ECDC Celebrates One Year Anniversary of Bennington's First Multicultural Community Center – Hosts Open House on 12/19/24 December 10, 2024.

The Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) is delighted to celebrate the first anniversary of opening its permanent office and the Bennington County Multicultural Community Center.

The office and Community Center is located at 120 Union Street, in downtown Bennington. The building is now marked by two vibrant murals designed by artists in the local refugee community. All are invited to an open house on December 19th from 10:00am – 4:00pm. This event will feature cultural dishes prepared by community members, activities and crafts, and opportunities to learn about the languages and cultures of refugees who have arrived in Bennington.

"All are welcome to join us in celebrating this special milestone. We hope that people come by to see our beautiful murals, to learn more about refugee resettlement in Bennington, and to enjoy each other's company," said Jack Rossiter-Munley, Director of Programs and Community Engagement with ECDC's Bennington office.

"The work we do day-to-day could not be accomplished without the community network we're lucky to have, so we hope that people gather with us to celebrate the progress we've made together over the last year." ECDC has been working with newly arrived refugee families in Southern Vermont since 2021 when its Brattleboro office opened. In October of 2022, Bennington was officially designated as a refugee resettlement site and in February of 2023, ECDC moved into temporary offices in St. Peter's Episcopal Church. In December of 2023, ECDC welcomed the community into its new, permanent space.

"Last December, over 100 community members joined us when we celebrated moving into our new, permanent space," said Rossiter-Munley. "In 12 months, we have more than doubled our staff, welcomed dozens of refugee families, and have laid the groundwork for so many exciting projects and programs

Event Info

Dec 12, 7 PM to 7 PM, Dec 14, 2024

Dec 16, 2024, 5 to 6:30 PM

Dec 17, 2024, 10:30 AM to 12 PM