NEWPORT CITY – Orleans County has the highest number of children living in poverty in the state. That’s the word Linda Bergeron, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and others brought to a "town meeting" at the Gateway Center yesterday.

Sanders said the Republican budget would have cut more than 200,000 children off Head Start. The budget passed without the cuts, but Sanders thinks they will come back again.

Every program discussed at the meeting is what governments do in a civilized society, said Sanders, who said a mother and her baby should not wonder where they’re going to get a roof over their heads in winter.

Michniewicz, Director of Northeast Kingdom Community Action’s Early Head Start, said her organization works hard to provide services to children and their families to reach their goals, whatever they may be. Unfortunately, Head Start programs across the country are not able to serve every eligible child.

Children who have access to high quality early childhood programs go to school prepared to learn, have higher self-esteem and have better social skills when they enter kindergarten, said Michniewicz.
Jody Marquis, from Creative Minds Children’s Center, envisions providing comprehensive care to children and families as much as possible.

She said childcare is important for working families, but proposed cuts would mean losing slots for 36 children. Marquis does not understand how working families will survive if they can’t afford quality childcare.
Healthcare for children is another big issue, said Laurie Bergeron, a local parent. She said the state’s current dental program, at $250 a year, covers two cleanings. Bergeron said bad teeth can lead to other medical problems and even prevent someone from being hired for a job.

"We are taking so much money away from our children, I just don’t get it,” said Bergeron.

She said rent in the Northeast Kingdom is high and Section Eight has run out of money. Bergeron said the rich and politicians should walk in her shoes for six months. “See what happens when you make the cuts in our fuel assistance program, what it feels like when you’re not buying food or clothing because you have to make so many cuts in order to stay warm. We are killing our citizens. We are the United States of America. This is the State of Vermont and we are fighters. 
We ask our government to fight for us, too.”

Alyssa Bernadino, a parent of a child in Head Start, said economic issues forced her and her daughter to stay in a home that wasn’t suitable. "It may have passed DCF standards but it didn’t pass mine,” 
said Bernadino, who moved out and lost her childcare subsidy in the process. “When I became officially homeless, I became qualified.”

   Bernadino now drives 60 miles a day to bring her young daughter to Creative Minds, but this trip will end because she can’t afford to drive anywhere.

"I'm beginning to feel its five steps forward and six steps back,” 
she said in tears. “I got back on my feet and I had chose between keeping my child in an environment that was not safe for her emotionally or not have a roof over her head. I felt it was very sad my child was officially homeless before I could get help to get her in a safe situation.”

Sanders, who was proud of the panelists who spoke, said it’s important for people struggling to speak up so others in the same situation don’t feel they are alone. He also said the United States has more children living in poverty than any country in the world.

He questioned how people can work if they can’t find good childcare.