News

The Village Honors Eric Feeney and Dr. Steven Rogers as 2026 Champions for Children

The Village for Families & Children has named Eric Feeney, a third-grade teacher at Wolcott Elementary School in West Hartford, and Dr. Steven Rogers, Medical Director of Emergency Mental and Behavioral Health Services and the Youth Suicide Prevention Center at Connecticut Children’s, as its 2026 Champions for Children.

The Village Honors Eric Feeney and Dr. Steven Rogers as 2026 Champions for Children Read More »

The Village Named a Top Workplace in the Country for Second Year in a Row!

The Village for Families & Children (The Village) has earned a 2026 USA TODAY Top Workplaces award, marking the second consecutive year it has received national recognition as a Top Workplace. This national honor builds on The Village’s six‑year streak as a Connecticut Top Workplace as well as its designation as a leading workplace in the nation’s nonprofit sector for four consecutive years.

The Village Named a Top Workplace in the Country for Second Year in a Row! Read More »

Wellmore and The Village for Families & Children Announce Planned Merger

Wellmore and The Village for Families & Children (The Village), two of Connecticut’s leading behavioral health organizations, plan to merge operations in the coming months with the goal of expanding services, sharing expertise and maximizing impact for their clients. Together, the agencies employ nearly 1,000 staff members and annually serve 30,000 families in 100 municipalities in Connecticut.  

Wellmore and The Village for Families & Children Announce Planned Merger Read More »

Top Workplaces: CT Mission To Help Children and Families at The Village

Hartford’s The Village for Families & Children continues to be a regular as one of the Courant’s Top Workplaces. This year is the sixth straight such recognition for the non-profit. President and Chief Executive Officer Hector Glynn has been with the organization since 2007. He stepped into his new post in January 2024 and said the mission continues.

Top Workplaces: CT Mission To Help Children and Families at The Village Read More »

Suicide Prevention Month: Experts Calling Attention to Mental Health Challenges in Children

Health experts say many of these students are facing challenges ranging from changes in routine, struggles with learning, and peer and social interaction challenges. Many of these children end up in emergency rooms. The Urgent Crises Center is an alternative location in these situations. Officials say they’re accustomed to working with children who have active thoughts of suicide.

Suicide Prevention Month: Experts Calling Attention to Mental Health Challenges in Children Read More »

Commissioner Beth Bye, Late Village Board Member Jerry Bundy Named 2025 Village Champions for Children

The Village has named Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Commissioner Beth Bye and posthumously recognized longtime Village Board Member Richard “Jerry” Bundy as its 2025 Champions for Children in honor of their leadership and commitment in bettering the lives of youth across Connecticut.

Commissioner Beth Bye, Late Village Board Member Jerry Bundy Named 2025 Village Champions for Children Read More »

Connecticut Children’s and The Village Team Up To Integrate Pediatric and Mental Health Care

To ensure children in Connecticut receive comprehensive pediatric care, Connecticut Children’s and The Village for Families & Children (The Village) are working together to embed behavioral health clinicians into private primary care practices within the Connecticut Children’s Care Network.

Connecticut Children’s and The Village Team Up To Integrate Pediatric and Mental Health Care Read More »

West Hartford Couple Donates $30,000 To Support Critical Youth Mental Health Services for Children

West Hartford residents James and Anne Carroll are stepping up to help children who are struggling with their mental health through a $30,000 donation to The Village’s Urgent Crisis Center (UCC). The Carrolls’ generous contribution will support vital services that help youth during crisis situations and ensure they’re able to access care when they need it most.

West Hartford Couple Donates $30,000 To Support Critical Youth Mental Health Services for Children Read More »

More Than Brick Mortar: Urgent Crisis Centers a Lifeline for Families Impacted by Behavioral Health Emergencies

In response to the growing youth mental health epidemic in the U.S., the State of Connecticut introduced Urgent Crisis Centers (UCCs) which provide immediate care—no appointment necessary—to children and teens, ages 4-18, experiencing an active and urgent mental health crisis.

More Than Brick Mortar: Urgent Crisis Centers a Lifeline for Families Impacted by Behavioral Health Emergencies Read More »

The Village's Albany Avenue campus in Hartford turns 100 this year.

Historic CT Orphanage To Reunite Children & Parents With the Place That Helped Shape Their Lives

As The Village for Families & Children’s historic Albany Avenue campus in Hartford turns 100 this year, the non-profit is calling on the people who’ve received support at the campus or been involved in The Village’s foster care or adoption services to share their stories and attend an upcoming reunion event in celebration of the milestone.

