Amy C. Sousa, the chief executive officer of The Guild for Human Services, has been named one of five finalists for the 2019 Nonprofit Excellence Leadership Award by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN).

Although Kaitlyn Tarr may not realize it, she has long served as an inspiration to her beloved big brother, “Mikey.”

The 20-year-old Guild School student contributed to Michael’s decision to pursue a career in medicine, shaped his sunny disposition and taught him to be grateful for what he has.

National Siblings Day, which will be celebrated on April 10, carries extra meaning for the emergency medicine resident who works at three hospitals in the Bronx.

Several weeks ago, Guild School student Thomas “T.J.” Sheppard was scheduled to have his wisdom teeth removed. To help the difficult procedure go smoothly, The Guild offered to send a member of the residential staff to accompany T.J. and his mother, Karen.

To the surprise of no one, Renel Desjardins, assistant residential manager of Cedar House, joined the Sheppards. T.J. and Renel have established a close, trusting relationship over the last year, a bond that has eased T.J. during challenging times and helped the 20-year-old cope better.

The Guild for Human Services launched a new logo that marks a change in its visual identity, and presents The Guild as evolving; reflects strength and the direction of its services; and underscores its commitment to serving at-risk populations.

To Molly Weiner, it’s a straightforward concept: “We have to take care of each other,” The Guild School counselor declares, “so, in turn, we can take care of the students.”

Molly and her colleague Jovana Bass did just that last month, soliciting money from fellow employees to express their gratitude to The Guild’s hard-working day housekeeper, Fanny Martinez. They presented her with a generous gift card, flowers, teddy bear and a thank you card. One of the Bridge classroom students carefully selected the teddy bear and card, and led the presentation.

For Julie Finke, collectively creating beautiful music has nothing at all to do with the quality of the sound.

As a music therapist at The Guild School, the object of her sessions with individual classes is to provide students with non-musical personal growth benefits: enhanced communications, strengthened connections to peers, feeling a sense of mastery and improved cognitive skills.

The monthly menu reads like that of a popular neighborhood restaurant: grilled salmon with brown rice and seasoned broccoli; lemon chicken with quinoa and roasted carrots; and three-bean soup with zucchini sticks and pineapple.

These are not the dinner options at a four-star restaurant, but are among the typical daily offerings on the lunch menu at The Guild School’s cafeteria. The focus on nutritious, wholesome meals prepared from scratch is a key ingredient (pun intended) of The Guild’s commitment to healthy eating.

The National Eye Institute has designated February as Low Vision Awareness Month, and The Guild for Human Services can point with pride to a number of recent initiatives to meet the needs of our visually impaired population.

In the last year, The Guild launched four different projects to assist individuals with low vision:

Once reluctant to shave at all, Peter Anastasi now confidently gives himself a close shave with an electric razor.

“I like shaving,” the 21-year-old tells Nicole Anulewicz, his occupational therapist at The Guild School, during a recent OT session.

The Guild for Human Services has renamed its library in honor of Anna Thorpe, a longtime advocate for individuals with special needs and their families who recently retired after five years as director of admissions at The Guild.

Anna began her 45-year career in 1973 as a special education teacher and went on to coordinate team evaluations for Framingham Public Schools and serve as the administrator of special education in Dover. She also worked at the Massachusetts Department of Education and managed a program for adults with special needs in Waltham.