Sanders Secures $100,000 Grant for the Vermont Coalition of Teen Centers

SANDERS SECURES $100,000 GRANT FOR THE VERMONT COALITION OF TEEN CENTERS

At a press conference held today at the Basement Teen Center in Montpelier, Congressman Bernie Sanders announced a $100,000 grant that his office has secured for the Vermont Coalition of Teen Centers. The money will be used to improve and expand the services that are provided by the 35 Vermont teen centers that are located throughout the state.
Sanders said; "Some people think that because Vermont is a beautiful, rural state that we don't see some of the very same problems that teenagers experience in more populated areas. Anyone who thinks that is wrong.

"In Vermont today we have a serious drug problem, including a tragic surge in heroin use. And while we are making progress in fighting substance abuse and tobacco use, those types of behavior continue to be troubling. According to the Vermont Department of Corrections, young Vermonters 18-22 continue to be the fastest growing population under the supervision of the Department of Corrections - with a very substantial number of them being high school dropouts.

"We are a nation which tells young people: Don't do drugs, don't abuse alcohol, don't smoke, don't do criminal activities, don't be self destructive. But when I talk to kids in Vermont, both in smaller and larger towns, what I often hear is :

"There's nothing for us to do after school." And when kids hang out on street corners, unsupervised - that's precisely when we see the kind of destructive behavior we want to avoid.

'Teen centers are one important way to provide opportunities for young people to engage in constructive activities that channel their energies in positive ways. I am happy that we were able to secure this grant for the Coalition, and I look forward to working with them."