Square One is an organization that has been providing family-friendly support services to children and families in the Greater Springfield MA region since 1883! Their programs include early education and care at centers in Springfield, home-based care settings and ‘outside of school time’ care for elementary school aged children. They also provide parent education, support, and training programs that help bring full-circle support so that families can thrive together. Their philosophy is ‘no matter who arrives at the table of need, we stand ready to serve.’
When you chat with Dawn DiStefano, President & CEO and Kris Allard, VP of Development & Communication, about their accomplishments from 2025 and their goals for 2026, they beam with pride about ‘going home’ to their new center on Williams Street in Springfield after the tornado in 2011 tore right through their block. The new classrooms were designed with trauma-informed principles including daylight and views of nature, soothing and warm color palettes and rooms sized to promote feelings of safety. ‘Every one of the 600 children in Square One learning environments meets the definition of a vulnerable child, and when your bosses are 3 feet tall, you listen’, says DiStefano. Support for the new building from the community was incredible, including a large donation from The Red Sox Foundation for the fenced outdoor play space and donations from the Davis Family Foundation, the City of Springfield and the Balise family, just to name a few key donors.
For 2026, the leadership team at Square One is really looking forward to every-one ‘being home’ and having a space to work and thrive as their footprint will be completed. The staff, families and children have demon-strated a tremendous amount of resilience through the past few years, and through the efforts of the local community, a dedicated staff and some new friends like the Community Music School joining the campus in 2026, Square One is ready to thrive in the new year!
To learn more about supporting this amazing organization,
visit their website Donate Here – Start at Square One