Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month 2024

Every March, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) and its partners collaborate to lead Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM). The month highlights how people with and without disabilities come together to form stronger communities.



This year’s theme is A World of Opportunities and showcases people working together to remove barriers so that everyone can succeed. 

Women's History Month

Women’s History Month is a celebration and recognition of the achievements and strengths of women now and throughout history. This includes, BIPOC, queer, transgender women, and any nonbinary people who have lived experiences as women. Learn more about the women who have been integral to public health. 

We're All in This Together

Catamount Arts presents "We’re All in This Together,” an afternoon of poetry by Rajnii Eddins and music by Erik Nielsen celebrating the influence of African-American culture. 

The event is free on Sunday, March 17^th at South Church Hall in St. Johnsbury from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This will also include time for Q&A, community conversations, and food!

Just Action

Join the Vermont Human Rights Commision and Fair Housing Project of Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity for a conversation with Richard Rothstein & Leah Rothstein, authors of "Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law."

The event is free and will be held on April 1, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Main Street Landing, 60 Lake Street, Burlington, VT.

• Presentation, discussion, and book signing 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., followed by a Happy Hour from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with free refreshments, cash bar, and music.

• Childcare with art activities is provided thanks to ONE Arts Community School and Phoenix Books will have copies of Just Action and The Color of Law for sale.

• Please register in advance.

Arts Access Summit: Resiliency & Rest

Inclusive Arts Vermont’s Arts Access Summit is a day of learning and conversation on access in the arts featuring disabled artists and accessibility experts.

Now in its 2nd year, the summit will explore how the magic of the arts enhances resiliency and the power of rest as resistance.

The virtual event will take place on May 15, 2024.

Access: This event will have live captioning, verbal descriptions, access doulas, and ASL.

For access needs contact Heidi at heidi@inclusiveartsvermont.org or call 802-556-3668.

Vermont Justice Language Project

Vermont Justice Language Project (VLJP) is celebrating four years of creating video translations for refugees, immigrants, and migrants in Vermont and beyond. VLJP translates public health and service announcements into 18 languages. VLJP has been able to create critical emergency and public health messaging. The team is able to address cultural differences and nuances with the help of multiple interpreters. 

VJLP serves as trusted messengers and cultural liaisons in the communities the Health Department needs to reach. People cannot only hear their language, but see someone with whom they share an identity, and perhaps even from their own local community delivering it – not just a government representative or authority figure.  

To celebrate and highlight their work, Seven Days showcased founder Alison Segar and staff members Dani Agin and Olivia Moseley.

Here’s to many more years of providing this service to our Vermont communities. 

Please visit their YouTube channel for a full playlist of their videos.

April 8th, Solar Eclipse (of the heart...)

We're surely not the only one's channeling Bonnie Tyler as we prepare for Vermont’s total eclipse on April 8, 2024.

At 2:14 p.m., a partial solar eclipse will begin, and at 3:26 p.m., a total eclipse will darken Vermont’s daytime sky, lasting about 3 minutes. The phenomenon will continue as a partial eclipse until 4:37 p.m.

Vermont.Gov/Eclipse offers observation safety tips, travel etiquette, and more. Translated materials are va

Be sure to plan travel accordingly, and check in with work, school, and daycare providers to see if eclipse-related schedule changes will impact you and your family. 

Spark Connecting Community Grant Program

Funding is now available for organizations and projects across the state of Vermont through the Spark Connecting Community competitive grant program at the Vermont Community Foundation.

Spark supports emerging grassroots projects that nurture community and build social capital—the connective tissue of our communities. Spark values community resilience and strength, increased civic engagement, and collaboration among organizations.

In 2024, Spark will prioritize place-making initiatives in under-represented counties in grantmaking. Priority consideration will be given to:

• Applications from Essex, Grand Isle, and Franklin counties
• Applicants with operating budgets of $500,000 or less

Spark awards grants of $500 to $5,000. First-time grant writers are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2, 2024.

Visit vermontcf.org/spark to learn more and apply.

Translating Identity Conference

The Translating Identity Conference (TIC) returns on Saturday, March 30, 2024, at the University of Vermont with a renewed focus on trans joy and community building for students.

The 2024 conference will focus on trans and queer joy and all the ways we can create, nurture, amplify, share and celebrate it.

The primary audience for TIC 2024 is trans and queer students from UVM and surrounding colleges & universities. This is a change from past TICs, and we truly value the wide reach of our community.

Vermont Abenaki Artists Association

Registration is now open for Vermont Abenaki Artists Association annual virtual speaker series. Bridging Perspectives: Indigenous Narratives, Identity, & Healing Speaker Series, a timely exploration into the context of Indigenous experiences and narratives. This year's series presents vital topics that resonate with the challenges faced by Indigenous communities across North America. 

View a list of the scheduled programs on our Events page. Please register for events in advance. 

The Speaker Series is free. Donations are appreciated and they help us to present programs, events, and exhibits.

Questions? Send your questions to Elisa at programassociate@abenakiart.org

Burlington Local Health Office, which provides WIC and other public health services throughout Chittenden County, has moved.

The local health office is located at 128 Lakeside Avenue in Burlington’s south end. The new location is on the GMT bus route and offers plenty of free parking.  

Department for Children and Families – Economic Services and Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living & Department of Vermont Health Access – Vermont Chronic Care Initiative are also located at 128 Lakeside Avenue.

We do not expect any changes in services during this time, but please reach out if you have any questions.



The locations of the Public Health Laboratory and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will not change. 

Equity Tip: Plain Language

Plain language communication is important for getting key and critical messages understood by our intended audience.

Plain language should have clear wording, structure, and design so that people can find what they need and then use that information.

Ideally the message would be understood on the first read or listen.

Using plain language benefits everyone, including those with accessibility needs, and should be part of your team’s communications plan.

Look at your organization’s documents. Do they follow the following rules for plain language:

• Do they offer reader-centered structure?
• Do they use “you” and other pronouns?
• Is the voice active, not passive?
• Are the sentences and paragraphs short?
• Is it written with common, everyday words?
• Are they free of acronyms and jargon? If you need to use either, make sure to explain their meaning.
• Do they contain easy-to-follow design features (lists, headers, tables)?

While these are not the only rules to consider when creating accessible, plain language documents they are a good starting point to examine how you are providing information to people using your services.

For more information on plain language, visit the Inclusive Healthcare Partnership Project.

You can also find a plain language checklist with rules for accessibility on their website. They offer provider training on disability etiquette and communication with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.