Stratton Magazine
Tammy Mosher reflects on the powerful impact of the Stratton Community Foundation as she concludes her 13-year tenure as Executive Director
STORY BY BENJAMIN LERNER
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY SCF
The Stratton Community Foundation (SCF) has been a force of compassionate service in Southern Vermont since it was founded in 1996, growing its impact steadily while addressing the challenges that local children and families face in terms of their ability to be healthy, safe, clothed, fed, and prepared to learn and succeed. With a mission grounded in eliminating generational poverty and supporting youth through basic necessities, mental health resources, education, and emergency relief, the Foundation has touched thousands of lives across the greater Stratton community. From nutritious food programs and first-generation college scholarships to youth mental health initiatives and disaster response, SCF doesn’t just meet needs—it builds futures.
This year, the Foundation reached new heights with the record-breaking success of its flagship fundraising event, 24 Hours of Stratton, which brought together nearly 800 participants and raised over $540,000. “The vibe was so electric,” said Tammy Mosher, Executive Director of SCF. “We had more people skiing through the night than ever before. Stratton was behind it 100%, and we’re going to do a lot of good with that.”
But this moment of triumph is also a moment of transition.
After 13 years of visionary leadership, Mosher is stepping down as Executive Director on June 30, marking the end of a transformative era. SCF’s longtime President, Steve Kerstein, will also be passing the torch. In their place, a new generation of leadership is rising. Meredith Morin, a well-respected local leader with deep ties to the community, will assume the Executive Director role, and Chris Amery, SCF’s current Vice President and Development Chair, will step up as the organization’s new President.
For Mosher, the decision to step down comes with bittersweet emotion—but it is aligned with good timing and newfound purpose. “It has been the most fulfilling job I could have ever imagined,” she said. “But my family is entering a new chapter, and I have a new grandbaby out in Colorado. It’s time for me to spend some more time with them, and I’m grateful for every moment I’ve spent with SCF.”
Her devotion has shaped the Foundation into a responsive engine for good—one that thrives not just by funding and actualizing philanthropic programs, but by meeting the community exactly where it is. “What we do is driven by what the community needs and asks for,” Mosher emphasized. “We’re not sitting in an ivory tower prescribing programs. Our support is born from listening and responding.”
That local-first philosophy has become the heart of SCF’s model under her leadership. Mosher offers a recent example, which speaks to SCF’s responsiveness and steadfast commitment to community betterment: “Just last year, we found out there was no diaper bank in our area,” she said. “Something as simple and essential as diapers was creating real strain on young families and single parents. So, we stepped in. That’s how our programs are born—out of listening, and out of community presence.” This ethos of listening and acting has defined SCF’s approach for more than a decade. “I’ve had kids come up to me years later and say, ‘You gave me boots in kindergarten. Do you know what that meant to me? I could walk to school. I could go outside and play. Those immediate wins don’t just matter in the moment—they stay with a child for life.”
Mosher gratefully recalls visiting schools to hand-deliver shoes and seeing the emotion on children’s faces. “There’s something powerful in bending down to measure a child’s foot for sneakers and then, years later, getting their college transcript in the mail. We stay with them the whole time they’re growing.” Beyond physical necessities, SCF’s impact is deeply embedded in local education and opportunity. “We work with local children to provide experiential learning, summer opportunities, and college or career-track scholarships that open their world.” Mosher adds that she is grateful to have been able to partner with schools in multiple districts in the greater Southern Vermont community in furtherance of SCF’s initiatives, including Burr & Burton Academy, schools in the Bennington-Rutland Supervisory Union, and schools in the Taconic & Green Regional School District. “We work together to help kids reach their full potential and dream for a life many don’t believe is possible,” says Mosher. “Our community has a lot to be thankful for.”
One example came across Mosher’s desk just this year: a local high school senior applying for a career trade scholarship. “He didn’t have the money for his own tools or the gear he needed to start his career. With our support, he’s launching his future.” Another student wanted to train as a lineman—a critical and demanding trade. “There just weren’t the resources available to support that kind of specialized training,” Mosher explained. “So, we helped make it possible. That’s what we do—fill the gaps, respond to the community’s reality, and create access to opportunity.”