Historic CT Orphanage To Reunite Children & Parents With the Place That Helped Shape Their Lives Read More »

Free Tax Assistance Available for CT Residents

The 2025 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) campaign has begun to offer free federal and state income tax preparation and filing for qualifying Connecticut residents. United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, The Village for Families & Children (The Village) and Human Resources Agency of New Britain, Inc. (HRA) alongside Comptroller Sean Scanlon and Representative Kate Farrar, made the announcement on the EITC Awareness Day. The organizations are continuing their partnership to help eligible residents prepare and file their taxes at no charge.

Free Tax Assistance Available for CT Residents Read More »

Thousands of Local Children To Receive New Books Thanks To Generous Holiday Shoppers

Nearly 2,500 brand new books are set to bring joy and foster healthy reading habits among local children thanks to the generosity of Glastonbury Barnes & Noble patrons and dedicated volunteers from The Cigna Group, who stepped up to help The Village for Families & Children combat reading loss and support children’s literacy.

Thousands of Local Children To Receive New Books Thanks To Generous Holiday Shoppers Read More »

Honorees and client speakers at the 2024 Girl Within event. (L-R) Village client Gyllian, former Village foster youth Kaiya and her adoptive mother Valerie, Young Woman of the Year Isabella Longo and Woman of the Year Lhakpa Sherpa.

Village Donors Raise Record-Breaking $211,000 to Aid Women and Girls Affected by Trauma

At The Village for Families & Children’s annual Girl Within fundraiser on Friday, December 6, donors and corporate sponsors raised a record-breaking $211,000 to provide critical support to women and girls in Greater Hartford, who have been affected by trauma and other challenges, through life-changing services at The Village.

Village Donors Raise Record-Breaking $211,000 to Aid Women and Girls Affected by Trauma Read More »

Hundreds of Hartford Children Receive Free Warm Coats and Resources at Village Trunk or Treat Event

The Village outfitted hundreds of children with warm winter coats during a free “Trunk or Treat” event Thursday evening. The event provided a safe environment for families to celebrate Halloween, enjoy treats and activities, and receive new children’s coats, hats and gloves to help them stay warm this winter. Free wellness resources, including dental supplies, were also provided.

Hundreds of Hartford Children Receive Free Warm Coats and Resources at Village Trunk or Treat Event Read More »

Village Urgent Crisis Center Extends Hours for Immediate Youth Mental Health Support

The Village’s walk-in, youth mental health Urgent Crisis Center (UCC) in Hartford is extending its hours of operation to meet an increased need for immediate mental health support for children and teens. Effective October 19, The Village’s UCC—located at 1680 Albany Avenue in Hartford—will be open on Saturdays from 3:00-11:00pm in addition to its existing schedule of Monday through Friday, 7:00am-11:00pm.

Village Urgent Crisis Center Extends Hours for Immediate Youth Mental Health Support Read More »

Five Years in a Row! The Village Named a Top Workplace and a Top Non-Profit Nationwide

The Village has been named a 2024 Top Workplace in Connecticut by The Hartford Courant, marking the organization’s fifth consecutive year receiving the award. The Village was also one of seven non-profits in Connecticut to be awarded a National Top Workplaces Non-Profit Industry Award, which is the third time The Village has received this recognition since the national award’s inception in 2021.

Five Years in a Row! The Village Named a Top Workplace and a Top Non-Profit Nationwide Read More »

Youth Suicides Are Rising in CT. Mental Health Advocates and Providers Offer Ways To Help.

Connecticut finds itself in a midst of a mental health crisis. In the past two months, nine youth deaths by suicide have been reported in the state, compared to seven total in 2023. With National Suicide Prevention Month approaching in September, Gov. Ned Lamont held a roundtable at The Village’s Urgent Crisis Center in Hartford this week with representatives of state agencies and children’s mental and behavioral health organizations to emphasize youth suicide prevention.

Youth Suicides Are Rising in CT. Mental Health Advocates and Providers Offer Ways To Help. Read More »

Village Donors Leave Their Mark on Hartford Community, Historic Campus With Life-Changing Gifts

Thousands of youth and families served by The Village for Families & Children will receive the help they need to overcome challenges and heal for generations thanks to members of the organization’s board of directors and supporters who recently made transformative legacy gifts to The Village.

