Adult program celebrates 10th anniversary

In an industry with high levels of burnout and turnover, The Guild’s adult program has built up a culture of long-term service. 52% of current staff have been with The Guild for more than two years and 12 staff were recognized in 2024 for 10 years of service in the adult program.

The Guild manages 15 adult homes, each with a different dynamic and backstory, underscoring the individuality and diversity of our residents. Of the 74 residents living in these homes, 46 were students at The Guild School before turning 22 and moving into adult services.

Bridging the Distance: Quilting Connections

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Guild residents were separated from families, caregivers, and the community for 77 days. During this confusing and scary time, virtual connections became not just common place but vitally important for connection. Many of the individuals living in Guild residences experience congenital or acquired communication disorders associated with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), autism, and multiple disabilities.

Bridging Loss with Wellness - Parent/Caregiver Workgroup

Throughout life, families occasionally encounter unexpected situations that curb their plans in ways they can't predict. Raising a child who has been diagnosed with an intellectual and/or developmental disability can be one of these situations. It can take away the ability to control what's next and changes how we envision caring for a child. For some people, this is experienced as a loss or, more specifically, an ambiguous loss. Ambiguous loss is an unclear loss that continues without resolution or closure and can lead to feelings of confusion, anxiety, and chronic sorrow.

Ask the Expert: Addressing Barriers Facing Immigrant Staff in the Human Services Sector

One in five employees within the human services sector identifies as an immigrant to the United States. Many of these employees are deemed “essential” in providing direct support to historically underserved populations. Yet, far too many barriers prevent these employees from achieving the financial and professional success they sought when they came to the U.S. 

The Guild Nominates Two Staff Members for ANCOR Award

The Guild for Human Services was pleased to nominate Hajara Nalwanga, Overnight Shift Lead at Walnut House and Karl Bernard, Residential Assistant at Sudbury House for the 2024 Direct Support Professional of the Year awards program hosted 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.

Our Silence Will Not Protect Us

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. 

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