Community inclusion is integral to The Guild’s mission of educating, empowering, and encouraging individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). For adult residents at Sudbury House, a genuine friendship with the Irish Cultural Centre (ICC) has formed over the last four years. They began attending events in 2021 as a way to stay engaged during a difficult time of Covid regulations. It has continued and grown into a meaningful and ongoing connection.

This year, the adults attended the St. Patrick’s Day Family Breakfast, where they were introduced to special guests Consul General Síghle FitzGerald and the Irish Minister for Employment, Enterprise & Tourism, Peter Burke. A few weeks later, they were back for the annual Easter Bunny Breakfast.

The residents at Sudbury House enjoy the variety of activities offered. Rachel says she particularly enjoys the arts and crafts, like themed coloring pages! House Manager Mercy Jolo says “They recognize our presence and thoughtfully arrange a special seating area for us each time. Their attentiveness is evident, as they regularly check in with us throughout the duration of the program.”

          Sudbury resident Rachel sits at a table with a staff member. Rachel is wearing all green and St. Patrick's Day decorations can be seen in the event space behind them.          Two residents of the Sudbury House, Christian and Erin, met the Easter Bunny. Christian is giving the Easter Bunny a high five.

Individuals with IDD love participating fully in the life of their community. Unfortunately, not all organizations and events are accessible or thoroughly inclusive. The Irish Cultural Center has been an outstanding example of how an organization can create a truly welcoming environment.

A couple of things organizations can keep in mind for their events are:

  1. Welcome everyone and acknowledge their presence. It means a lot to have others recognize what each group has to offer.
  2. Individuals with disabilities may need special arrangements ahead of time. Accommodations can be made to fit the needs of the guests, such as considering how close they are to loud music or heavy traffic.
  3. Needs change! Mercy appreciates that the ICC staff regularly check in throughout the program. This is helpful to make sure everyone is still comfortable and can continue enjoying the main event.

“We thoroughly enjoy having the residents join us at ICC for our celebrations. We look forward to seeing them at each event. I love their enthusiasm for the activities and entertainment that we provide. We recognize that arts, music and dance are universal and can be enjoyed by all ages and abilities,” says Tara Spellman, Administrative Director of the ICC.