Between juggling her job as a car saleswoman and raising her son, single mom Erin Alexander knows that it takes help to raise a family.

She relies on assistance from her mother, Marianne, and is also thankful that “baseball dads” have stepped in to help her son, Theo, a Lake Washington High School sophomore who plays varsity baseball.

A self-proclaimed giver, Alexander has also pitched in to help fellow families, including some of her son’s teammates she bought sports gear for last year.

With the significant hike in Lake Washington School District athletic fees – this year was no exception. Alexander wanted to ensure that no child would go without playing sports due to families not being able to afford player fees.

So Alexander recently teamed up with Makenzie Pillings, a LWHS graduate of 2009, and launched a new non-profit organization, “It Takes a Village to Raise a Family.” The organization aims to assist LWSD families in need with player fees, uniforms and sports equipment.

“Kirkland is really a tight-knit community – our families are very intertwined. So it’s our village,” said Alexander, whose son plays baseball with Pillings’ brother, Logan.

The idea for the organization came about when Alexander and Pillings met for lunch last month to chat about how they could help mutual friends that couldn’t afford the new player fees.

After $7.7 million in budget cuts, LWSD also raised athletic fees this year from $35 to $105 in junior highs and from $75 to $275 per sport in high schools.

“We had a really hard year last year and I know a lot of other families that did as well,” said Alexander, adding that in addition to LWHS sports, her son plays Taylor Baseball in the summer.

Pilling’s family has been hit by the down economy as well. Her stepfather was laid off from work, so her brother, Logan, had to pick one sport to play this year.

“In the past, he played golf and soccer as well. So it was kind of tough for him,” Pillings said.

Alexander and Pillings decided to create a non-profit organization and ask the community for help. In one week, they began a Web site (www.ittakesavillagetoraiseafamily.com) and Facebook page that currently has more than 300 members. They also made shirts, fliers, cards and hats sporting the logo they created.

“We have been busy going everywhere, every waking hour,” said Alexander, who already has stacks and shelves full of cleats, baseball bats, helmets and athletic sweatshirts in her garage that Theo’s LWHS and summer ball coaches donated.

The organization is collecting gently used or new clothing and equipment donations for ages kindergarten through 12th grade for the major sports: baseball, softball, basketball, soccer and football. Examples of the organization’s needs include hats, glasses, plain sweatshirts and sweatpants, slider shorts, socks and cleats, baseball gloves, balls, bats for all ages, catcher gear, helmets and first aid kits.

There is also a Pay Pal account set up on their Web site where people can donate money to help fund player’s fees.

One of the organization’s most immediate needs is for a lawyer to help file incorporation papers to register as a 501c3 account with the IRS, Alexander said.

As for families who need help, “it’s going to be case by case,” Alexander says. “If a child is in need, we’re not going to say no.”

The women would eventually like to extend their reach to every state, but for now the organization will focus on the metro Seattle area.

“Everyone’s really excited for it and thinks it’s worthwhile,” said Pillings. “It’s going to be big and I think that’s the only way we can do it is to go big.”

Theo says his mom is “really a generous person,” so he’s not surprised she has undertaken this effort.

“It’s great that they’re doing this,” he added.

Alexander and Pillings recently donated equipment to their first family.

The family went through Alexander’s garage and picked out brand new cleats and sweatshirts for their two sons and daughter.

“I kind of went crazy,” Alexander laughed. “Their daughter, who is 5, is playing t-ball this year, so she got a bat and a bat bag and a red helmet. She loved it. So that’s what it’s about.”