Middlesex Coalition for Children

The Middlesex Coalition for Children, founded in 1992, is an alliance of parents, educators, children's service providers, and community activists dedicated to improving the lives of children in Middlesex County.

The idea for the Coalition was created in the late 1980s when the first Mastery Test scores were released. According to the results, 40% of Middletown children were failing at school, scoring at the basic level or below. This number inspired community members to come together and do something about this disturbing trend.

Led by Betsy Morgan, Willard McRae, and James Matschulat, the group recognized that not even the best schools or the most committed organizations could help children who lacked adequate food or a stable home, who had unmet physical or mental health needs, or who were being neglected or abused.

Now, the Coalition forms task forces on issues to mobilize the community to take action. The organization advocates for children's issues and also plans, coordinates, and supports a wide variety of initiatives to improve children's services in Middlesex County.

United Way partners annually with the Coalition on two important programs: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Middlesex County Diaper Committee. VITA operates free tax preparation sites to ensure that working people are getting back all the money they have earned. The Diaper Committee is a full-fledged sustainable project to provide diapers to families in need and to advocate to keep this issue in the forefront.