MassAbility

This month's Hiring Events in Boston and Sturbridge were a great success! We are so thankful to all of our job seekers, employer partners, and staff for coming together for such an important event. This wasn't a typical hiring fair, and our staff worked hard to secure real interviews for open positions that might be a great fit for a job seeker they support. With our Business Relations Team handling the internal coordination between employers and pre-screening roles to match to the right people, this allowed our job seekers to focus on the important part: interviewing. And we are happy to share that as of today, eight individuals have been extended job offers! Looking forward to our next hiring events in June at Bridgewater and Lowell! @Cvshealth @easternbank @danafarber @Fedex @harvard @massgeneralbrigham @northsuffolkcommunityservices @baycovehumanservices @bostonbusinessjournal @guardianangelseniorservices @riversidecommunitycare @work_inc_ne @allieduniversal @bigyfoods @quinsigcc @sanderson_macleod @umasschan @dressforsuccess @dress_for_success_worcester

On Saturday, we honored the life of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, an avid fisherman and community member in Massachusetts. Eric was a driven young man, on track to graduate from the Isenberg School of Management at Umass Amherst and become a local business owner. He was also a MassAbility participant with a strong love for fishing and a passion for wildlife conservation in Western Mass. We are grateful for the close collaboration with Governor Maura Healey's Office, the Department of Fish and Game, MassWildlife, and the Department of Conservation and Recreation to help us host an adaptive fishing festival to encourage individuals of all ages and abilities to learn how to fish and enjoy the outdoors. Video Description: A compilation of clips from a rainy-day fishing event and memorial commemorating Eric. It looks lively and many people from the community came out to learn how to fish with easy-to-use equipment with the help of volunteers from around the area and members of the Pioneer Valley Boat and Surf Club to teach the younger generation how to get outside and enjoy fishing.

When Eric Tarpinian-Jachym’s life was cut far too short, it was clear he was on his way to do great things. Because, as his family and friends know, he already had. Eric was an accomplished student with passions for business and politics — and an award-winning angler who cared deeply about his community and the people around him. We were honored to work with @mass.wildlife , @massdcr , @massability_ma , the Pioneer Valley Boat and Surf Club, and Eric’s family to host the first annual Eric Tarpinian-Jachym Family Fishing Festival at Hampton Ponds State Park, one of his favorite places. We also presented Eric’s family with his well deserved diploma, and established a scholarship in his name for future @umass students. A meaningful tribute to a young man who lived a truly meaningful life.

On Wednesday, we hosted our first of four hiring events for MassAbility jobseekers to great success! With over 60 interviews, participants and employers felt empowered to showcase their skills and potential with our employer partners. This would not have been possible without the close collaboration of many teams across MassAbility and our event planning partners. We are especially thankful for our employer partners for working with us, we are excited to continue helping you fill your open roles with our talented job seekers. Video Description: A collage style video showing people getting ready for interviews, arriving, chatting with businesses, and general event set up, and clips of people interviewing for different jobs. The event looked lively and everyone very professionally dressed, and Dress for Success helped provide outfits and styling support.

REMINDER: On Saturday May 9th, join MassAbility for an accessible Family Fishing Festival at Hampton Ponds State Park. This special fishing event honors Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, an avid angler and MassAbility participant with an unmatched passion for fishing and the outdoors. Eric's family looks forward to creating an accessible event for all, to remind us that all of us with our various abilities can enjoy nature. MassAbility is honored to host the event with Governor Maura Healey’s Office, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Office of Outdoor Recreation, and the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. All are welcome! Fishing instructors will be available onsite; no license or experience needed. Event Details: Saturday May 9, 2026 Hampton Ponds State Park 10:00 am – 2:00 pm What to know: -Food and drink will be available on site -Parking is free with accessible parking adjacent to the festivities -Fishing gear will be available to borrow For questions contact [email protected], for accommodation requests contact [email protected]. #FamilyFishingFestival #AccessibleFishing #MassAbility #OutdoorRecreation #FishingForAll #InclusiveOutdoors

