Meet Kathy Amaral, a loving mom, proud grandma, talented singer, dedicated SHI staff member, and a truly radiant soul. We recently had the pleasure of checking in with Kathy to hear about her incredible life, the unique path that brought her to our team, and her inspiring perspective on working with house members throughout our community.
We couldn’t be prouder of Ian McKay, one of Specialized Housing’s house members from South Portland, Maine. This past July, Ian took on his biggest swim yet—a 15-mile open-water challenge at Lake Memphremagog in Vermont.
Our house communities are shaped by the routines and habits of our members, creating unique cultures within each home. During a recent tour of our Brookline house, program manager Alexae Connor shared a story that captures this well—she mentioned the “News Crew.”
Margie was a cherished member of our SHI community for over 26 years. It's difficult to pick just a few memories because there are so many. But perhaps the best way to remember her is by reflecting on the wonderful person she was.
We’re excited to introduce you to Lauren Garrett, the program manager at Specialized Housing’s very first house, whose passion for working with people with disabilities began with a personal connection.
If you’re part of Specialized Housing, you’ve probably crossed paths with Steve at some point. Steve helps with solving some challenging routine and urgent maintenance problems, and does it all with a smile, which is why we’ve been wanting to highlight Steve and his positive effect on our community.
David and Margot are the co-founders of Specialized Housing, and I recently met with them to take a look back on the last 40 years and reflect on the experiences and events that made SHI the unique, tight-knit community it is today.
“We realized that living alone was not going to be an option for her — she was always going to want some kind of support. So we were very fortunate to find Specialized Housing very early on. As she grows older and I grow older, it’s nice to know that she is really secure in where she lives and that her life has a pattern of its own, independent of me and the rest of her family.”
“The community of this house is the way I feel the community in the world should be. Everybody gets along and takes care of each other. That’s what you’ve formed — a wonderful community.”
