Thank you, Tom!

by David Wizansky

BROOKLINE, MA — I met Tom McGee in the late 1970s when he was the director of a residential program in Newton. The agency I was working for became the host agency of his program. He always looked forward to and savored his vacations, especially those taken on Cape Cod, as much as anyone I have known. He’s now taken his final vacation from SHI. 

In 1987, I asked Tom to help in the development of our third house in Brookline. He agreed and became the part-time clinical director. He went on to become a full-time clinical director and took a major role in the development and leadership of many houses. This tribute to Tom could go into detail about his expertise, his commitment and dedication to staff and families and his love of the residents he served. But I want to highlight that Tom agreed to trust his future to SHI. It was a sign to Margot and me that we had created a going enterprise that, with his support, assistance, and confidence, could thrive. He believed, as we did, that SHI was an organization many families could count on to provide and sustain healthy community-based independent living for their dependent children.

All of us at SHI, the staff, and families and, of course, the residents he worked with, are grateful for his support and his caring ways.

Top: Tom McGee, in the early days of SHI. Center: The residents of 255 threw a pizza party in Tom’s honor. Bottom: The residents of 769 threw Tom a party as well, and provided cake.