Village Donors Leave Their Mark on Hartford Community, Historic Campus With Life-Changing Gifts Read More »

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program Returns Nearly $28 Million to Residents of Central and Northeastern Connecticut

More than 13,000 tax filers received free tax preparation and filing services from hundreds of IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers, resulting in nearly $28 million in refunds and credits being returned to Connecticut communities thanks to the 2023 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) campaign.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program Returns Nearly $28 Million to Residents of Central and Northeastern Connecticut Read More »

Golfers Raise More Than $100,000 To Help Dads Receive Life-Changing Support at The Village

With more than 120 golfers hitting the greens, The Village for Families & Children’s 13th Annual Foursomes for Fatherhood Golf Classic at TPC River Highlands was a swinging success, raising upwards of $100,000 to benefit dads who are receiving crucial support from The Village as they work to reunite with their children.

Golfers Raise More Than $100,000 To Help Dads Receive Life-Changing Support at The Village Read More »

Through foster care and adoption, national and state child wellbeing jurisdictions have focused their efforts on stability and permanency for teens before they "age out" of care and custody. In this photo, TJ shares that call to action in an interview with WFSB.

“You Never Stop Thinking About Wanting to Belong to a Family”

Colleagues at DCF partner-provider The Village for Families and Children (The Village) say their associate Vice President of Permanency, Thomas “TJ” Michalski, is the real deal – he “walks the walk” so to speak. Not only in his day-to-day work of placing the children they serve in safe, stable and permanent homes, but also in his personal life.

“You Never Stop Thinking About Wanting to Belong to a Family” Read More »

Dr. Laine Taylor and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal

Blumenthal Pushes For Federal Funding For Mental-Health Services

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal says that fighting suicide and declining mental health for young adults and children will need “probably billions” of dollars. At a news conference Monday morning, which was held at The Village’s Urgent Crisis Center – which serves as an urgent care for behavioral health services – the senator spoke alongside advocates for children’s mental health in the state, and cited social media and pandemic-borne isolation as some of the main causes for steep increases in suicide rates among young adults.

Blumenthal Pushes For Federal Funding For Mental-Health Services Read More »

Nonprofit Coalition Encourages Filers to Utilize Free Tax Preparation Assistance as Tax Day Approaches

Hartford, CT April 8, 2024 – With the tax season ending, the Central and Northeastern VITA Coalition (comprised of United Way, The Village and Human Resources Agency of New Britain) and State Representatives encourage qualified families to take advantage of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) services to file their taxes. VITA is a free, professional and trusted resource that offers free federal and state income tax preparation and filing for Connecticut residents with annual household incomes of up to $64,000. The tax deadline is Tuesday, April 15.

Nonprofit Coalition Encourages Filers to Utilize Free Tax Preparation Assistance as Tax Day Approaches Read More »

Hartford Healthcare, The Village Bring OnMed Healthcare Experience to Hartford

As part of ongoing efforts to make accessing quality healthcare easier for everyone, Hartford HealthCare (HHC) has teamed with OnMed, an innovative care delivery company, and The Village for Families & Children (The Village), a human services agency addressing community health for more than 200 years, to open the OnMed Care Station at The Village’s 331 Wethersfield Avenue location in Hartford.

Hartford Healthcare, The Village Bring OnMed Healthcare Experience to Hartford Read More »

Stark Reality for Many CT Kids: Trauma, Social Isolation, Negative Impact of Social Media

Murphy spoke of his concern for the way social media impacts young people as he and Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz this week headed a roundtable on the impact of loneliness and social isolation on young people and children and what can be done to combat the growing problem. Also addressed were: trauma, parenting, education, violence and mental health.

Stark Reality for Many CT Kids: Trauma, Social Isolation, Negative Impact of Social Media Read More »

NBT Bank Donates $75,000 To Help Local Youth Receive Critical Mental Health Support

As children and teens across Connecticut continue facing mental health crises, NBT Bank is stepping up to help ensure youth have access to care and provide healing to adolescents in crisis through a $75,000 grant backing services at The Village, including its youth mental health Urgent Crisis Center (UCC) in Hartford.

NBT Bank Donates $75,000 To Help Local Youth Receive Critical Mental Health Support Read More »

Period Poverty Takes Center Stage at Village Fundraiser Benefiting Local Women and Girls

The Village’s largest annual fundraiser—Girl Within—returned on Friday to provide critical support to women and girls in Greater Hartford who have been affected by trauma and other mental health challenges, raising more than $200,000 to support a range of services at that help them to heal and build resilience, confidence and independence.

Period Poverty Takes Center Stage at Village Fundraiser Benefiting Local Women and Girls Read More »

Thousands of Girls to Benefit from The Village’s Largest Fundraiser of the Year

The Village for Families and Children’s annual Girl Within event will return at the Connecticut Convention Center on Friday, December 1 to raise funds that help support local women and girls in Greater Hartford who have been affected by trauma and other challenges through life-changing services at The Village.

