NEKCA Parent Child Center North

Social Enterprise

NEKCA's Community Thrift Stores provide job training and work experience to members of the community seeking employment skills. The stores are staffed by participants in various state and local programs, including Reach up, the Vermont Associates and youth employment program. In addition to gaining training and experience in customer service and retail, participants have access to educational opportunities and career coaching.

The stores also provide the community with affordable shopping alternatives for children's and adult's clothing, household goods and furniture. Generous donations from the public make these ventures possible. Store hours do vary, but are generally Monday through Friday 9 am to 4 pm, and Saturdays 10 am to 2 pm. Please see the link on our website for updated hours and sales.

Job Coaching

This program is designed to provide participants with a realistic picture of how well their work skills and habits match prevailing workplace norms. Participants assess whether they have the necessary education and academic skills to compete in their chosen field. When further education is desired or needed, staff will help participants create a realistic timeline for meeting their goals.

Family Education Program

This program provides parents with information on child safety, self-esteem, child development, child abuse and communication. These, and other topics identified by parents, are covered by the family educator one-on-one with parents or in parenting groups. All parenting groups are open to the public.

Another Chance

This innovative program offers a friendly and supportive atmosphere in which pregnant and parenting teens can acquire their High School diploma or GED. The program is open to male and female teen parents or parents to be. Our goal is to help parents learn — in all areas of life.

Parent Information Resource Center

The resource center gives parents the tools they need to actively support their children's education. For parents of young children, the center provides information about getting children ready to start school. Parents of school-aged children learn how to communicate more effectively with teachers and principals and how to prepare for parent/teacher conferences.

Child Care Support Services

PCC's Child Care Support Services offers child care referrals to families and processes and determines eligibility for child care tuition assistance, including for working parents. The center also provides comprehensive training to child care providers. The child care referral service is available at no cost to any parent who is seeking child care and includes consumer education to assist with becoming wise consumers of child care.

Family Support Worker & Nurse

The Family Support Worker provides professional support, role modeling and advocacy for families who may be faced with life stressors. Some of those stressors include: obtaining parenting skills, continuing education and difficulty maintaining basic needs such as housing and transportation. PCC's visiting nurse provides comprehensive personal nursing services to pregnant women, infants and children, with a focus on building skills that increase optimal health.

NEKCA Parent Child Center North
32 Central Street
Newport, VT 05855
nekca-pccnorth.org
Phone: 802.334.4072
Toll-free: 877.722.6680
Hours: 8:00am — 4:30pm

NEKCA Parent Child Center South

The Lincoln Center site is an integrated grouping of services that is broken down into three teams.

Outreach Services

NEKCA has a team of seven available to provide our emergency/crisis based services and are comprised of the following:

• Foodshelf - Available to any individual or family who expresses a need
  • Accessible Monday –Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm
• Housing Support
  • Accessible Monday-Friday from 8:00am-4:30pm
  • Several options available however there are eligibility criteria
  • Emergency Shelter option
• Utility Support (electricity & fuel)
  • Accessible Monday-Friday from 8:00am-4:30pm
  • Several options available however there are eligibility criteria
• Forms Assistance
  • Staff will assist individuals or families with filling out forms for state-based programs as well as others
• Home Visits
  • Staff will provide home visits for those unable to come into the office
  • Staff will deliver food shelves for those unable to come into the office
• Outposting
  • Staff are available in Hardwick on Thursdays to provide services locally from an office at the Galaxy Bookstore
  • Staff are available in Lunenburg at the Town Clerk’s office on Monday to provide services locally

Early Childhood Services

NEKCA has a team of 10 classroom providers including three Early Education teachers, a food service provider and two home visitors and an Early Childhood Family Mental Health Consultant who provide services to our families with young children.

Preschool - We host 3 preschool classrooms, two of which are a hybrid through collaborations with Head Start, Parent Child Center and the St. Johnsbury School District. This collaboration provides a much broader spectrum of eligibility for the area children. These two classrooms also provide part and full day options for families.

The third classroom is specifically for three-year-old children and operates 3 days a week for 4 hours a day for the school calendar. This is made available through the St. Johnsbury School District’s Early Education Initiative grant.

We offer a full spectrum of services to the families enrolled in our preschool programs including parent/teacher conferences, screenings three times a year through our creative curriculum program, parent groups, additional support both on site and at home with our Early Childhood Family Mental Health consultant.

Playgroups - NEKCA offers two community playgroups a week on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30am-11:00am. There is no eligibility criteria or enrollment, and the playgroups are open to anyone with children aged 0-5.

Home Visits - NEKCA has two Early Childhood home visitors, made available through a collaboration of Early Head Start and Children's Integrated Services. Through this collaboration families can receive services from 0-6 years of age. There are income eligibility requirements.

Work & Training Services

NEKCA has a team of 8 to provide both Educational and Job Readiness Skills for individuals looking to move ahead in the business world.

• Education Component
  • Supports individuals in obtaining their High School Diploma
  • Classroom environment available
  • Supports individuals in GED prep and test registration
• Group Worksite
  • Provides on-site and community-based training opportunities to enhance job readiness skills
• Job Coaching
  • Provides job readiness skills such as resume writing, mock interviews, skills assessment, team building, etc.
• Case Management
  • Provides case management for those on site regarding basic needs, i.e., housing, fuel, fuel, child care, transportation, etc.
• Transportation
  • Provide transportation to families to and from group worksite, child care centers, employment, etc.
• VTGreen
  • Provide job development, training related to green jobs as well as create a movement regarding living green

General Offerings

NEKCA's Lincoln Center accepts donations of items and has available for anyone to take. Staff take on special projects such as community garden, distribution of huge donations such as Holiday Gift Baskets, Blue Sock Project, Back Pack project.

The center is used by multiple community partners for meetings, trainings, workshops.

NEKCA Lincoln Center Staff Listing

NEKCA's Mission

"Believing in each individual's potential for positive growth and change, NEKCA is committed to empowering those who seek assistance to improve the quality of their lives. We provide direct program activities, referrals, advocacy and education in a non-judgmental manner to the people of the communities in the Northeast Kingdom."