PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Both the county's City Halls were illuminated in yellow on Wednesday to thank direct support professionals. 

 

Berkshire Family and Individual Resources partnered with other service agencies like 18 Degrees and United Cerebral Palsy to shine the light on these frontline workers for National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week. 

 

DSPs provide hands-on support to people with disabilities, and the human service agency employs more than 200 in Berkshire County and the Pioneer Valley. 

 

BFAIR's Senior Vice President of Human Resources Michelle Baity, at Pittsfield City Hall, explained that they are the "backbone of our agency."  

 

"It's just a really public acknowledgement for their hard work, their dedication, their care, their commitment, they give each and every day on the front lines, and it's a really public way, and great way for us to say thank you," she said. 

 

"… We're just rocking and rolling and just getting more and more recognition to the hard work our folks do each and every day, and ensuring they hear us loud and clear, that we thank them and we appreciate them." 

 

Several dozen care workers and clients were at North Adams City Hall, where Mayor Jennifer Macksey had put yellow lights in her corner office. The color yellow has become a symbol of the national recognition and several people were wearing shirts or jackets in yellow. 

 

Laura Baran, senior director of employment and Community Based Day Services, said, "they're the ones that are providing the care day in and day out, and supporting the individuals that we serve to be successful and independent."

 

One of those direct-care workers, Jill Moncecchi, had made sure she was at the lighting "to give support to all my co-workers."

 

Moncecchi has worked in BFAIR's Community Based Day Services Program for "10 years and going strong."

 

"I love the individuals. Love them ... It's a nice organization, it really is. Multi, multi, things to do," she said, then looking around at all her colleagues and clients, "you see why I love working here."

 

DSPs provide individuals in the BFAIR community with day-to-day support, from mobility assistance to grocery shopping and personal care needs. It runs the gamut, Baity explained, and is community integration to ensure those with intellectual disabilities have the same access and choices. 

 

BFAIR supports almost 600 people in Berkshire County. 

 

"And our staff really make sure that happens," she said. "[DSPs] are the strongest advocates ever for our folks we support." 

 

In North Adams, Baran and Theresa Denette, senior vice president of operations, said the city hall recognitions were only part of the weeklong celebration. They'd had a raffle for a paid days off and were giving out small tokens, and BFAIR had been posting thank-you videos on its Facebook page all week. There's also a Caring Force Rally next Friday morning at Westfield State University. 

 

North Adams doesn't the illumination system that Pittsfield has on its building so Macksey had lit up her office, and invited the gathering inside to make sure they had a yellow light. 

 

"Kayla [Brown-Wood, director of community services] reached out from BFAIR and asked if I would participate and light my office yellow. And I'm a huge supporter of BFAIR and UCP," said the mayor. "And then she said they were partnering with other entities tonight, so I'm here to support that.

 

"But nothing's more important than to see the adults and the kids' eyes light up. So it was a little out of the ordinary for us to have a standout in my office, but I really wanted them to get the feel of the color and what it meant. And I think we accomplished that."

 

Direct Support Professional Miranda Stracuzzi always wanted to work in the human service field, and has been voted employee of the quarter. 

 

"There are kind of two parts to why I think it's just so cool and important. One is just the opportunity to get out and do stuff, especially for folks that don't drive, so they can go a little bit farther, but also just the community aspect, both with other folks in the program getting to meet up and do stuff, and also just other people out in the community," she said. 

 

"It's been really nice."