THE VOICE
July 2025
GRAND OPENING
Vinfen’s New Gateway Arts Program Opens in Brookline Village
July 8 was a momentous day for Vinfen and all the talented artists served by our Gateway Arts program, as New England’s largest center for artists with disabilities moved into its new location at 15 Station St. in Brookline and officially opened for business!
Artists, elected officials, and nonprofit & business leaders—including Massachusetts Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, State Representative Tommy Vitolo, and Commissioner Sarah Peterson of the Department of Developmental Services—were in attendance for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the project.
Gateway Arts’ new facility has expanded studio spaces that are more accessible for artists with disabilities; larger gallery space for exhibitions and public programs; and new enterprise opportunities for its roster of nearly 100 artists. The project more than doubled Gateway’s ground floor space, allowing the program to serve more artists using wheelchairs or facing other mobility barriers. Other highlights include:
- The Gateway Arts Store, where visitors will find a wide range of original works of art, hand-crafted jewelry, clothing, artist books, greeting cards, and other products. Artists receive fifty percent of the proceeds from all sales, and offerings will change frequently with new work produced in the studios.
- The expanded Gateway Arts Gallery, which presents a diverse array of changing exhibitions of painting, drawing, sculpture, textiles, artist books, photography, and video, created by artists from Gateway Arts and beyond. Metamorphosis, the first exhibition in the new gallery, celebrates the program’s rich history and promising future.
- The new Community Studio, which serves as the home base for Gateway Arts’ growing Community Engagement Program. Here artists and facilitators will work on group projects of varying scope and scale, while visiting artists will share their work and experiences and lead workshops to demonstrate new skills and techniques.
- Seven Multimedia Production Studios where, each weekday, up to 56 artists will create new works in painting, drawing, collage, textiles, fabric, ceramics, and other media.
To learn more about the new Gateway Arts, and its mission of advancing the careers of artists with disabilities, please click below.
VISITORS TO VINFEN
Vinfen Programs Welcome State Legislators
This spring, Vinfen was pleased to have several opportunities to showcase the exceptional work done at our various programs across the state to legislators and other distinguished guests.
In May, we had a great visit at the Plymouth Bay House with State Rep. Kathy LaNatra, State Rep. Michelle Badger, and staff from Senator Dylan Fernandes' office. We appreciate all these elected officials stopping by for a program tour, and for their continued advocacy for our communities!
On Friday, May 30, State Senator Ed Kennedy attended an open house at Vinfen’s newest facility in Lowell. The residence on Andover Street opened in March and serves individuals supported through the Department of Mental Health, as they work toward a path of independent living while managing long-term mental health challenges. The program includes 19 studio apartments, two of which are fully accessible to people with disabilities.
And in June, State Senator Pavel Payano visited YouForward in Lawrence, where he spent part of his day with our youth members. Even more special, he joined DJ Lus, director of Change The Play, a program that YouForward is currently offering, as the guest of a podcast conducted by some of our young adults. The Senator’s aide also extended an invitation to bring a group of young adults to the State House for a tour in the near future.
The visit was an awesome experience for everyone involved, and we thank Senator Payano for his commitment to the well-being of our young community members and his enthusiasm around their work with Change the Play.
FAMILY ADVISORY COUNCIL
Working in Partnership: The Vinfen Family Advisory Council
Families matter to Vinfen. When it comes to supporting an individual with a disability, we know that the services that we provide are often only one piece of the puzzle. Frequently, those supports go hand-in-hand with the care and daily input of an individual’s family unit—parents, siblings, children, and others all have critical roles to play in helping each person thrive.
Our Developmental Services Division formed Vinfen’s Family Advisory Council to increase family input and involvement in the agency’s work. Advisors provide guidance to the organization based on their unique perspective and experiences. At the same time, the Council offers Advisors the opportunity to learn new skills, network with other families, and appreciate the rewards of making a difference.
As one Family Council member put it, “It is wonderful to know that many of us share similar ideas when it comes to the needs and wishes of individuals and families. We believe the Family Advisory Council enables family members and other advocates to become proactive partners, making sure Vinfen does all it can to support and learn from us. As guardians, families, and advocates for the individuals served, The Family Advisory Council offers us opportunities to give voice to their desires and promote their interests.”
“The Family Council makes a real difference,” says Mary Beth Vargus, Vinfen’s director of family and advocacy services for Developmental Services. “They influence Vinfen plans, policies, and trainings, and have a true impactful voice within the organization. Joining the Council also helps members create an extended family network of people that provide support and guidance.”
Since the Family Council first formed, they’ve been involved in a wide range of projects including:
- Partnering with a Vinfen task force to develop and implement a new Family Partnership Training Curriculum that sensitized staff to the family experience.
- Inviting presenters to speak at regular family educational forums on topics including Individual Service Plans, legislative advocacy, self-determination and self-advocacy, and more.
- Collaborating with a staff task force to develop and implement a Family Profile for each person served by the agency. The Profile captures the family’s important planning perspective.
