Village for Families &Children

The story begins in 1809, long before the typical startup playbook existed. A group of committed women in Hartford, Connecticut, saw a need and created the Hartford Female Beneficent Society to assist children and families. This wasn't about a scalable product; it was about building a community of strong, healthy families to protect and nurture children. The organization’s journey is a masterclass in adaptation. Over two centuries, it evolved, not through funding rounds, but through strategic mergers with other local organizations like the Hartford Orphan Asylum and the Connecticut Children’s Aid Society, founded by the visionary Virginia Thrall Smith. Each move expanded its capabilities. A significant pivot occurred in 1925 when a 16-acre land gift allowed for the creation of a campus of brick cottages, shifting from a traditional asylum model to a more nurturing environment called the Children's Village. This established their core identity. The model continued to change, moving beyond just housing orphans to providing a wide range of services, including behavioral health, education, and family support. Instead of an IPO, its major growth moments involved partnering with other major players, such as Connecticut Children's medical center in 2017 to integrate physical and mental healthcare. Today, The Village for Families & Children operates from multiple locations, its mission sharpened by more than 200 years of continuous operation and reinvention.