On Saturday May 9th, join MassAbility for an accessible Family Fishing Festival at Hampton Ponds State Park. This special fishing event honors Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, an avid angler and MassAbility participant with an unmatched passion for fishing and the outdoors. Eric's family looks forward to creating an accessible event for all, to remind us that all of us with our various abilities can enjoy nature. MassAbility is honored to host the event with Governor Maura Healey’s Office, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Office of Outdoor Recreation, and the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. All are welcome! Fishing instructors will be available onsite; no license or experience needed. Event Details: Saturday May 9, 2026 Hampton Ponds State Park 10:00 am – 2:00 pm What to know: -Food and drink will be available on site -Parking is free with accessible parking adjacent to the festivities -Fishing gear will be available to borrow For questions contact [email protected], for accommodation requests contact [email protected]. #FamilyFishingFestival #MassWildlife #HamptonPonds #OutdoorRecreation

Learn how to boost brain injury screening and make a real difference in your practice! Join us on June 16th at Worcester State University for an engaging event focused on improving brain injury screening across systems. Learn, connect, and take action to make a real difference. Whether you’re a professional or just interested, come be part of the conversation and help advance awareness to action! Get your free tickets at massability-awarenesstoaction.eventbrite.com

Are you a MassAbility participant or disability stakeholder? The Massachusetts State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) wants to hear from you! The SRC is an advisory board that partners with MassAbility to help people with disabilities live their best lives through consumer-driven, meaningful, and integrated employment. Each year, the SRC collects public input to make recommendations on MassAbility’s service delivery programs and ensure that the disability community plays a significant role in MassAbility’s career services programs. The SRC invites you to help shape its 2027 recommendations by submitting public comments by Email recommendations to SRC at [email protected] by April 17th, 2026. Please include your full name, region, and email address. To learn more about the SRC visit our website at https://ow.ly/clrc50YEXr4

We're proud to highlight Adrienne and share a big congratulations for her solo art installation at the Plymouth Public Library! Adrienne is a local artist that we've supported through the Moving Forward Program and Community Living Waiver. Over the past year, Adrienne had set a goal to return to working with watercolors, and her hard work and incredible talent paid off. With the assistance of one of her supports, she was able to set-up a month-long residency at the library. If you missed her recent installation, you'll be happy to know she has a second one scheduled for the fall at the Kingston Public Library. Congrats, Adrienne!

Here’s to another successful event! Thanks to all our speakers who shared their experiences and provided personal perspectives on important issues that impact individuals with disabilities across Massachusetts. Your willingness to share your voice allowed us a chance to listen and learn about the things that matter to you: the lasting impact of COVID on services, the desire for culturally-responsive and translated resources for families navigating mental health crises, the need for more educational and career pathways to create a robust workforce of person-centered care providers, and health equity for veterans with disabilities. We sincerely appreciate those who took time out of their day to be with us and share their experiences. With our colleagues @MCSPWD , we can take these lessons forward to better meet the needs of the people we serve. Thank you to @umasslowell for hosting us!

Are you heading to this year’s Brain Injury Association conference on March 25th and 26th? Connect with MassAbility! Look for the MassAbility table and attend our panels. Wednesday, March 25th, 1:45 pm-3:45 pm Stop, Look, and Listen: Making Assessments Work for All: Hear from MassAbility’s Statewide Head Injury Program Regional Program Coordinator Rob Mendel on how to use a human-centered approach ton conduct effective, ethical, and culturally sensitive assessments for individuals with acquired brain injuries. Thursday, March 26th, 1:30 pm-3:30 pm Breaking Barriers: Brain Injury Awareness and Housing: Join MassAbility’s Clinical Operations Director, Brie Insalaco and Grant Project Coordinator, Amanda Tower on the intersection of brain injury and housing access, including practical strategies for service providers and available state housing resources. #BrainInjuryAwareness #BrainInjuryConference #MassAbility

Register today to share your voice! We want to hear from you, the community, at our second installation of Meeting the Moment: A Community Conversation and Resource Fair. Hosted with our friends from the @MCSPWD , we're inviting individuals with disabilities, families, caregivers, providers, and advocates to share their experiences and ideas on: • Transition from Education-to-Employment • Long-Term Services, Supports & Health Equity • Digital Accessibility • Workforce Supports This free event will be a hybrid format and held in-person and virtually! Friday, March 27 from 11am to 2pm Location: UMass Lowell University Crossing 220 Pawtucket St, Lowell, MA 01854 The event will start with the hybrid community discussion followed by lunch and an in-person resource fair. Submit written comments about the outlined topics via email by March 23 at: [email protected] Register for the event and learn more by scanning the QR code or visiting Mass.Gov/MBY/MTM-March Image Description: Flyer with the same event information on a stacked purple, white, and dark blue background with a photo of people speaking from the previous Meeting the Moment event. There's a QR code on the screen for the same link to the event registration page.