Helping Hand Grant Awarded to BFAIR
NORTH ADAMS — Berkshire Family And Individual Resources has been awarded a new "Helping Hand" grant from First Congregational Church of Williamstown.The grant will fund BFAIR's in-house training with Edward Frampton who has come forward to talk about life at Belchertown State School, where he lived from the age of 5 to his early teens and on and off during his 20s.
An advocate for people with developmental disabilities, Frampton speaks to staff about his personal experiences at Belchertown and answers questions. The trainings are in line with "Walk a Mile in My Shoes," an initiative by the Department of Mental Retardation to create opportunities for caregivers to understand the needs of people with disabilities by "stepping into their shoes."
According to Debora DiDonna, BFAIR's quality facilitator, "Mr. Frampton has been instrumental in the actualization of BFAIR's mission and philosophy. He inspires staff to fully recognize the importance of treating people the way they would want to be treated and he is a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit."
BFAIR is a not-for-profit human service agency dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities, autism, and traumatic brain injury. It provides services to 250 adults, adolescents, and children in North and Central Berkshire County. For more information, visit www.bfair.org or call 413-664-9382.
