by LaMara HunterKelly | May 5, 2017 | In The News
MAY 4, 2017, WORCESTER, MA –Lead Staff Cited for Outstanding Work from Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADDP)
Chicopee’s Alyssa Fumo of The Western Massachusetts Training Consortium’s Home & Community Connections program has won the “Direct Support Professional Award” for the Western region from the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers. Fumo received her award at the ADDP Lead! Conference and Expo on Thursday May 4th at the DCU Center in Worcester.
Fumo is currently the Lead Staff at The Consortium’s Home & Community Connections’ home in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Alyssa has taken the initiative to organize the list of expectations and responsibilities for care of
the four women who reside at the home. She has been a great support to the Residential Coordinator and has been a confident, respectful motivator to all. Alyssa has especially become interested in supporting people receiving palliative care, supporting them while continuing to give their lives meaning and joy.
“Alyssa is always willing to learn and keeps up with the ongoing trainings required to efficiently address the challenging needs of the people she supports,” said Marylou Sullivan, Executive Director at The Consortium. “Her stellar teamwork engenders a spirit of trust from her colleagues who can be sure Alyssa will always provide the utmost excellence in her support, skills and care”.
“Direct Support Professionals like Alyssa are the foundation of the human services sector in Massachusetts,” said Gary Blumenthal, the President and Chief Executive Officer of ADDP. “There are hundreds of thousands of people living with disabilities in Massachusetts who rely on Direct Support Professionals to provide a wide variety of critical services that allow them to live more independent lives. Alyssa and her colleagues enable this to happen every day all across our Commonwealth.”
by LaMara HunterKelly | Mar 15, 2017 | In The News
By JOSHUA SOLOMON
Recorder Staff
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Tammy Armstrong is up, getting ready to drive a kid from Athol. It’s not a workday, though — it’s a pancake day. Armstrong headed to the church across the street from The RECOVER Project. It’s not Sunday, either — it’s Saturday and over 80 people in the community had bought tickets in advance for the big day.
By the end of the morning over 150 people, not just from Greenfield but around the community, headed to Saint James Episcopal Church for volunteer-made, freshly-whipped-up pancakes — blueberry, strawberry and chocolate chip — for the first pancake breakfast hosted by The RECOVER Project.
“You may have sat by yourself for pancake dinner,” member Armstrong said, taking a break from cooking in the church kitchen. “But then you might have met someone who’ll save your life.”
The event acted as a fundraiser for the group’s big event. The 14th annual Recovery Jam Sober Music Festival will be Sept. 30 at Camp Keewanee this year. To help throw an even better event, they hosted this pancake fundraiser and sold tickets ahead of time.
(Continue reading…)
by LaMara HunterKelly | Dec 23, 2016 | In The News
By SHELBY ASHLINE
Recorder Staff
Thursday, December 22, 2016
GREENFIELD — The navy blue couches at The RECOVER Project were piled high with stuffed animals, board games, books, clothes and an abundance of other toys Thursday morning, marking the third year of Giving Back in Greenfield.
Through Giving Back in Greenfield, staff at The RECOVER Project — a peer-to-peer addiction recovery group — collected new and used toy donations for several weeks. Families in need were then welcomed into The RECOVER Project’s offices on Federal Street to pick out a few items from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday.
The program, according to organizer Heather Taylor, is intended to ensure that all local children will have presents come Christmas Day, regardless of what their families can afford. Taylor said families came from across Franklin County and even as far away as Springfield to take advantage of Giving Back in Greenfield, displaying significant gratitude for the invaluable help in getting toys for their own children and relatives.
(Continue reading)
by LaMara HunterKelly | Dec 19, 2016 | In The News
GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A non-profit organization in Greenfield is trying to help families in need over the holidays.
It’s the third year in a row the Recover Project in Greenfield has run their toy drive. The non-profit organization is collecting new and used toys for children of all ages.
Toys have included sports equipment, clothing, coloring books, and board games. Families will be able to come pick out gifts, December 22nd, which is also the last day donate.
The toy drive was started by a volunteer at the Recover Project as a way to give back to the community.
Peggy Arce, Peer-Coordinator of Recover Project, told 22 News, “Those of us in recovery have had struggles in our lives and today we are able to give back to the community in this way and many other ways also.”
(See full story and video here)
by LaMara HunterKelly | Nov 22, 2016 | In The News
Michael Lewis, Director of the Recover Project, at the Federal Street location.
The Recorder – Monday, November 21, 2016
GREENFIELD — The Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region is teaming up with Big Y Foods to lighten the load faced by some during the holiday season. Until Thanksgiving, the task force will distribute 200 turkeys throughout the region to community organizations and families in need…Michael Lewis, director of the RECOVER Project, said the donations represent the strong community connections that are embedded in Franklin County. “We deeply appreciate the Opioid Task Force’s support and partnership in the complex and multifaceted effort to support long-term recovery in Franklin County. We’re grateful for the opportunity to continue to work toward recovery for all and would like to thank the Task Force for their donation of turkeys to our recovery family for the Thanksgiving holiday.”
Click Here for Full Story
by LaMara HunterKelly | Nov 17, 2016 | In The News
GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The City of Greenfield is working to make sure no child in the city wakes up on Christmas morning without gifts under the tree.
The 3rd annual “Giving Back in Greenfield” toy drive has officially started. The city is asking for new and/or gently used donated toys for children 17 years or younger. The toys can be dropped off at the Recover Project at 68 Federal Street. Visit the “Giving Back in Greenfield” Facebook page for more information.
The week of Christmas, families who are unable to afford gifts for their children, can come pick out donations at the Recover Project.
22News is also accepting toys starting on November 28th for Toys for Tots. Click Here to find out how to donate or request a toy.
Click HERE to watch the video from WWLP.
