‘It takes a village’: Foundation for Delaware County launches Family Village

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The Foundation for Delaware County is infusing new life into its programming in the face of growing public health challenges.

Dozens of case workers, community health organizers, doulas, nurses and social workers will now operate under the same umbrella: Family Village.

“Family Village: It takes a village to raise a child,” said Joanne Craig, chief impact officer for the foundation at Friday’s launch event at the Lazaretto Ballroom.

The Foundation for Delaware County serves approximately 8,000 people annually through initiatives such as El Centro, Healthy Start, Housing Opportunities Program for Equity, Medical-Legal Partnership, Nurse-Family Partnership and the county’s supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, known as WIC.

Some of these programs originate from the old Crozer-Keystone Health System, predating the foundation by decades. A little more than a year ago, the foundation decided to centralize all of the programs to create a more accessible “village of care.”

“There is a single point of entry,” Craig said. “We have a single phone number. Anything to make the access to the programs more accessible.”

Shakirah Randolph, a Chester resident, was previously on the receiving end of support from the foundation. When she had her first child during the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation got her access to healthy food. When she had her second child, the foundation matched her with a doula.

“Being on that side, just the care, the support, the love, the team, it really helped me to be that mother that I needed to be for my son and my daughter,” she said.

Randolph decided to pay it forward. She is now a labor doula with the foundation.

“To be able to do that for multiple moms in Chester and Delaware County is what I’ve always wanted to do,” Randolph said. “And so far, I’ve birthed nine babies, one set of twins. So, it’s very fulfilling.”

‘We’re in it together’: Foundation stands ready to address Crozer closure, other challenges

The foundation primarily serves pregnant people and families with children under the age of 5. Craig said that since the collapse of Crozer Health in May — Delaware County’s largest health system — a lot of the county has devolved into a maternal and pediatric care desert.

“We don’t have pediatric services. We don’t have OB-GYN services. There is not a birthing hospital nearby. Families have to travel far,” Craig said. “They’re either going to another corner of the county or they’re going into another county literally, into Montgomery County or Philadelphia or even the state of Delaware to have a baby, for emergency services and so on.”

Craig said the continuum of care is designed to support vulnerable families with all aspects of services.

Many of the Family Village programs receive funding from state and federal resources. Pennsylvania’s ongoing budget impasse and the federal government shutdown have the potential to negatively impact the plan.

“Right now, I’m pleased to say, all of our programs are running,” Craig said. “They’re providing amazing services, but whether it is the federal government or the state government, we need folks to get those budgets passed so that these programs can continue because families out there, individuals need us — and unfortunately the need is growing.”

Michael Kellerman, the new president of the organization, expressed excitement regarding Family Village. Kellerman succeeded former President Frances Sheehan. He is just three weeks into the job.

“My family calls Delco Home. I have been so warmly welcomed by this community into this role,” Kellerman said. “I think we all share a common belief that we can do better for Delaware County and Delaware County can be a place where every child has an opportunity to thrive. And so we’re in it together and I’m just so happy to be part of this.”

Editor’s note: The Foundation for Delaware County provides support for WHYY. WHYY News produces independent, fact-based news content for audiences in Greater Philadelphia, Delaware and South Jersey.