Meet our October 2024 Community Spotlight organization, It Takes a Village. ITAV is a grassroots, women-led nonprofit whose mission is to be the “village” every family needs and deserves. They strengthen communities by empowering families, giving them the tools and resources they need to help lift themselves out of poverty.

During home visits, ITAV volunteers might help out with household tasks such as preparing meals or washing dishes, or they might care for and play with babies and children. They're also available to run errands and accompany families to appointments. They act as an extended family member or neighbor might, connecting families to the community.

Tell us more about your organization.

ITAV was founded in 2009 by Cummington resident Maureen Shea as a community organization to serve mothers with newborns. What started with one neighbor supporting another has evolved into a comprehensive postpartum support model unlike anything else in New England. This includes postpartum home visits, parent support groups and workshops, parent-child music classes and our Village Closet Family Resource Center.

Since its formal opening in 2015, the Village Closet has distributed over $2.6 million worth of free clothing and supplies to 22,000 visitors across Western Massachusetts and beyond. In addition to providing one-on-one support to families, It Takes a Village also works to educate the public about the importance of postpartum care and the challenges faced by new families. When parents, their neighbors, and those with the power to make societal changes all take responsibility for the well-being of a growing family, children are healthier, parents face less physical and emotional isolation, and the community begins to understand and respect their role in raising the next generation. When we all work together, we give children the best possible start.

How would you describe the impact of your work?

We measure our true impact through the lives we touch. We provide support to families that don’t have anywhere else to turn, becoming their peace in the middle of an unpredictable storm. Whether it is a home visit volunteer that is matched with an at-risk family or critical supplies delivered to a doorstep, we don't need a backstory, we are just here to be part of the story.

Our impact is easy to see through the smiles, hugs, and lasting friendships. When a refugee client says “I don’t know what I would have done without It Takes a Village, you were my lifeline,” or a struggling parent simply says “you have no idea what this has meant to me”. Our impact is measured and resonates. Perhaps most importantly, when they refer us to others they know are in need, they know we will be there to lend a hand.

Ultimately, success for us means making a positive and lasting impact on our clients and the broader community. We work to foster our commitment to sustainability and social responsibility while working to reduce health disparities and making progress toward health equity.

*The Village Closet, a free "store" where families can find everything from clothing (for all ages), diapers, and cribs, to toys, books, and home birth supplies.*

What’s a goal you’re hoping to achieve in the coming years?

In addition to the Village Closet, we run a "free store" in a Title I school district that provides basic needs items to students, Pre-K to 12th grade. Our model gives students access to needed items without the stigma of a needs-based program. By integrating education and action, we are helping to ensure lasting and positive change for the environment and underserved communities.

Our goal is to expand our Free Store model and to provide needed items to more children in economically marginalized communities. To do this, we will introduce additional Free Stores in other schools. Two regional school districts have requested that we open our program at their sites. We plan to install at least one more Free Store this academic year, with plans for the other during this or the following year. We also plan to expand hours at our current school-based location to accommodate varying school schedules.

What is one simple thing an individual can start doing that could make a difference in the lives of those you serve?

We invite you to become a safety-net member. Donations of as little as $5.00/month can ensure that families will have a place to turn to for connection, support and basic needs.

Anyone can make a difference, start by reaching out and helping a neighbor. Raising a really young child isn’t easy and some neighbors need your help. Make a new connection in your community. Bring a new family a meal. Be a listening ear. What seems like a simple act to you, could mean everything to someone who is struggling.

If folks would like to get involved as a volunteer, donor, or benefactor, how can they get started?

It takes a village to run this organization and we invite you to join us. There are many ways that you can get involved. We need businesses who can sponsor our work, volunteers for our programs, board members and trusted advisors, members of the media who can highlight our stories, and community members to spread the word about the impact we are making to strengthen communities throughout Western Massachusetts. Begin by reaching out to us at info@hilltownvillage.org or visiting our center and taking a tour.

To make a donation, go to www.hilltownvillage.org/donate.

For more information or a tour, email us at info@hilltownvillage.org.

To become a volunteer, go to www.hilltownvillage.org/volunteer.

Sunday, October 13: Join Ellen Morbyrne at Sanctuary for a family-friendly, all-levels yoga class benefiting The Village Closet (It Takes a Village’s basic needs center) and ITAV’s postpartum home visit program. Learn more & register.