Faces of Prevention: Maria Leite
Brockton Home Visitor Honored for 21 Year Career Supporting First-Time Parents
Brockton resident Maria Leite has received The Children’s Trust Faces of Prevention Award, as she prepares to retire after more than two decades supporting young families in Brockton. The Children’s Trust is a public-private organization dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect in Massachusetts.
Leite has served as a home visitor with the Greater Brockton Healthy Families program for 21 years, helping young parents navigate the joys and challenges of raising children while building stable, nurturing homes. She is employed by High Point Treatment Center, which partners with the Children’s Trust to implement Healthy Families Massachusetts in Brockton. She received the award in recognition of her unwavering dedication to strengthening families and preventing child abuse and neglect through direct, relationship-based support.
“Throughout her career, Maria has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the families she serves,” said Maria Almeida, Program Coordinator for Brockton Healthy Families, who nominated Leite for the award. “She has a remarkable ability to build trusting and meaningful relationships with participants. Her warmth, authenticity, and genuine care create a safe space where parents feel supported and empowered.”
Over the course of her career, Leite worked with hundreds of families in Brockton. Almeida shared that many former participants remain in touch with Leite years after graduating from the program – a reflection of the lasting impact she has had on families throughout the Brockton community. One former participant recently reached out to share with Leite that she now owns a home and works at a Boston hospital – milestones she credits in part to the support she received from her time in the Healthy Families program. Another former program participant recognized Leite’s laugh from the next aisle over in Walmart and told Leite that her time with the program changed her life.
Originally from Cape Verde, Leite said her own experience immigrating to the United States shaped the way she connected with many of the families she supported over the years. Fluent in multiple languages, she worked closely with Portuguese-, Cape Verdean-, and Spanish-speaking families, many of whom faced barriers navigating systems and accessing services.
“To have someone there that they can trust, that speaks their language too, that makes a difference,” said Leite. “I’ve been in that situation before, where someone had to speak for me. It’s not a good feeling. I wanted families to know there was someone there to help them.”
Leite said the most rewarding part of the work was seeing families succeed long after they left the program.
“When I see them in a good path, when I see them with their life together, that’s my reward,” she said. “I could not have a bigger reward than knowing I made a difference in somebody’s life.”
Maria Leite
The Faces of Prevention award recognizes professionals across Massachusetts who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to preventing child abuse and neglect and promoting family wellbeing. Leite joins a growing list of family support staff honored by the Children’s Trust.
The Brockton Healthy Families program is a home-based family support and coaching program that matches parents with trained professionals who visit families’ homes to provide support during pregnancy and the child’s first three years of life. The Children’s Trust partners with High Point Treatment Center to implement Healthy Families MA within their community. Healthy Families MA is part of the Children’s Trust network of programs.
As she prepares for retirement later this summer, Leite said she plans to spend more time traveling and pursuing her passion for singing. She is an active member of the Brockton community and sits on the board of the Cape Verde Association.
“Do it with love. Do it with passion,” Leite said when asked what advice she would give future home visitors. “If you don’t come to this field with your heart, don’t do this job.”
Maria Leite
About The Children’s Trust
The Children’s Trust prevents child abuse and neglect by addressing root causes and strengthening the systems that support families — programs, policies, communities, and the workforce. As a public-private organization, the Children’s Trust is in a unique position to bring the day-to-day experiences of families and the family support workforce to life, ensuring policy is data-informed and grounded in the real experiences of families. The Children’s Trust works across sectors and communities to share learnings and resources, and to turn bold ideas into action so every family can thrive. Learn more at childrenstrustma.org.