THE VOICE
November 2025
VINFEN FILM FESTIVAL
Coming Attractions: What’s Showing at the 19th Annual Vinfen Film Festival
Our signature event returns on March 28, 2026, when we’ll proudly host The 19th Annual Vinfen Film Festival (VFF) at GBH Studios in Brighton. The festival uses the power of film to raise awareness, foster dialogue, and combat discrimination faced by people with disabilities and/or mental health conditions.
The film selections at the VFF always have something for everyone, and this year is no exception. The 2026 festival boasts a lineup of four feature-length documentaries—and one short film—that look at the lives of people with disabilities in ways that are surprising, heartbreaking, inspiring, provocative, funny, and emotional.
· Recovery City is a raw exploration of life in recovery seen through the eyes of four women in the city of Worcester. From battling stigma to working on the frontlines to save lives, they use their lived experience and resilience to lift up those still struggling.
· In Patrice: The Movie, disabled couple Patrice and Garry want to marry, but face losing the government benefits they need to survive if they do. Undaunted, they plan a commitment ceremony while striving for social justice and equality for people with disabilities.
· Row of Life follows Paralympian Angela Madsen on her attempt to solo row the Pacific Ocean from LA to Hawaii. The film captures the year before the row and every step of Angela’s perilous and inspiring journey.
· ASD Band: The Movie chronicles a talented group of musicians on the autism spectrum who are pushing the boundaries of autism acceptance, one heart-pumping song at a time.
· The documentary short The Beautiful Worlds of David Riley tells the story of a self-taught artist with a disability and his amazingly imaginative paintings.
All film screenings will be followed by moderated discussion panels featuring appearances by filmmakers, stars of the film, clinical leaders, and people with lived experience.
HONORS & ACCOLADES
Vinfen Recognized as One of Massachusetts’ Top Women-Led Businesses
For the second year in a row, Vinfen and our President & CEO Jean Yang have been named to The Women’s Edge and Boston Globe Magazine’s prestigious list of the Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts—this year ranked at #21.
At a celebratory breakfast held on October 24 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place, The Women’s Edge honored trailblazing women leaders whose organizations are driving innovation, growth, and meaningful impact across the Commonwealth. Members of Vinfen’s leadership team were present to support Jean and to join in recognizing the many remarkable women shaping the future of business and nonprofit leadership in Massachusetts.
This recognition reflects Jean’s visionary leadership and the dedication of Vinfen staff who work every day to transform lives and strengthen communities.
HOLIDAY GIVING
Help People Connect, Engage, and Thrive This Holiday Season
Connection is at the heart of everything we do. Whether it’s the laughter shared in a group home or the confidence gained from learning new skills, connection and community is what helps people thrive.
Today, being part of a community also means having access to technology. Through our TechConnect initiative, Vinfen has helped bridge the digital divide often experienced by people with disabilities—providing tablets, smartphones, and one-on-one training that foster communication, education, and independence.
But this vital lifeline is now at risk. Federal funding cuts have eliminated support once dedicated to expanding digital access for people with disabilities across Massachusetts—including programs like TechConnect.
Your holiday gift can change that.
Denise and Sandy, two housemates in Watertown who are both legally blind, once felt intimidated by technology. With guidance from Vinfen’s TechConnect team, they learned to use tools that transformed their daily lives—Denise now navigates her neighborhood with an app and enjoys Elvis on Spotify, while Sandy uses Siri to call friends, send messages, and manage her appointments.
Your generosity keeps progress like this alive. Every dollar you give sustains and expands TechConnect, helping people build skills, confidence, and connection.
Your gift matters more than ever. To support TechConnect this holiday season, please visit www.vinfen.org/give and help us make 2026 a year of connection, empowerment, and hope.
ROCK OUT THE STIGMA
Benefit Concert for Plymouth Bay Clubhouse Raises Money, Awareness
The energy was electric as music lovers filled SoundCheck Studios in Pembroke for Rock Out the Stigma, a powerful evening of rock n’ roll dedicated to supporting Vinfen’s Plymouth Bay Clubhouse. By the end of the night, the fundraiser had generated nearly $25,000 to help Clubhouse members build skills, confidence, and community through creative programming.
For the past two years, Clubhouse members and staff have attended monthly concerts at SoundCheck, forming a meaningful connection with the venue. “We’ve developed a good relationship with the owners,” says Director Devon McDonough. “They generously gave us the space for a minimal cost, and we were able to put on a great night of music.”
The lineup was impressive. Headliner Marc Roberge, frontman of the nationally known band O.A.R., took the stage alongside Plymouth favorites Aldous Collins and Brian Hitchings. The night opened with a crowd-pleasing set by Set in Stone, a band made up of six Clubhouse members and one member of the Plymouth Recovery Center. In addition to popular covers, the group performed original songs—including pieces about addiction recovery and what Devon calls “a true Clubhouse anthem.”
