At Youth Villages, we believe something simple and profoundly true: no child, family or young adult thrives alone. Lasting change happens when people are surrounded by support, when a village shows up.

That belief is at the heart of Red Kite Nite, and it’s why we are proud to honor Lauren Birchfield Kennedy and Sarah Siegel Muncey, co-founders of Neighborhood Villages, as our 2026 honorees.

On Thursday, May 7, at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, we’ll come together to celebrate the profound impact we’re creating for youth and families. Few leaders embody this mission more fully than Lauren and Sarah — not because they envisioned a better system for families, but because they rolled up their sleeves and built one.

A village born from experience

Lauren and Sarah’s journey began during maternity leave in the winter of 2016. As new parents preparing to return to work, they felt the same questions millions of families ask every day: Who will care for my child? Can I trust the system meant to support us?

What they found was a system under strain. Early education and child care, so critical to family stability, were fragmented and under-resourced. Service providers were overwhelmed. Educators were undervalued. Families were left to navigate impossible choices alone.

Lauren and Sarah knew families deserved better. They also knew when caregivers and providers are supported, children thrive. That realization sparked a powerful question: What would it look like if child care truly functioned like a village?

Building the village families deserve

Nearly a decade later, Neighborhood Villages is answering that question with action.

By strengthening the systems around families and providers, Neighborhood Villages is transforming early education and child care from the inside out. Their approach is both practical and deeply human: meet people where they are and surround them with meaningful support.

Across the Commonwealth, Neighborhood Villages supports the educators and early childhood education programs families rely on. They offer coaching, behavioral health support, operational guidance and help navigating systems that can be tricky to manage. What stands out is how much they listen, building support around what educators say they actually need.

Since 2021, their family navigation work has helped more than 50 families find stable housing, and their team has distributed over a million diapers. Their play-based curriculum, Learning Through Exploration, is now being used by educators in all 50 states and has been downloaded on six continents.

Their work, like ours at Youth Villages, shows a simple truth: strong systems support us, but strong people lift us. Caregivers are at the heart of that strength, and that’s how villages flourish.

Shared leadership, shared impact

The partnership between Youth Villages and Neighborhood Villages reflects a powerful alignment in mission and heart. Together, we understand that meaningful change happens when systems are strengthened and families are supported holistically. While Youth Villages works alongside children, young people and families navigating crisis and transition, Neighborhood Villages fortifies early education systems to help prevent instability before it begins.

Together, we represent a true continuum of care, spanning early childhood through young adulthood. Our approaches are rooted in innovation, data-driven solutions and an unwavering commitment to equity. More importantly, we recognize that lasting impact involves more than programs alone; it requires partnership, trust and a village working in sync.

Whether supporting a young person in crisis, a family striving to stay together or a child taking their first steps into school, we share the belief that stability, dignity and connection are the foundation for lifelong success.

Lauren and Sarah embody that belief every day through hands-on support, bold advocacy and a relentless commitment to building systems that truly serve families.

Why we honor them

At Red Kite Nite 2026, we will honor Kennedy and Muncey not just for what they have built, but for how they have built it with compassion, courage and an unwavering belief in the power of community.

Their work reminds us that when villages are strong, futures are brighter.

Join us May 7 for an evening of powerful stories, shared purpose and hope in action as we celebrate the leaders who are building the villages every family deserves.

Visit youthvillages.org/redkitenite to learn more and be part of a village creating brighter futures for children and families.

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