The Trustees partnered with the Wonderfund, a private nonprofit that serves children and their families engaged with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF), to host 250 people—including foster children, their foster parents, and biological siblings—for a day of outdoor fun at Weir River Farm in Hingham.
“The Wonderfund is grateful to The Trustees for partnering with us to give foster children those moments of childhood wonder that every child deserves. Opening up Weir River Farm to foster families creates the opportunity to build happy memories together in a beautiful place,” said First Lady Lauren Baker.
Hundreds of children and their families flocked to the farm to listen to live music, climb aboard tractors, do arts and crafts, have a picnic lunch, and meet the horses, cows, pigs, goats, chickens, and sheep who call the farm home. Young people were introduced to farm life through barnyard tours, while also exploring Turkey Hill and the woodland trails on the farm’s 75 acres of land.
“The Trustees prides itself on inclusivity and making sure the state’s most scenic and culturally significant places are accessible and welcoming to everyone,” said Janelle Woods-McNish, Trustees Vice President of Community Impact. “We are grateful to Wonderfund for the work they do and thrilled that our special outdoor places can be restorative to these children and their caretakers.”
Thank you so much for organizing this event! It was a great way to meet other foster families and provide a fun activity for the children. It was the first time I had been to Weir River Farm and it provided a great inspiration to return again. What a fun surprise to see the Bakers as well. They really took the time to speak with all the families and it was such a genuine interaction.
– via email from a foster mom
Wonderfund serves children engaged with DCF to provide comfort and dignity to children in traumatic situations while enriching childhoods that have been impacted by abuse and neglect, and the partnership between The Trustees and Wonderfund was formed thanks to Trustees Advisory Board Chairman Jeff Bellows, who was in attendance.
Also present were Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and First Lady Lauren Baker, Trustees President and CEO John Judge, and Property Committee Member Nicole Bellows.
The Trustees is also piloting a summer camp enrollment program funded by Wonderfund, allowing children to attend a free week at any of The Trustees’ nine summer camps.