Proceeds from the event will strengthen the Clubhouse’s music and multimedia programs, support special projects, and help members and staff attend Clubhouse trainings and seminars. Special thanks go out to Blue Owl, the New York–based investment firm whose generous gift helped make the event a success.
“It was a fantastic night all around,” Devon says. “We’re hopeful we can make this an annual tradition!”
STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS
Sophie Hansen Named to Greater Lowell Health Alliance Board
Vinfen is proud to announce the recent appointment of Director of Government Relations and External Affairs Sophie Hansen to the board of the Greater Lowell Health Alliance (GLHA) for a three-year term, beginning this month.
The GLHA brings together healthcare providers, business leaders, educators, civic, and community leaders with a common goal to improve the overall health of communities throughout the Greater Lowell area.
“I am honored to have been appointed to the Board of Directors for GLHA,” says Sophie. “I obtained my undergraduate degree in Lowell and Vinfen has a significant presence in the area through our Community Behavioral Health Center and various other residential and urgent care services.”
Recent work done by the GLHA includes leading the completion of the 2025 Greater Lowell Community Health Needs Assessment, and the organization plans to follow that process with the completion of the 2026 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to address the unmet health needs identified in this important assessment.
As a member of the GLHA Board, Sophie will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of Greater Lowell by helping guide their strategic direction, strengthen partnerships, and support public health initiatives.
“I have always revered the work of GLHA,” Sophie adds, “so I am tremendously excited to be able to give back to the community in this way.”
LATEST HAPPENINGS
Celebrating the People Who Bring Vinfen’s Mission to Life
Celebration, storytelling, and community filled the room as more than 350 guests joined us at the Sheraton Four Points in Norwood on October 7th for Vinfen’s annual Family Celebration. The evening highlighted what makes our work so powerful: the dedication of our staff, the strength of the individuals we serve, and the unwavering support of their families.
President & CEO Jean Yang offered a warm welcome before we honored Senator Michael Rodrigues as our Public Official of the Year. The program continued with a compelling keynote from husband-and-wife chaplains and authors Pat and Tammy McLeod, who spoke about ambiguous loss—the challenges and triumphs they experienced after their son Zach sustained a traumatic brain injury as a high school student.
The evening also included the announcement of winners from the 6th Annual Literacy & Artistic Contest and a host of inspiring moments that spotlighted the talent and resilience within our community.
From staff merit awards to family recognition honors, the night reminded us all of the impact we create together.
VINFEN VOICES
Jennifer Price Honored with ACE Excellence Award
A member of Vinfen’s Adult Community Clinical Services (ACCS) was honored in September at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health’s ninth annual Academic, Civic Engagement, and Employment (ACE) Awards.
Jennifer Price received the 2025 ACE Excellence Award for Education in recognition of her commitment to furthering her education as part of her overall recovery journey. The ACE Awards recognize individuals receiving DMH services for their accomplishments, and how those accomplishments have empowered them to live a meaningful life despite experiencing a mental health challenge.
“Since joining ACCS, Jen has been determined to create recovery-oriented changes in her life, maintaining a balance between ACCS treatment and self-discovery,” says Alisa Costantino, Jen’s peer specialist. “She currently attends college courses virtually, having been inspired to pursue higher education when she found out she was pregnant with her first child, Benjamin.”
Giving her son a good life, Alisa says, was the driving force that Jen needed to go back to school and pursue her passions. Jen started out majoring in healthcare administration to pursue her goal of helping others, but later decided to pursue criminal justice, a goal she’d had when she was younger.
“Jen has said that re-engaging with education has uplifted her self-confidence,” Alisa adds. “She enjoys her courses and making connections with professors and peers, and believes that pursuing higher education gives her a larger sense of hope within her overall recovery journey. Jen now sees a future for herself and Ben that exceeds her original expectations.”
This educational growth has inspired Jen to seek growth in other areas as well, including becoming a Certified Peer Specialist, pursuing professional opportunities in addiction recovery, and engaging in activities with other local single mothers.
“In my time working with Jen, she has inspired me with her determination,” Alisa says. “She’s used the supports offered to her through Vinfen, as well as the motivation within herself, to make lifelong changes that will lead her to future successes with any goal she sets forth to achieve. I am excited to see where Jen’s journey takes her!”
SHARE YOUR VOICE
Do you have questions about Vinfen and our services? Thoughts about any of the stories you just read? Suggestions about things you’d like to see in future newsletters? Wondering how you can help support Vinfen’s work? We want to hear from you! Feel free to drop a line to Josh Wardrop at wardropj@vinfen.org with your feedback and questions. And thank you for reading The VOICE!
Established in 1977, Vinfen is a nonprofit health and human services organization and a leading provider of community-based services to individuals with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and behavioral health challenges. Our services and advocacy promote the recovery, resiliency, habilitation, and self-determination of the people we serve.
Built with Shorthand