The New Hampshire Children’s Trust is thrilled to announce Millie LaFontaine of Concord as
the 2019 Lucy Fowlkes Breed Family Service Volunteer Award winner. The awards celebration was held at the Friends Program in Concord where Millie has spent the last decade as a Master Mentor with their Friends Youth Mentoring Program.
Together, Millie and her mentee work in community gardens and donate much of the produce they raise, and works with her mentees to teach them about the natural world, biology, and good stewardship. She also stresses the unwavering value of education, and she and her mentees often read aloud from classic literature during their time together. These activities teach them about their community and the positive impact they can have through community involvement and education.
During his remarks, NHCT’s Executive Director, Cliff Simmonds, reminded us that “volunteers are the the foundation of any organization and of any community,” and “no matter what our mission is, we are ultimately here to support people like you, Millie, who are truly making a difference in people’s lives.”
In addition to her work the Friends Youth Mentoring Program, Millie has assisted the Coalition to End Homelessness’s Souperfest event by preparing soup made with squash her mentee and she grew, donates her time to the Concord City Library, has served on the United Way Board of Trustees, and coached an 8th grade Odyssey of the Mind team, taking them to the NH State Finals. And if these accomplishments weren’t enough, Millie finds time to offer respite care for twin toddlers of a young family.
Millie embodies many of the same attributes as Lucy Fowlkes Breed, who was known for her incredible empathy for others and her ability to meeting individuals “where they’re at” no matter the difficulty. Like Lucy, Millie’s dedication to others helps build supportive communities, strong families, and safe kids.
Thank you, Millie, for you dedicated work in service of New Hampshire children and families. We are honored to celebrate you as our 2019 Lucy Fowlkes Breed Family Service Volunteer Award recipient.
Lucy Fowlkes Breed, who the award is named for, served as a founding trustee on the board of the NH Children's Trust, dedicating fourteen years as a board member, eight of those years as board chair. Upon her retirement, New Hampshire Children's Trust established the Lucy Fowlkes Breed Legacy Fund and created the award in her honor. Lucy was a long-time volunteer, founding the New Parents Support Group at the Children’s Place and Parent Education Center in Concord, dedicating over twenty-five years as the facilitator there.
For more information, please contact Diane Hastings at 603-224-1279, email info@nhchildrenstrust.org, or visit the NHCT website at www.nhchildrenstrust.org.
New Hampshire Children’s Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that specializes in capacity-building for family support and strengthening families programs throughout the Granite State. Since 1986, NHCT has collaborated with professionals to develop integrated approaches for training, technical assistance, evaluation, quality improvement, and program support for organizations working to promote safe, stable, and nurturing environments for children.