The Alliance for Community Transformations (ACT) is a community-based, grassroots
collective of people who are working together on projects to improve the health of our
communities.

Our mission: To empower, mobilize and inspire communities to act in collaboration towards delaying first time substance use and preventing substance abuse among youth, reducing its use across all ages and promoting greater wellness and long-term health in the “Southshire” region of Bennington County

Our Vision: A region that actively works  together to empower, mobilize and inspire one another to act in collaboration towards greater health and sustainable change.

In other words, if:

We work together in partnership, not competition with individuals and organizations on shared goals;
We lift each other up and value everyone’s ideas;
We all share our talents, knowledge, passions and resources in the work we do…
We can make a real, lasting difference.

ACT was built on a passionate belief that positive change can happen and that change is
powered by the dreams and good ideas of our community members.

There is a seat at the table for everyone. Come join us!

Our areas of focus are:

• Healthy Community Design
• Healthy & Active Living
• Youth Empowerment & Engagement
• Substance Abuse and Tobacco Prevention

Our History:

The Alliance for Community Transformations (Formerly known as the Tobacco-Free Community Partners or TFCP) coalition was created 19 years ago in partnership with Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s Community Health Improvement Programs with the directive of addressing community needs around tobacco use prevention. In 2011, the coalition changed its name to become the Alliance for Community Transformations and expanded our areas of of focus. The new name and broader focus allowed for a multi-faceted approach to population health through the lens of community engagement, education, advocacy, and healthy community design. ACT’s program areas include; Youth Engagement and Empowerment – with specific subsets for substance abuse and tobacco prevention; Healthy Community Design and Healthy and Active Living.

ACT is driven as a component of the Bennington County Regional Commission’s Healthy Community Division and helps to drive public health and community improvement through grassroots efforts.

Since its inception, Alliance for Community Transformations has successfully engaged the region in the adoption of policies and provision of education on issues relating to tobacco use, substance abuse and healthy community design. Our coalition has consistently delivered relevant programming and initiatives towards building healthier communities including the adoption of policies establishing smoke-free town owned parks in the town of Bennington; the implementation of a campus-wide smoking policy for all of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, smoking policies for the State Office Building in Bennington, Bennington College and for all three major public housing authorities in the region. Additional advocacy work in other areas include support for the statewide adoption of a Vermont Youth Appreciation Day and recognition of Celebrate Recovery Day in the communities of Bennington, Manchester and Arlington.

ACT Information

• About ACT Info Sheet
• About the Drug Free Communities Grant
• ACT FAQ
• ACT Supporting Organizations
• 2013 SVSU YRBS Substance Use Narrative
• 2015 Community Readiness Assessment Report
• Bennington Community Center Proposal 2016

Thanks for visiting!