Mission & History

EST. 1971

HISTORY

Since 1971, King Street Center has provided a safe and enriching space for youth during critical afterschool hours. Today, we serve more than 150 youth ages 18 months to 18 years old daily through our 5-STAR Head Start Early Childhood Education, K-5, Teen, and Mentoring programs. Every day, children and youth can find engaging activities, recreation, education support, meals, positive adult relationships, and more at 87 King Street.

Many of the families we serve have experienced great hardship – from growing up in generational poverty to being forced to leave their home country – and are deeply committed to ensuring their children have more opportunities and success than their parents were able to have. We are passionate about being a partner to them and empowering youth to explore their talents and find their voice through learning, play, and opportunity. Especially important to us, is that we do this work through an equity lens and that our work is not only focused on youth, but incorporates their vision and voice into our programming.

MISSION

King Street Center empowers youth to explore their talents and find their voice through learning, play, and opportunity.

Vision

Every child and family thriving in an equitable community.

Who We Serve

King Street Center serves youth and their families experiencing economic insecurity and systemic marginalization, with an emphasis on people from the global majority and immigrant or refugee communities in Burlington.

Equity Statement

Equity is intentional and ongoing work to improve outcomes for all marginalized groups, including but not limited to identities based on race, ethnicity, religion, family economics, ability, language, sexual orientation, gender, or immigration status.

Racial equity is improving outcomes for marginalized people and supporting them in getting what they need to thrive regardless of their racial identities or individual circumstances.

King Street Center recognizes racism creates inequitable systems and harm. We will create opportunities to lessen the impact of racial discrimination. We will identify and diminish individual bias. We will also take intentional action to create a safe and inclusive space for the King Street Center community. The work prioritizes improving outcomes for marginalized groups, but it also improves outcomes for everyone because we are creating a more welcoming and equitable Vermont.