Dick and Rick Hoyt Contribute $20,000 to Venture

Funds Will Support People with Disabilities Across the State

Sturbridge – Venture Community Services, one of the Commonwealth’s leading providers of innovative human services, received a $20,000 donation from the Hoyt Foundation.  Hundreds of people with developmental disabilities supported by Venture will now have greater access to the opportunities they deserve thanks to this contribution.

Dick and Rick Hoyt, the famed father-son running team, made the donation to Mike Hyland, Venture President & CEO.  “We are thankful to have the support of The Hoyt Foundation,” said Hyland. “Their continued partnership with our agency speaks to their generosity and their commitment to people living with disabilities.”

Funds from previous donations have been used to construct a multi-sensory room in the Sturbridge Day Program and also for supportive and adaptive yoga for people with disabilities.

The Hoyt Foundation, founded by father-and-son team Dick and Rick Hoyt in 1989, helps build the individual character, self-confidence and self-esteem of America’s disabled young people through inclusion in all facets of daily life, including in family and community activities, especially sports, at home, in schools and in the workplace. Dick and Rick have run more than 1,000 road races together all across the world, including 30 Boston Marathons, inspiring countless people to achieve what they previously believed was impossible.

Venture Community Services is committed to providing compassionate, person-centered services that assist individuals and families in reaching their goals. What began as an organization with two small group homes has grown into one of the largest human service providers in Massachusetts, and with over 700 employees, one of the largest employers in the Worcester County area. Venture has been recognized as a Top Workplace by the Worcester Business Journal and as an Employer of Choice from the Employers Association of the Northeast.  Venture encourages independence through a continuum of support which includes community residential services, day programs, supported employment, transportation, autism supports, adult foster care, and shared living.

Caption: Dick and Rick Hoyt presented $20,000 to Venture Community Services on behalf The Hoyt Foundation.  The funds will support people with developmental disabilities and ensure they have access to the opportunities they deserve.  Pictured with the Hoyts is Mike Hyland, Venture President & CEO.

Accomplished Human Services Professional Named as Vice President of Community & Affiliate Services

Sturbridge – Venture Community Services, one of the Commonwealth’s leading providers of innovative human services has announced the selection of Pam Sampson as its new Vice President of Community & Affiliate Services.  In this role, Pam will be responsible for division wide operations and service delivery oversight for 44 Community Residences, Shared Living, Adult Foster Care, In Home Supports and Affiliate Services.  She will be the primary business liaison to all outside stakeholders and will ensure the execution of deliverables associated with strategic initiatives for the department.

Pam brings over 25 years of professional experience to Venture and has strong history of management and oversight in the human services field.  She most recently served as the Regional Director for The Kennedy-Donovan Center’s New Bedford adult programs which included Shared Living, Adult Foster Care, Acquired Brain Injury, Individual Supports, Day Habilitation and Intensive Flexible Family Supports.  She also provided program supervision at locations in Milford and throughout Cape Cod.  Prior to her tenure at Kennedy-Donovan Center, Pam was employed with Alternatives Unlimited in Whitinsville and held various positions from Residential Counselor and Residential Coordinator to Director of Program Development for Community Based Day and Employment Supports.

“We are very pleased to have Pam join our Senior Management Team.” said Venture President & CEO Mike Hyland. “She brings extensive experience and leadership skills to our programs along with a commitment to our mission.  Pam will be instrumental in bringing forward innovative ideas and initiatives that will positively impact the agency and the individuals and families we support.”

Pam received a Graduate Certificate in Non-profit Administration and Finance from Suffolk University in Boston and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Business Administration from New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire.

Venture Community Services Awarded Three-Year CARF Accreditation

Day Programs in Sturbridge and Leominster Receive Recognition

Sturbridge – CARF International announced that Venture Community Services has been accredited for a period of three years for its Community Day Habilitation Programs located in Sturbridge and Leominster under the Community Integration Service model. The latest accreditation is the fourth consecutive Three-Year Accreditation that the international accrediting body, CARF, has awarded to Venture.

This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process. It has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit its commitment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable, and of the highest quality.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF International, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. For more information about the accreditation process, please visit the CARF website at www.carf.org.