Author: CHS Team

Keeping our Earth healthy is a top priority for the Cooperative for Human Services Inc. as it is the home of our wonderful individuals and employees. In order to best support our CHS family, we have started the annual planting in our organic garden. The garden provides us with an opportunity to share wholesome and pesticide free-fruits and vegetables. Our individuals enjoy a unique opportunity when they visit our garden and see where their food comes from. The garden is truly an extension of their back yard, and they often put in a helping hand for the harvest. The CHS garden is just one of the ways in which we work to keep our Earth happy and healthy.

CHS Launches The Co-Op Café The Co-op Café is a CHS program that offers activities, entertainment, speakers, cultural celebrations, food tastings and other events, on a daily basis at our Dartmouth Street Center in Malden. The cafe is open Monday through Friday during scheduled daytime hours and also operates Wednesday evenings. The Co-op Café was an idea born in the fall of 2017 to address the needs of individuals who were seeking more opportunities for adult learning and socialization. During the warmer months, individuals spend time in nature and participate in outdoor activities and events at the CHS-Jackson Farm in North Reading.  However, as Fall approached and the weather turned cooler, activities at the farm began to slow down, but the eagerness to engage and participate with others did not.…

At Cooperative For Human Services Inc., we are continually seeking opportunities to support individuals to engage in their communities in new ways. The Greater Boston area is rich in local resources that are low cost or free to residents and one such resource is the local town library. Despite the spread of electronic reading materials, today’s libraries not only focus on literacy but have evolved into gathering places for its membership. Libraries are inclusive, safe and accepting environments where individuals are free to explore hobbies and topics of interest. Most of the individuals we support have library cards, visit their local libraries regularly and participate in events offered there. We also found that many people enjoy listening to someone read aloud to them as it can be soothing and comforting.…

Are you compassionate, caring, and dedicated? Do you seek a deeper connection with people? Consider opening your heart to mentor a talented and smart young man with special needs living independently from his supportive family. We offer a beautiful, 2-bedroom, furnished family home in Melrose included as part of the compensation. This is a great opportunity for working professionals, single adults, couples, families, emptynesters, stay-at-home parents - YOU!  Expand your household income with a monthly stipend for rent, food, recreation and caregiving. Candidates must demonstrate their knowledge of good nutrition, healthy food choices and preparations. Join the Cooperative for Human Services, Inc who has supported adults with disabilities for nearly 40 years and has consistently achieved the Commonwealth’s highest quality scores. Visit www.cooperativeforhs.org to learn more about us. Minimum Qualifications…

                  Our Direct Support Staff are excellent caregivers for the people we serve. They know each individuals’ story and what makes them happy in their lives. As a caregiver, our staff experience both joy and challenges. To support their work, we encourage our staff to be present in the moment and to practice mindfulness.  Here are some tips offered by Julie Jackman, RN and CHS Healthcare Coordinator, that you can follow daily if you are providing direct care for someone you love. No matter where your day takes you, you can always make time to practice mindfulness.  Put your phone on airplane mode Don't wait for your next trip to take advantage of your phone's "airplane mode feature". If you find yourself engaged in an activity that needs your…

Cooperative for Human Services Inc. launched a food pantry program in partnership with the Food Donation Connection, a national organization headquartered in Nashville, TN that links service providers and other non-profit agencies to the food service industry in order to aid local hunger relief and reduce food waste. The Food Donation Connection introduced CHS to Whole Foods Market, Bedford, MA and Seasons 52, an upscale restaurant in nearby Burlington, MA and encouraged the companies to work together to develop a plan of food redistribution.   People with developmental disabilities tend to live at a relatively low US income level and through this partnership, the Cooperative For Human Services Inc is able to provide the individuals it supports with free food that is high in nutritional value.  Meals received from the…

                    The Cooperative for Human Services Inc. offers a monthly Cultural Connections outing for individuals involved in any of our Residential, Day or Individual Supports programs. At CHS we are constantly seeking new ways for our individuals to explore, interact and grow as members of the community. The Department of Transitional Assistance and the Mass Cultural Council have collaborated to create The EBT Card to Culture Program which offers any EBT cardholders reduced or free admissions to many of Massachusetts’ finest museums and cultural institutions. The program is a great opportunity for many of our individuals, because often times tickets to these types of organizations can get expensive. Individuals can now access over 125 museums and other educational cultural centers. Each…

Cooperative for Human Services Inc. was awarded a five year demonstration grant from the MA Department of Developmental Disabilities (DDS) for the development of innovative day programing for individuals over the age of fifty-five. This is a population that often times remains at home because of complex medical conditions or significant day-to-day fluctuations in their health and vitality. One of the goals of the Elder Day Supports Program is to connect older adults with their communities and to increase their socialization opportunities. We strive to support our individuals to gain a sense of accomplishment and pride through volunteerism  and giving back, which increases self esteem and connections with others. On The Rise Inc., a women's daytime shelter located in Cambridge, MA, was the perfect fit for our first volunteer program…

On a very cold December Saturday, an employee of CHS got together with a group of friends and family and visited our Acquired Brain Injury home located in Tewksbury, to share holiday music and carols with the four individuals who reside there.  The resident's family members and staff also joined in on the festivities. The Acquired Brain Injury program serves people who previously lived in a nursing facility or a chronic or rehabilitation hospital and were assisted to transition into a home setting in their community with 24-hour care, professional supports and greater access to community resources. Though the holidays can be especially busy for everyone, the choral group members were more than generous with their time and happy to come and perform an assortment of holiday songs. We continually seek…

On Tuesday, December 12, students from Melrose and Malden Catholic High Schools met at the CHS office in Malden to help wrap over 100 gifts for the Individuals we serve at the Cooperative for Human Services Inc! Though this time of year can be especially busy for students, these student volunteers were more than happy to come out and lend us a hand. We are always trying to find new ways to make connections in our local community. This project was particularly successful in that it allowed us to connect with a younger demographic, one we don’t normally get a chance to work with.  We are very grateful for the student volunteers who came out to help us prepare for a fun filled holiday season!