The Village for Families & Children was determined that the thousands of children who benefit from its annual toy drive – The Holiday Giving Tree – wouldn’t miss out because of the pandemic. With so many employees working from home and large gatherings prohibited, participating companies, Village staff and dozens of additional Village supporters have found new ways to help.

Galo Rodriguez has made significant contributions to growing The Village’s resources, bolstering programs on prevention and early intervention, and integrating its strengths in behavioral health services with primary care providers.

Despite widespread closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic which forced many to transition from in-person to virtual tax filing, more residents in central and northeastern Connecticut took advantage of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program this year.

The volunteer-run Auxiliaries of The Village for Families & Children have been supporting programs that help transform the lives of children and families for over 60 years. The shops closed in March due to COVID-19 but are now starting to reopen. Thanks to their dedication and commitment, the Glastonbury, Simsbury, Suffield and West Hartford Auxiliaries contributed $229,012 to The Village this year.

The Village for Families and Children, along with The Capitol Region Education Council (CREC), Catholic Charities, and Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES), received a $9.1 million award to develop a partnership that will manage the regions’ federal Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

The death of George Floyd has elevated a conversation about racism and racial inequities in America. Now, more than ever, every organization, agency and individual must ask itself how it can do more to dismantle systemic racial inequalities. This includes The Village for Families & Children.