About Us 

 

​Mission

​Infancy to Independence, known to its members simply as I to I, is a weekly parent-run playgroup for families with infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children in Waltham, MA and the surrounding communities.


The group's mission is parent support and positive child-parent interaction. I to I helps parents to find and grow a local community of families with children 5 years and under. Members are provided with an atmosphere away from the distractions at home to spend quality time with their children.  There is also an opportunity for children to experience a gentle separation from their parent in a safe environment. This provides the parents time to connect, to share the joys and stresses of parenting, and discuss ways to make parenting easier and more enjoyable while raising emotionally healthy children. 


All members of I to I share an equal voice and equal vote within the program and are also equally responsible in running and enhancing the program. Please visit our CO-OP page to learn more about the jobs and responsibilities of all families involved in the program.

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History
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I to I was founded in 1975 in New Orleans by Joan Spivey, a parent interested in reaching out to other parents of young children. Since then, the program has continued to grow and was brought to Stow, MA by Dottie Hilbert in 1986. In the spring of 1987, Stow became legally incorporated as a branch of I to I, Inc. In the fall of 2001, I to I relocated from the First Parish in Stow to St. Matthew's Church in Acton.

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In 2003, a new chapter of I to I was started in Waltham, MA, first at the Covenant Congregational Church, and then later moved to its current location at the First Lutheran Church. In 2011, the Waltham chapter was separately incorporated, and has been recognized as a Federal Non-Profit organization (501(c)3) since July 2014.​

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Since 2003, our chapter has been open to all communities in the area. The group has included families from the towns of Waltham, Watertown, Belmont, Arlington, Lexington, Melrose, Somerville, Revere, Cambridge and more.