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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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We thought it would be inspiring to highlight some of the neighborhood routines that help define our communities. Since 2017, a group of Brookline SHI house members has been going to Pino’s Pizza on Saturdays. They are well known by staff and other regular patrons.
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Having reached this significant milestone, we are excited to celebrate our long-term success with all of our current families, staff, and house members. Meet Adam, who represents a new generation of SHI house members in our established Brookline communities.
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Most people, if they have the choice, would prefer to have a day off from their jobs on holidays or during their summer breaks. But Sarah and Richie, who both live in one of our Brookline communities and have jobs during the week, often volunteer on holidays and their days off.
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We were fortunate that three women in the Specialized Housing community recently took the time to share their perspectives and shed some light on the unique and very special relationships they share with their siblings.
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We thought it would be nice to introduce some of the newer house members who have joined our community over the past year or so. They are all great examples of how adults with disabilities can live rich, full, and independent lives while receiving support that meets their specific needs. Melanie moved into one of our Brookline homes in October of 2021. We recently stopped by her house to check in and see how she’s been doing since then.
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“They are very diverse, and they don’t treat me any differently than they treat anybody else.” This, SHI house member Cristen explained, is the reason why her job is so special and why she has stayed with the firm for 23 years. We recently got the chance to sit down with Cristen to chat about her job, her band, and about some of the different groups that she supports.
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Last month, we celebrated National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM recognizes the contributions of America’s disabled workers and celebrates inclusive employment policies and practices. Awards are given out all month long to various businesses and individuals, and celebratory events are held. We didn’t want to miss out on the celebration, so we are excited to introduce Ben, one of the many Specialized Housing house members who enjoys meaningful, long-term employment.
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We're always excited to meet with and learn about our beloved SHI staff members. Jessica Conlon has been with us for 15 years and has worked in a number of different roles. In this interview, she shares her fondest memories from her time at SHI, talks about her own kids' relationships with the house members, and more.
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We had a chance to speak to longtime community member and Gateway Arts artist Alison Doucette recently. Our interview dives into her life, her introduction to Gateway, her preferred artistic medium, her creative process and sources of inspiration, and more!
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For our latest installment of our staff profile series, we were lucky to connect with Felix Rust to hear more about his journey to becoming a Specialized Housing Program manager and live-in staff, alongside his wife, children, and many house members over the past 20 years. His personal connection to the work and dedication to our organization is something we are incredibly grateful for.
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Several of our SHI community members in our Maine houses see a fresh blanket of snow as an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors during the chilly times of year.
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Specialized Housing would not be what it is without our beloved staff. So we’re excited to introduce you to these awesome people in a new series of team member profiles. This month, we had a conversation with Brookline program manager John Goldsby to learn more about his time at SHI and what inspires him about being a member of this unique community.
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Like a majority of Specialized Housing residents, Alan Lampert had to forfeit his job when the pandemic first began. Stepping away from the beloved Boston law firm where he had spent well over a decade as a mail clerk wasn’t an easy decision, but one that he made out of concern for his health and safety, as well as that of his housemates.
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Last month, architect and SHI parent Michael Wang penned an article on the Form + Place blog on developing innovative congregate living spaces with diverse communities in mind…
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