DREAM PROGRAM INC
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Mission Statement
The DREAM Program builds communities of families and college students that empower youth from affordable housing neighborhoods to recognize their options, make informed choices and achieve their dreams.
About This Cause
The DREAM Program, Inc. is a youth-based Village Mentoring(tm) organization. DREAM’s mission is to build communities of families and college students that empower youth from affordable housing neighborhoods to recognize their options, make informed decisions, and achieve their dreams. Founded in 1999 by Dartmouth College students, DREAM has grown to work with 15 colleges and 21 affordable housing neighborhoods throughout Vermont, the Greater Boston Area and most recently Philadelphia. We currently support over 350 mentoring pairs. DREAM youth have access to the following experiences: weekly one-on-one mentoring activities, summer enrichment programming, winter adventure camp, and a fully subsidized summer camp. Each neighborhood DREAM serves is designated as affordable housing and all families are classified as low or very-low income. Our youth live in neighborhoods where there are limited resources for children and families. Due to the concentration of people living in poverty, the number of single parent households, and parents with limited or no education beyond high school, DREAM youth have few opportunities for healthy activities, supportive guidance, or broadened world views. These risk factors also explain why youth who grew up in poverty disproportionately make up the statistics of teen pregnancy, high school drop-outs, and juvenile delinquency. Youth who are exposed to drugs, alcohol, or violence in their own home or neighborhood are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors such as substance abuse and are at greater risk of academic failure. Positive mentoring relationships have the potential to change the course of these children’s lives. DREAM blends one-on-one pairings with group activities and on-site activities to encourage family and community involvement. For many of our youth DREAM is their primary activity outside of the regular school day. Additionally many youth in Vermont do not have transportation to special events or extracurricular activities. DREAM addresses this issue by having mentors pick up their mentees each week and bring them to their college campus or local attractions. Parents and youth alike cite DREAM as having a positive impact in the lives of individual youth and in the community as a whole.