It Takes as Village was founded in 2009 by Cummington, MA resident Maureen Shea when she realized that rural families needed more support during the postpartum period. What began as one mother supporting one mother has evolved into a support system that spans four counties, hundreds of families, and over a decade of community support. Through Home Visits to Hilltown families, The Village Closet donation and distribution center, and the Parent Education and Support program, families are able to build their own safety-nets for postpartum support, and neighbors can truly welcome the newest members of their Village.
Staff
Lisa Goding, Program Director
Lisa is a Village family alum from Huntington, mother of two and a registered dietitian. In Lisa's free time, she likes to hike or sit on her front porch; watching wildlife. Another pastime of hers is growing her kindle library.
Mollie Hartford, Development and Outreach Director
Mollie began at It Takes a Village as a Home Visit volunteer and was drawn to the organization after experiencing isolation and depression after the birth of her first child. Mollie grew up in Richmond, MA and now lives in Northampton with her husband and two boys, Rowan and Calvin, and their dog Ara. Mollie teaches Childbirth Education, Newborn Care, and Breastfeeding classes with Crafted Birth, and enjoys finishing other people's knitting projects.
Kenzie Kinsella, Development and Outreach Assistant
Kenzie lives in Chesterfield with her two children, Emlyn and Cody, husband Mike and dog Samson. She relocated to Western MA right before the birth of her daughter in 2019 and has been in the Hilltowns ever since. Kenzie graduated from SUNY Cortland with an Early Childhood/Childhood Education degree. Kenzie joined our team in spring of 2021.
Becky Brisbois, Village Closet Coordinator
Becky lives in Chesterfield with her husband Jeremy and three children; Maggie, Andrew and Payton! Before Becky joined the ITAV team, she came to know the closet as a resource for her own children. She has experience being a foster parent, as well! Becky enjoys camping, hiking and spending time with her family and in the garden.
Erin Allard, Fundraising Assistant
Erin lives in Russell with her two kids, Ellie and Will, husband Dave and many chickens. Erin graduated from Clemson University with a BA in History and MA in Teaching. She joined ITAV in 2022. When she’s not busy substituting or coaching she’s happily chauffeuring her kids to activities such Girl Scouts & soccer practice! Erin loves seeing donations being reused and recycled at the Village Closet!
Elsa Kieffer, Fundraising Assistant
Elsa studied Environmental Studies and English at Mt. Holyoke College. She previously worked in their Fimbel Maker & Innovation Lab helping students design and create projects using 3D printers, laser engraving, electric circuits, and textiles! When she is not also working as a pharmacy tech, she enjoys painting, baking desserts, and writing short stories. She joined the ITAV team in 2022!
Rachael Laurie, Administrative Assistant & Bookkeeper
Rachael lives in Huntington. She has five children! Some of Rachael's passions include painting, designing and tattoos, drawing, and writing. She joined the ITAV team in Fall 2021.
Parent Group Facilitators & Child Care Providers
Our Parent Group Facilitators are Hilltown parents themselves who bring warmth, skill & experience to this work. They have professional backgrounds in doula care, lactation support, meditation and yoga therapy. We strive that every group feels welcoming to all families, including special needs families, families in the LGBTQIA+ community, and families from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds. We strive to provide childcare during all our parent groups and events so parents can focus and take a much-needed break. Our care providers are carefully screened and have passed CORI and SORI background checks.
Board of Directors
Mary Lorbert
Mary is an active ITAV volunteer and mother to 1 year old Eva. She has been working and volunteering to help people her whole life. With this goal she became a lawyer, working in real estate litigation. Recently she has also been teaching ESL, taught at Webs Yarn, and volunteered and taught at a community center in Galway, Ireland. Mary and Eva volunteer at the Village Closet every Tuesday, and the both love being part of helping others and spreading resources to the community.
Kim Messeck
Kim is an active ITAV volunteer and has been part of the Hilltown community her whole life. She lives with her husband, Deane Jr., two very adventurous sons, Carter and Asher, fur son, Buck, many chickens and a polish rabbit, Baby Starry. She obtained her M.Ed. from Our Lady of the Elms College. Kimberly has worked in human services for over 15 years. You can always find her cheering on her kiddos in their many adventures, coaching their teams, and enjoying all life has to offer with her family and friends.
Jean Cherdack
Jean studied history in college and did graduate work in Judaic Christian studies. Her other passion is The League of Women Voters. She substitute teaches at Sanderson Academy, gardens, and hike, and travels with her husband. Jean is one of It Takes a Village's longest-running Home Visit Volunteers!
Jeanne Sargent
Jeannie is a retired educational administrator, counselor and special education teacher who for 18 years was the founding director of a private school and residential program for adolescents challenged by life-long learning and medical concerns. Thereafter, she worked for 20 years as a middle school counselor. Jeannie is one of our long-term Home-Visit volunteers. In addition to finding joy in working with families of newborns, she is equally at home preparing and sharing dinners with local seniors as a part of a newly established program called Plainfield Cares. She is also a member of the Hilltown Seed Saving Network, working with like-minded folks to protect seeds that thrive in the cold hills of Massachusetts.
Rick Brown
Rick’s professional background involves over forty years in education, most of it involving leadership positions in a variety of school settings. He has also served as a Trustee for three schools, with roles focusing on fiscal management, development activities, and strategic planning. Rick is an active volunteer. He has served on state agency boards involving child welfare and advocacy issues. He also volunteered for the Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina and served as a Foster Care Case Reviewer for DCF. Currently, he tutors for the Literacy Network of South Berkshire, is an officer of the Sheffield Democratic Town Committee, and was recently appointed to the Sheffield Commission on Disabilities. Rick currently splits his time between Cummington and Sheffield. Education is definitely the family business as his wife is a science teacher and his daughter is an early childhood educator in Vermont. Rick believes that raising children, while having community support available from the earliest moments of parenthood, leads to healthy outcomes for kids, parents and our community.
Melissa Nazzaro
Advisory Council
Beth Girshman, Conway, MA
Carol Owen, Florence, MA
Sarah Tanner, Northampton, MA
Deb Toomey, Chester, MA
Roxie Pin, New England Public Media, Huntington, MA
Anne Vaillant, Atkinson Family Practice, Northampton, MA
Nonprofit Information
Hilltown Village Inc., DBA It Takes a Village is a registered 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization. All contributions are tax-deductible. Please contact the staff if you need a receipt for a financial or in-kind donation.
Families never pay for any of It Takes a Village’s programs.
Your support will keep these services available to everyone.
