National Home Visiting Week: Maria’s Story

Celebrating National Home Visiting Week

The Children’s Trust is proud to join organizations across the country in celebrating National Home Visiting Week April 20-24. 

Home visiting programs, like Healthy Families Massachusetts, connect families with trained home visitors who partner with parents to provide support, guidance, and resources during the earliest, and most critical, years of a child’s life. Home visiting is linked to lower maternal depression, greater housing stability, reduced involvement with child welfare, and improved child development outcomes. 

The Children’s Trust partners with local organizations to implement Healthy Families Massachusetts within their communities, ensuring families have the support they need to thrive.

This week, we’re honored to spotlight the dedicated home visitors who are making a difference for children and families every day.  

Meet Maria Diaz, 
Healthy Families Home Visitor at Criterion Child Enrichment

Two years supporting families in the Milford/Framingham area.

What is one lesson you have learned this year or piece of advice 
about how to work with families that might be helpful to other home visitors? 

Presence means everything! Families can see the support a home visitor gives simply by the way we show up. 

Why did you choose a career in home visiting and family support? 

My past experience as a participant played a lot into my current role with Healthy Families Framingham/Milford. Showing families the benefits of having a support system, no matter how big or small, can go a long way, even if it’s with a stranger. 

Can you share a story or example of a family you worked with that 
was really meaningful to you in the past year? 

A Healthy Families program participant, with limited access to resources, surprised me with a small yet meaningful gift for Christmas. It warmed my heart to think that I was someone special enough for her to give a gift during a special time! 

Tell us about how the training you receive supports your work with families. 

Training provided by the Children’s Trust allows me to be ready for every type of home visits I may encounter. It also allows me to be open to anything that comes my way with my families and how I can best support them. 

How does the work you do as a home visitor impact the larger community? 

I believe the work home visitors do helps participants be more open to advocate for themselves once we’re no longer with them. It allows them to do the same for people within their community. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your work, your program, your 
families, or your community? 

The families I work with are the highlight of any and all visits I have. I’m grateful to work with families who always bring me into their homes with open arms and so much love! 

Thank you, Maria, for all that you do to support children and families across the Commonwealth.  

About National Home Visiting Week 

This story is part of National Home Visiting Week (April 20–24), a nationwide celebration recognizing the critical role home visitors play in supporting families and strengthening communities. Throughout the week, we’re highlighting home visitors across Massachusetts who provide trusted guidance, build meaningful relationships, and help ensure children and families have the support they need to thrive from the very beginning.