Rep. Balint Announces State of the Union Guest: Chloe Learey 

Highlighting need for solutions to urgent childcare and housing crises

Press release published by Rep. Becca Balint’s office

For Immediate Release: March 6, 2024

Contact: Sophie Pollock

Washington, D.C – Today, Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL) announced Chloe Learey, Executive Director of the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development as her guest for the State of the Union address.

“Childcare and housing are at the root of so many of the greatest challenges facing Vermont families,” said Rep. Becca Balint. “That’s why this year I’m thrilled to be joined by someone who understands the impacts bold and creative investments in housing mean for a family’s stability and a child’s future. Chloe knows that meeting her mission to support our youngest children and their families meant tackling the housing crisis head on. She has left no stone unturned in her quest to convert an underutilized historic campus into a space that can meet emergency, transitional, and affordable housing needs. Humanity and heart have always been the center of Chloe’s work, spearheading transformative change for Southern Vermont. She represents the type of creative community leadership we need across the state and the country to address the housing crisis. ”

“I am deeply honored to be invited by Congresswoman Balint as her guest to the State of the Union. She understands that our most challenging issues require us to work together across sectors if we are going to successfully address them,”  said Winston Prouty Executive Director Chloe Learey. “Recognizing community needs, identifying creative solutions, and inviting collaboration in problem solving is our best path forward. Modeling this at all levels, from local to international, creates hope and possibility during daunting times. For me, this opportunity is about sparking and maintaining that hope.”

Chloe Learey has been Executive Director of The Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development since July 2007. Chloe is passionate about helping create communities where everyone is valued and has a chance to develop and contribute their gifts. The Prouty Center has grown significantly during that time as new programs to support young children and their families added over $2.4 million to the budget. In addition, The Prouty Center purchased the 184-acre campus of the former Austine School in 2016, moved operations to that location and took over managing the property. A community planning process in 2019 identified this asset as a potential site for developing housing, and efforts to explore this possibility began in earnest in early 2022. Initial master planning was completed in April 2023, and work continues on bringing this vision to fruition.

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