by Deborah Salvini, Residential Support I took Steven Jacobs, who lives in a BCArc home in Westfield, to Washington, D.C, for four days of sight-seeing, education, exploration, and enjoyment. It was his first trip to the nation's capital. Rather than fly, we took a bus down. Steven was delighted to [...]
Call them BCArc’s youngest, most energetic, all-male house. When the five men return home from their day, they are primed for more action. “They need to keep moving in some way,” explained Rob, the Site Manager. “They still have energy to burn.” This might include swimming, lifting weights, building [...]
DeSean Scales dreams of building a thriving photography business. Yet his heart remains deeply rooted in his work at BCArc. “The individuals I support have become such a big part of my life,” he says. "I have formed bonds with so many individuals." He rattled off a long list of first names as if to c [...]
Wendy has worked in the same residential program caring for the same individuals for more than 12 years. Before that she managed a restaurant in Hangzhou, China, that had a staff of 500 people, 100 of them working in the kitchen. Once here in the United States she worked in a special needs program an [...]
Some of the crew taking a break: From left, Kathy, Christina, Barb (Head of House Cleaning), Alan, Roberto, and Franckie. When BCArc's Mark LaVigne approached Berkshire Mountain Lodge’s General Manager Robin Peck about hiring a crew of individuals, she didn’t flinch. “We needed help,” said Robin. “ [...]
For more than a year now, Tracey Babcock, BCArc’s Employee of the Year, has traveled to a nursing home in the North End of Boston to visit a former individual from her program. “She has no family,” Tracey says, “No one is advocating for her at the nursing home. She is non-verbal and she deserves bett [...]
Michael likes to fish and hunt with his Dad. Transitional moments in life can be hard. When Michael graduated Lee High School, he did not look back. But while Michael looked forward to whatever was next, his mother, like many mothers, was nervous about his future. Today he is thriving. He particip [...]
Lamnatu Alhassan -- known as Rams to friends -- was recently named a BCArc Employee of the Quarter for her eagerness to help out in anyway needed at the Brain Injury Community Center in Westfield. At the Center -- the BICC -- Rams has started helping members find and apply to jobs. She recently help [...]
Preparing the Dominican dish Pollo guisado con habichuelas guisadas, arroz blanco y ensalada verde. Carmen Betances never stops moving. She can work the kitchen for hours straight, making sure each individual gets their particular meal exactly how they like it. She may start with one of her special [...]