Brooke Boudreau began working with Open Sky in December 2023 through the Department of Transitional Assistance's Competitive Integrated Employment Services (DTA CIES) program. In just a few short months, she completed an internship as a Residential Counselor at a GLE in Southbridge, and was soon hired as a full-time Residential Counselor at another GLE in the same area. Brooke made the most of every opportunity available through DTA, and her hard work and dedication have led to remarkable success.

Brooke and her career counselor, Suzie Renaud, were proud attendees at the recent DTA Client Celebration at Holyoke Community College, where Brooke was selected to speak on a panel and share her story. Suzie even joined the celebration while on maternity leave to support Brooke and the incredible progress she’s made.

Congratulations to Brooke and all of the Pathways to Work participants and providers who were recognized. Your stories continue to inspire.

11th Annual Valley Bag Toss

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Check out the 2024 Annual Report!

Open Sky’s 2024 Annual Report was released in June during our Board of Directors’ annual meeting. This year’s theme, Living Our Values, highlights how our shared commitment shows up every day—even in challenging times.

Take a look to see inspiring stories of individuals reaching their goals with the support of our dedicated staff and community.

Emily Pidel, Certified Peer Assistant in our Adult Community Clinical Services (ACCS) in Gardner, was recently awarded the Peer Support Award by the Kiva Centers.

This award honors individuals who exemplify the core values of peer support and act as agents of change in their communities. While Emily was unable to attend the formal celebration in Boston, we gathered at Open Sky's Mann Street office to recognize her achievements and show our appreciation.

Emily has been part of Open Sky for five years and is widely respected for her calm, compassionate presence and her inclusive, person-centered support. In addition to her role at Open Sky, she is currently pursuing a degree in social work and recently completed her first year of internship.

Her dedication, insight, and quiet strength have made a lasting impact, and we're proud to celebrate her continued growth and leadership.

Congratulations, Emily! 🎉

What's Going On at Open Sky?

Open Sky Community Services provides services to nearly 8,000 individuals in Central Mass each year facing complex challenges. That means that support is needed year-round so we can continue to provide services and remove the barriers to living a fulfilling life.

You have the power to ensure that individuals and families experiencing mental health diagnoses, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and homelessness get the help they need, every day of the year.

Have additional feedback or ideas for future newsletters? Let us know at info@openskycs.org