Campaign for Bully Free Communities: The Buddy Bench
Listen below to Cynthia Clegg, President and CEO, Community Foundation of Middlesex County, Dave Director, Chairman, Council of Business Partners at the Community Foundation of Middlesex County, Pat Rehmer, Senior Vice President, Hartford Healthcare and President, Behavioral Health Network and Renee DiNino, Director of Community Affairs for iHeartMedia as they chat about the Buddy Bench project and its positive impact on the community.
What is the "Buddy Bench" project?
The Rushford Academy “Buddy Bench” project is made possible through a partnership with Rushford and the Community Foundation’s Council of Business Partners, a group of local business people who pool their resources to support positive youth development programs. In 2009, Council members partnered with Rushford mental health professionals and developed the school-based No Bully Zone program that has now helped close to 10,000 educators, students, school bus drivers recognize and prevent negative social behaviors. Now they are helping at-risk young men build wooden benches for local elementary schools to use as a social inclusion tools by funding the cost of materials. Buddy Benches provide a conduit for school children to “buddy up” with those who may be feeling isolated during recess or other free activity times.
Click here to learn more and “Buddy Up for Positive Change.”