News

  After spending 20 years as a home visiting nurse for the UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice’s Family and Children’s Services, Judy Ayers knew that she wanted to continue to support families in our community. Today, Judy volunteers at the Family Room, UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice’s parent-child center, where she is known as much for her sewing and gardening skills as she is for her warmth, compassion and friendship.

Judy was one of 48 volunteers recognized at this year’s United Way of Chittenden County Building Block Volunteer Awards for making a difference in United Way’s impact areas of education, health and income – the building blocks of wellbeing.

“Judy is often in a position to learn about family stresses that come to light during the quiet moments shared with parents as they work on clothing projects or plant and weed in the garden,” said Sarah Sinnott, a Family Room parent educator who helped nominate Judy for this honor.

Sarah and other staff appreciate Judy for her strong ability to form relationships with vulnerable families and help them to find and build upon their own strengths. The Family Room has benefited greatly from Judy’s dedication during Family Play, a program where families come for parent-child interactive play, literacy sessions, parent education and support, projects to promote cross-cultural relationships, and classes such as English and sewing.

As Judy’s husband Bob watched Judy accept her award at the September 24 ceremony, he shared their plans for the rest of the day. “We’re going to the (Family Room) gardens,” he said. “She wants to check in and see how they’re doing. That’s Judy.”