Building a better tomorrow

Two years ago, I met Angeline D’Oro in a conference room at the Fairview Hospital Workplace Campaign Ice Cream Social. As I spoke with Angeline about the investments Berkshire United Way is making in our community, I told her one of our goals is to close the achievement gap faced by young children in southern Berkshire County. When she placed her pledge card in my hand, she asked, “If I give you my $3 per week, you will work to make sure that what happened to me, doesn’t happen to the next generation?  That tomorrow will be better than yesterday?” 

Angeline’s donation is one voice in a chorus of donors, volunteers and advocates who are literally forming a united way, or path to success for every child in our community. 

Last month, the Maternal Child Health department at Fairview Hospital met with Chapter One’s Resource Coordination work group.  This group includes the Care Coordinators of Macony Pediatrics and CHP, Pediatric Development Center, Discovering Your Baby Project of Austen Riggs, Lifeworks Studio, South Berkshire Kids and CHP’s OB/GYN.

‘Welcoming each baby to the spinning Earth’  from left to right:  Amy Taylor of Berkshire United Way, Gina Kirchner of Fairview Hospital, Maureen Atwood of Pediatric Development Center, Ilana Siegal of Lifeworks Studio, Kate Jewson of Austen Riggs, Dr. Donna Elmendorf of Austen Riggs, Dr. Claudia Gold of Austen Riggs, Jessica Maloney of South Berkshire Kids, Lisa Fraine of CHP OB/GYN, Elizabeth Nichols of Fairview Hospital, Jamie LaFreniere of Fairview Hospital, Adrien Conklin of Macony Pediatrics, Cynthia Segui of CHP Family Services.  Photo by Deborah Phillips of Fairview Hospital.

Each individual and organization brought with them the voices of the parents and babies in their care.  Together, we work to strengthen the ingredients of a good day for each new baby, from prenatal care to family support, creating happier, healthier and stronger families. The collective resolve sounded quite like a refrain from a beloved children’s book, On The Day You Were Born.  One could almost hear this same chorus of hushed voices saying, “Welcome to the spinning Earth.  We’re so glad you’ve come.”

To every mother, father, community member and caregiver, we are slowly but surely realizing Angeline’s dream.  Tomorrow is going to be better than yesterday.

Amy Taylor

South County Community Liaison