Thousands of Girls to Benefit from The Village’s Largest Fundraiser of the Year Read More »

The Village Opens Mobile Opiate, Substance Abuse Treatment in Middletown

Officials gathered Oct. 25 at St. Vincent De Paul Middletown on Main Street to christen the Hartford-based Village for Families & Children’s new expanded recovery vehicle (VERV) program, which provides peer support, case management, harm reduction resources, and connection to treatment for those impacted by opiate and substance use, according to the agency.

The Village Opens Mobile Opiate, Substance Abuse Treatment in Middletown Read More »

Local Entrepreneur, Adopted Through Village, Becomes Its New Board Chair

The Village, one of Connecticut’s largest providers of adolescent mental health services, welcomed Curt Cameron as its new chair of the board of directors this week. The unanimous vote took place at The Village’s downtown Hartford location on Church Street and is believed to be the first time in its 200-year history that The Village’s board chair is also a Village adoptee.

Local Entrepreneur, Adopted Through Village, Becomes Its New Board Chair Read More »

The Village Named a Top Workplace for Fourth Year in a Row, Earns National Recognition as a Top Non-Profit

The Village has been named a 2023 Top Workplace by The Hartford Courant, marking the organization’s fourth consecutive year receiving the award. The Village was also one of six non-profits in Connecticut to be awarded a National Top Workplaces Non-Profit Industry Award, which is the second time The Village has received this recognition on a national scale.

The Village Named a Top Workplace for Fourth Year in a Row, Earns National Recognition as a Top Non-Profit Read More »

Connecticut Child Crisis Centers Ready for New Year

Students across Connecticut are heading back to school. But, the transition from home to the classroom can be challenging, especially after a difficult few years. At The Village for Families & Children in Hartford, staff stand ready to help. The Urgent Crisis Center has already seen 21 families and children, according to Amy Samela, the vice president of residential programs.

Connecticut Child Crisis Centers Ready for New Year Read More »

Success! Village Donors Provide More Than 1,000 Hartford Children With New School Supplies and Food

Just in time for the first day of school, more than 1,000 Hartford students received brand-new backpacks, school supplies and food thanks to many donors who contributed to a back-to-school drive hosted by The Village for Families & Children, in partnership with Staples. The new supplies will give children what they need to feel confident and prepared as they start school tomorrow.

Success! Village Donors Provide More Than 1,000 Hartford Children With New School Supplies and Food Read More »

Village Back-To-School Drive: One Week Left To Get 1,000 Children New Backpacks

Children in Hartford return to school in just one week, but many will need adequate supplies such as backpacks, pencils and uniforms to begin the school year. The Village for Families & Children has partnered with local Staples Stores to launch a Back-to-School Drive and ensure children in need have the tools to succeed.

Village Back-To-School Drive: One Week Left To Get 1,000 Children New Backpacks Read More »

A CT Mom Faced Barriers Getting Mental Health Care For Her Son. Then This Walk-in Clinic Opened

The Hartford UCC, located at The Village for Families and Children at 1680 Albany Ave. accepts walk-in patients who are welcomed into a colorful, playful waiting room and quickly met with a team of healthcare providers ranging from psychologists to triage nurses, who provide a broad spectrum of care for children in need.

A CT Mom Faced Barriers Getting Mental Health Care For Her Son. Then This Walk-in Clinic Opened Read More »

New Mental Health Care Models in Connecticut Offer ER Alternative to Children in Crisis

A couple of refurbished, old red brick houses on Asylum Avenue in Hartford now host two new models of mental health care for teens and children. The facilities are part of The Village for Families & Children and include an outpatient Urgent Crisis Center (UCC) which opened Thursday – it’s one of four UCCs statewide. An adjacent building will be the site of the state’s first and only sub-acute children’s mental health unit, scheduled to open in August.

New Mental Health Care Models in Connecticut Offer ER Alternative to Children in Crisis Read More »

Accountants Trade Office for Landscaping in a Volunteer Effort to Improve Children’s Mental Health Facility

John Mallin normally spends his afternoons leading a team at Ernst & Young in a downtown Hartford office. On Tuesday, he was leading some of the same workers while landscaping in the city’s West End. Mallin and a team of 25 workers from EY were volunteering at The Village for Children & Families, doing upkeep at the organization’s Albany Avenue campus. The property houses facilities for children dealing with mental and emotional trauma, and Vice President of Residential Programs Amy Samela said the appearance is an important part of the services The Village provides.

Accountants Trade Office for Landscaping in a Volunteer Effort to Improve Children’s Mental Health Facility Read More »