Kate Peabody
Founder of The Village Hands and Maternal Health Social Worker
Kate Peabody is the founder of the local nonprofit called The Village Hands and a maternal health social worker. Within both roles, Peabody supports women and children in underserved pockets of the Pensacola community, striving to give back to the community that has given so much to her.
When did you first realize you had a passion for helping others?
From childhood, I have always had a desire to work with people. Growing up in Liberia, I watched my mom, a police dispatcher, unconditionally help so many disadvantaged kids. Our household mantra was to treat people like you would want to be treated. Her kindness and generosity to strangers, and her ability to make people feel seen, left a lasting impression on me. Liberia has no safety nets for children, and they are often left on the streets to fend for themselves. My mom would often take these kids in, eventually adopting a little girl who became my younger sister. When I began studying social work at UWF, I realized that my mom was a social worker at heart. In my experience, social workers have an innate quality of caring and empathizing – the secret sauce that allows them to put in the hard work.
How was your nonprofit created?
The Village Hands, established in December 2019, is a nonprofit that provides help to both mothers and children in crisis. Our hub is filled with volunteers who believe in the mission of uplifting those who are less fortunate. I started this organization because I wanted to pay forward the kindness that the good people of Pensacola had given to me when my family and I were on our last legs. I chose to provide services to the women and children in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, communities that are close to my heart.
How did UWF allow you to pursue your dream of becoming a social worker?
I graduated from the University of West Florida with a master’s degree in social work in 2011. UWF gave me the information to build on my intrinsic desire to help and work with people who are misjudged because of their station in life. While working as both a social worker and the founder of The Village Hands, I have found a work-life balance that has been my saving grace. When tragedy struck my life, I used THV as a way to lose myself in the work without losing my mental health. My tribe of volunteers not only supports our community, but has also supported me through my hardships.