to be honoring the Unitarian Church as they have done an excellent job in making their… Continue Reading Unitarian Church of Montpelier Honored for Being Welcoming and Inclusive