That spirit of responsiveness has become Mosher’s hallmark. She recalled the first 24 Hours of Stratton, when a $300,000 check suddenly opened the door to larger grants, wider impact, and deeper investment in the region. “That changed everything. It took us from awarding $5,000 grants to providing $75,000 to meet real needs. Every year, that event is over half of our fundraising. It allows us to support school programs that would never be possible otherwise—especially for kids who need mental health support, reading help, or mentorship.”
When crises have shaken Vermont, SCF has never hesitated to act. After Hurricane Irene, Mosher helped create the Foundation’s Relief Fund in response to the devastation. “We started handing out checks to families who had lost everything. I’ll never forget giving a check to one woman—she had to sit down and collect herself. She told me she’d been waiting forever to meet me. That’s when I realized—my face represented the compassion of all our donors.”
That same nimble efficacy guided SCF through the COVID-19 pandemic, when food insecurity and remote learning left many children vulnerable. “We poured our resources into delivering food when kids weren’t getting school lunches,” Mosher said. “We also saw just how far behind many of them fell. We’re still seeing the effects. That’s why we’ve launched literacy efforts, tutoring, and new educational initiatives to make up for the learning loss.”
The Foundation has even stepped into financial literacy, a need discovered from overheard conversations in the community. “I remember hearing a parent say, ‘My kid doesn’t know the difference between a check, debit card, or credit card—and they want to start a business,’” she recalled. “So, we started building programs around real-world survival skills. The Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union is redefining how they teach math based on this need.”
And behind all of this impact, Mosher never lost touch with the human side of the work. “Sometimes it’s as simple as handing a child a second pair of jeans and seeing the joy in their eyes,” she said. “Or hearing a parent say, ‘You changed the trajectory of my child’s future.’ That’s what keeps you going.” Mosher’s legacy is woven not just into the programs SCF delivers, but into the lives it has changed— quietly, powerfully, and with deep personal care. “We’re not just a nonprofit,” she said. “We’re a neighbor. A friend. A helping hand when it matters most.”
That direct connection to the community is something Mosher hopes to pass on to her successor. “If you’re delivering sneakers to a school, it’s important to be the person who hands them to the child,” she said. “That’s the story you’ll tell the donor. Don’t get too big. Stay connected. Stay on the ground.” SCF’s rising Executive Director, Meredith Morin, is already immersed in local education through her work at Burr and Burton Academy and Long Trail. Mosher wholeheartedly believes that Morin is poised to bring warmth and insight to the role. “She’s soft, warm, experienced—and this is her home,” Mosher said. “My goal is to set her up for success, and I won’t leave until she’s 100% comfortable.”
That same commitment applies to the leadership transition with President Steve Kerstein, who Mosher described as a mentor and anchor during turbulent times. “Steve is just as compassionate as anyone on our board. We worked hand in hand—especially during the pandemic—and it was his wish that the next President and Executive Director would have that same relationship with the new Executive Director.”
As the Foundation looks to the future, Mosher leaves behind a thriving network of donors, partners, and organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont, Alterra Mountain Company Community Foundation, the Charles S. and Millicent P. Brown Family Foundation, and the William J. and Dorothy O’Neill Foundation, who helped bring programs like Success Mentorships and summer scholarships to life. “There are just so many who made this possible,” she said. “The compassion and innovation we’ve seen from our philanthropic partners is just incredible.”
As SCF continues to expand its greater philanthropic family to include new donors dedicated to furthering their cause, Mosher hopes they recognize the impact they can make. “If you want to change a child’s life—or help a family with the most basic essentials—the Stratton Community Foundation is where you can see that change happen,” she said. “We are responsive. And we are changing lives.”
While preparing for her final few months of at SCF—officially staying on through October to aid in the transition—Mosher reflects on the journey with profound gratitude. “This has never been just a job. It’s been a privilege. The trust of the board, the generosity of this community, the ability to serve—those are gifts I’ll carry with me forever.” With a legacy of empathy and action, and a future guided by compassionate leadership, Mosher has beautifully paved the way for the Stratton Community Foundation to enter a new chapter—one that builds on her deeply-held values of compassion, integrity, and selfless service.
