A charity that has helped to “personalise the need” in Bermuda is looking to expand to assist struggling families navigate their way out of poverty.

Fiona Dill, who cofounded It Takes a Village Foundation with Erin Williams in 2022 in response to the impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on many, said that as well as providing vouchers and facilitating community giving, the charity would increase its focus on “giving people a hand up”.

ITAVF started as a Facebook page that doubled as a “virtual village” where people could donate free items or request items they needed, such as diapers, baby clothing or toys, with the option to remain anonymous.

The charity also donates about $4,500 per month through a government programme that provides vouchers to help some of the island’s most vulnerable to pay for Belco bills, groceries and pharmacy costs.

Arming people with skills and providing them with services is also part of the charity’s ongoing mission.

“ITAVF has grown in as much as we realise we don’t want to just hand money out to people, we want to make a difference,” Ms Dill said.

“We had one member of the community help someone write their CV and we had another who was helping a young mom with meal plans so her dollars went further.

“These people were giving their skills and I’m hoping in the New Year to get in touch with the Adult Education School so I can direct people there to get their GED. It’s about helping people to explore their options.

“I work closely with the Women’s Resource Centre, which has counselling services. If someone says to me they are feeling hopeless, I will suggest they make contact with WRC, or if they work, I will ask them whether their employer has an employee assistance programme.

“Some people are so downtrodden that they don’t believe in themselves any more and can’t see how things can change — there is no hope. If you can just give people hope that things can be better, it can make a big difference.”

Ms Dill said that the amount of giving had increased since the recent launch of the charity’s website, related media exposure as well as an easier donation process.

Any funds that are donated to the charity go towards the verified voucher system but the community giving aspect of the charity requires some questioning by Ms Dill to minimise people using the service without having genuine need.

She will ask people questions around whether people are working, whether they are on financial assistance and how many people are in their household. But, essentially, this aspect of the support runs on an honour-system basis.

She said: “The money people give for the vouchers that go through the government clinic is a tried and tested system.

“Those receiving funds or items through the Facebook community are the ones that I am making a judgement on. I’m not using the charity’s money for that. I am enabling the community to step up.

“One of the things that amazes me is how gracious people are. Even when they know that if they come back to me they may get another voucher, I don’t get the same people time and time again — there’s a respect for the process.”

One mother of three who fell on hard times said finding the charity gave her “hope for humanity”.

The mother, who wished not to be named, said: “It has been overwhelming. I can’t even put it into words. It is such a blessing. Things are a hard for many people right now and the fact this group does what it can to help the community has been a godsend.

“I can’t speak enough about what they are doing to help the needy and those of us who are on hard times.

“I have been dealing with some personal matters that have been ongoing for a very long time. It has just been difficult, really hard for myself and my daughter in just trying to live and pay the bills.

“I am at the point where I’m worn out physically and mentally drained. The support and help has been tremendous. I can’t say enough.”

Another mother, who also wished to remain anonymous, said she reached out to the charity while caring for five children by herself.

She said: “When I first received help, it was because I was a struggling mom. I was married at the time, but my husband lived in Jamaica, so it was me bringing them up. I had a premature baby and an autistic son. I was really struggling.

“I had a full-time job but once my rent and children’s insurance came out, I was bringing home $150 a week. I reached out to her village and I was honest. I told her I had a full-time job, but I still have to pay Belco, internet, groceries and gas money. She put it out there and I have gotten help about seven times in the past three years.

“Sometimes you feel like you don’t want to ask for help so it helps having the option to be anonymous. It has helped me to come up more financially with my bills and build more stability for my children.”

While the charity is growing, Ms Dill does not have any immediate plans to hire any staff to assist her.

Ms Dill, who is married to the Right Reverend Nicholas Dill, Anglican Bishop of Bermuda, added: “At the moment, I want every penny to go to the families. I don’t need to take a salary — I do doula work and teach birth classes.

“My husband is a bishop. I have strong faith — this is what I have been given to do.”