The Network Receives Grant to Promote Buddy Benches

The Network Against Domestic Abuse recently received a grant from the Rotary Club of Enfield to promote Buddy Benches.

What is a Buddy Bench? The Buddy Bench is a simple idea to help eliminate loneliness and foster friendship on the playground. If a child is looking for a friend, he or she can sit on the bench and others who see them can ask if they want to play. Buddy Benches help promote inclusion and lower rates of bullying.

Enfield High School teacher, John Dague, along with fellow teachers and students in the Technology Education Department are busy at work making the benches which will then be distributed to Enfield Street School; Hazardville Memorial; Henry Barnard; Eli Whitney; Edgar Parkman; Prudence Crandall; Head Start; Harriet Beecher Stowe, St. Martha’s and St. Bernard’s.

The Network’s Community Youth Educator, Annalisa, will be discussing how to use the Buddy Benches in her bullying prevention lessons in the Enfield Elementary Schools.

For more information about The Network’s services, please visit www.thenetworkct.org or call 860.763.7430.