Steven Dale, Director, The Baird Center for Children and Families

The Baird Center is a division of The Howard Center for Human Services. It serves children, youth and families with residential facilities for highest-needs kids; preventative child care and special education; and serves as the community mental health system for Chittenden County.

The Baird Center was founded as "The Home for Destitute Children" in 1865 to help children orphaned by the Civil War. Vermont had the highest per capita losses resulting from the war.

It changed to "The Children's Home" in 1932 when government funding began to be provided by the Roosevelt administration and people were better able to support their own kids at home.

It became the Baird Center for Children and families in 1982, and merged with Howard in 1994 to create a comprehensive system of care.

They are building a major facility now on Pine Street with a gymnasium.

The Rotary Club of Burlington salutes the hard and unselfish work provided by the people of the center in helping the community.