MHA Matters

MHA continues to celebrate National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and the many personal goals, talents, and creative expressions of those we serve. We're not that different is our theme.

The point is, individuals with developmental disabilities aren’t that different. Like anyone, they want to have friends, love and be loved, and live their own life.

As a child, Bill Lanoue had difficulty keeping up in school. He’s 66 years old now, but when Bill was ten his parents placed him in Belchertown State School. Bill recalled. “I guess I was treated all right, but I couldn’t go anywhere.”

“I’m working at CVS,” said Erik Nelson proudly. Erik loves his job and for two decades he has worked as an employee of CVS pharmacy

“When people come to respite, I see them cry twice: when they come in and when they leave, and never in between”