Creating Better, Brighter Futures in the Commonwealth

By: Damon Hart, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Liberty Mutual Insurance and Board Chair of The Home for Little Wanderers

For more than 225 years, The Home for Little Wanderers has been part of the fabric of Massachusetts. Many know us for our historic roots as an orphanage; others have made donating toys to the children we serve a holiday tradition. Yet while The Home’s commitment to child welfare endures to this day, many are unaware of the full scope of our work.

As Chair of The Home for Little Wanderers’ Board of Directors, and with Liberty Mutual being a Roundtable member organization, I am proud to reintroduce this organization to members of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable. The Home is one of the region’s largest child and family service organizations, with nearly 1000 skilled and passionate employees. We have over 30+ critical programs—in areas including Behavioral Health & Clinical Services, Residential Care, Special Education, Young Adult Programs, and Foster Care and Adoption—that meet the pressing needs of youth in our communities.

The Home is a vital, multidisciplinary provider and a leader in health care. We deliver behavioral and clinical services in homes, nearly 100 schools statewide and communities, expanding access to high-quality care for children and families.

At our core, we believe that strengthening children begins with strengthening families. When families have access to the support, resources and services they need, children are more likely to thrive—and our communities become stronger in the process.

This philosophy drives much of our work. Through our Family Resource Centers, Community Service Agencies and Parent Support Programs, we help families navigate behavioral health challenges, connect to services, build resilience and stay together whenever possible. We work with children and caregivers before challenges escalate, helping prevent school disruptions, hospitalizations or deeper involvement with more intensive systems.

We also recognize that, too often, systems intended to support children and families—our neighbors, classmates and colleagues—have gaps. Families facing mental health challenges, housing instability, trauma, poverty or complex care needs can struggle to find the right support at the right time. The Home works to address these gaps by meeting people where they are and helping to create pathways to stability and success. As we do, life in the Commonwealth becomes better…for everyone.

We serve those who serve others. We train professionals in the field, providing professional development, consultations and trainings to share expertise and innovative solutions. Through peer-to-peer support, internally and to partner organizations, we strengthen the health and human services sector, uplifting our workforce and expanding access to effective, compassionate care, so we can serve more kids.

Advocacy and civic engagement is another way we effect change. We invite elected officials to our programs and work with legislators and community leaders across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Washington, D.C. to advance policies that improve outcomes for children and families. From behavioral health access and foster care reform to workforce development and community-based services, we are committed to ensuring that young people remain our priority.

After all, they are the future of the Commonwealth. We are all tied together; investing in children is investing in our communities and, ultimately, in a stronger Massachusetts.