Stock Markets and Safe Spaces

At the Teen Center in Middlebury, Penny and Xavier are learning from Hyatt, a Middlebury College senior, to invest in the stock market. Down the hall, a group of teens are discussing bands for the upcoming Pride Day celebration. Across the room, a few friends are hanging out over a pan of macaroni and cheese.

“It’s all part of the program,” said Lindsey Fuentes-George, executive director of the Teen Center. “Teenagers need to be around their friends. We provide a safe, supervised space for them to be together.”

Young people between the ages of 12 and 18 can drop into the Teen Center anytime; they don’t need parents to sign them up for events like Murder Mystery Night, Art Bomb Week, or photography lessons. Supported in part by grants from an anonymous donor advised fund at the Community Foundation, all of the programming is either free or on a “pay-what-you-can” model that ranges from nothing to chipping in a little extra to support others. And, of course, there is food. Lots of it. All the time.

“We want to remove any barriers that would prevent young people from coming in,” said Lindsey. “It’s intentionally inclusive and the teens make sure everyone feels welcome and comfortable. It’s really important to them.”

That sense of belonging led a group of teens to organize Middlebury’s first Pride Day in 2022, a small parade that garnered a crowd of about 75. This year, the teens have organized three different bands, vendors, a short march, and an open-mic free speak out. “It’s going to be a party,” said Lindsey.

“We have a tendency as a society to focus on the individual when a teen is struggling–what they can do differently to better their own circumstance,” she said. “It’s important to think about how communities can step up and make space for those teens to feel confident and safe and grow into the best versions of themselves. The onus should be on the community, not on a fourteen-year-old dealing with their first crush.”

One of the many benefits of giving through a community foundation, as opposed to directly to an organization or cause, is the option of anonymity. Many of the Community Foundation’s donor advised fundholders prefer anonymity for reasons related to privacy, humility, or simply wishing not to receive unwanted solicitations. We work with fundholders to deeply understand their values and giving priorities, and can help continue their legacy as they step back from active grantmaking.

Such is the case with a longstanding fundholder who has anonymously supported organizations that promote health, wellness, and social connection for Vermonters of every age. Whether grants to teen centers that provide safe, developmentally appropriate places for young people to be together, or opportunities for older Vermonters to exercise together, the thread throughout their decades of giving has been building social cohesion and fostering connection in the name of stronger, healthier communities.

In doing so, they are trusting the Community Foundation, leaning into our shared values around social cohesion and closing the opportunity gap. The discretionary fund ensures continued support for the causes they care about most.