- Developing a Vinfen Family Position Statement that’s used in outreach, promotion and educational initiatives.
- Sending annual Holiday thank you cards to all staff expressing their appreciation for their hard work and compassion.
- Working with filmmakers Last Minute Productions to create a Council recruitment video that successfully attracted new group members.
- Hosting a successful Family Celebration Event annually for the past 18 years, where inspiring family stories are shared, and Vinfen staff and family members are honored for their dedication.
Today, the Council has expanded to include families from our Developmental Services and Brain Injury Divisions. Recently, our Psychiatric Rehabilitation Division formed its own Family Council. Both groups plan to meet annually to update each other on their work and identify common projects to pursue.
Council members meet once a month online from the comfort of their own homes, and the group is committed to creating an atmosphere of support, friendship, and productivity. Any family member of a person with a disability is encouraged to join the Council, including parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or other loved ones.
If you have a family member receiving services from Vinfen and would like to learn more about the Family Advisory Council, please contact Amy Kabilian at kabiliana@vinfen.org.
RUN-4-LIFE
Support Vinfen as We Run-4-Life this September!
On September 12 and 13, Vinfen staffers and supporters will be lacing up their sneakers and running to raise critical funds to enhance the health and wellness of people we serve, as part of Vinfen’s annual Run-4-Life. Participants will be entered in the Ragnar Road Reach The Beach 200-mile road race from Lancaster, NH to Hampton Beach.
Runners will participate in three shifts in teams of 12, ranging from a few miles up to ten miles depending on runner experience. The athletes will be fundraising in the months leading up to the race using a peer-to-peer platform, and the Vinfen runner(s) with the highest amount raised will receive a grand prize.
By running, we raise awareness and encourage donations that go directly to our Health and Wellness fund. The fund supports Vinfen programs via small microgrants focused on developing initiatives that:
- Increase overall health awareness
- Encourage physical activity
- Provide nutritional education and support healthy eating
- Explore mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and other stress-management activities
- Promote community involvement and partnerships that support healthy living
If you are interested in making a donation in support of our amazing runners, please click below. Thank you!
HOW TO HELP
Got An Unwanted Vehicle? Donate It to Vinfen!
No need to worry: we don’t have an annoying jingle that’s going to get stuck in your head for hours (or days). But, did you know that it’s possible to support Vinfen and our critically important work through the donation of an unwanted car, truck, motorcycle, boat, or RV?
Vinfen is now proudly partnering with CARS (Charitable Adult Rides and Services), an organization that accepts vehicle donations, sells the vehicles, and directs the funds from those sales to the nonprofit of the donor’s choice—in this case, Vinfen.
CARS makes the process easy by arranging for pickup of your vehicle, and providing all receipts and tax forms for your records. Best of all, your donations will provide support for Vinfen’s range of vital services!
IN THE COMMUNITY
Vinfen Staffer Speaks Out for Salary Equity at Rally
On June 6, human services advocacy group The Caring Force hosted its first-ever Merrimack Valley Rally at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill. The event brought together area legislators and representatives from human services organizations that operate in the region—including sponsoring agencies Advocates, Community Resources for Justice, Justice Resource Institute, NFI Massachusetts, The Key Program, Seven Hills Foundation, Vinfen, and Waystone Health and Human Services.
The day began with welcome remarks from Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett and a keynote from State Representative Andy X. Vargas (3rd Essex), followed by a special video message from U.S. Representative Seth Moulton (MA 6th District).
Vinfen’s Joshua Nye, executive director of the Restoration Center of Greater Lowell, was one of two human services professionals from the Merrimack Valley who spoke before the assembly, sharing personal work experiences and encouraging legislators to pass both bills on the Caring Force’s legislative agenda: An act relative to a loan repayment program for human service workers and An act relative to a livable wage for human services workers.
We’re grateful to Joshua for his impassioned advocacy on behalf of his colleagues at Vinfen and at organizations across the state!
VINFEN HAPPENINGS
Join Us for Vinfen’s Annual Family Celebration!
On October 7, the compassionate collaborations between Vinfen staff and the families of those we serve and the positive impact they create will be front and center at our 18th Annual Family Celebration: The Power of Partnerships.
Taking place at the Four Points by Sheraton in Norwood, the celebration will bring together the extended Vinfen community for an evening featuring dinner and cocktails, powerful family and self-advocate spotlight stories, the presentation of staff merit awards, and recognition of the winners of our Artistic and Literary Contests.
Hosted by Jessica Brown of WCVB-TV Channel 5, the Family Celebration will be an unforgettable evening, and we hope that you’ll join in the fun!
For questions, please contact Amy Kabilian at kabiliana@vinfen.org or 781-626-5080.
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
Center of Attention: Vinfen’s Newest Community Resource Coming to Lowell in 2026
A former office park building on Technology Drive will become the Restoration Center of Greater Lowell by the spring of 2026, the first-of-its-kind crisis diversion program in Massachusetts. Through a partnership between Vinfen and Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., the center will offer walk-in, outpatient and inpatient services for people with mental health and substance use issues.
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.
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