Dear Colleagues,

On Monday, May 25, a man died right before our eyes.  He died in real time and on instant replay, over and over and over again.  He died not of a heart attack, a car accident or old age.  He died under the knee of a person, of four people, who swore an oath to protect him.

George Floyd was an African American man who had two daughters, several jobs, and countless friends.  He was one in a long line of men and women of color who have died under a knee, at the barrel of a gun or swinging from a tree in a “free” country. 

September 10-16 marks National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week! On any given day, direct support professionals are asked to serve in a variety of roles: coach, clinician, family liaison, employment navigator, and chef, to name a few. They work hard to meet the needs of those in their care, and too often this work is underappreciated and undervalued. This week and every week, The Guild is committed to recognizing the skill, creativity, and work ethic of the amazing direct support professionals who are such a vital part of our community.

Individuals with serious intellectual and developmental disabilities often require support from adult service programs when they turn 22. This process can be challenging and filled with anxiety for their loved ones. Every parent wants the best for their child as they become adults, but they may not know where to start.

The Guild is excited to announce that Isaac Mukwaya, Residential Assistant with Sudbury House, was honored with the Direct Support Professional of the Year Award for Massachusetts by the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR). ANCOR is a national association of community-based service providers that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Guild for Human Services, which educates, encourages, and empowers individuals with intellectual disabilities, is opening a new residence for adults in Wilmington in May. 

When Richard Asztalos graduated from Boston University with a liberal arts degree in 1975, he had his sights set on applying to law school. In need of a job in the interim, he responded to an ad and landed a gig as a special education teacher. It didn’t take long for him to fall in love with the human services field. It’s been nearly five decades since then, and he hasn’t looked back.

For Guild School student Thomas*, drawing had always been a passion. His colorful artwork ranged from abstract designs to renditions of people and current events.  Last fall, he took his skills to new heights by taking Drawing 1, an introductory art course at Middlesex Community College in Lowell.

After a semester of Wednesday night classes, mentorship meetings, and research assignments, The Guild’s second Leadership Employee Advancement and Development (LEAD) cohort has graduated from the program this month.

Last month, four Guild employees attended the Massachusetts Direct Support Professionals conference in Falmouth. The event, which took place on October 24th and 25th, honored the essential work of direct support staff across the state while providing networking and professional development opportunities.

The conference’s plenary speakers included:

Bob Renois, a Residential Assistant with Walnut House, was honored with an Award of Excellence at the Providers’ Council’s annual convention and expo on Monday, October 3rd. Bob has worked at The Guild for over 23 years in both Residential Assistant and Assistant Residential Manager capacities.