Bridgewell Community Members Recognized at the ADDP Lead! Conference and Expo!

On May 4, two members of the Bridgewell community were honored at the ADDP Lead! Conference and Expo at the DCU Center in Worcester: Robert Neal and Dan Nadeau. Robert won the Self Determination Award and Dan has won the Direct Support Professional Award for the Northeast region from the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers.

More about Robert:

Robert has received residential services through Bridgewell since 2008, where he went from attending supported day services to being competitively employed at Kelly’s Roast Beef in Danvers. Robert has transitioned to taking the MBTA’s buses to and from his job at Kelly’s, as well as to help coach the Bridgewell Special Olympics Summer Track & Field team. He lives with a roommate and support staff, with whom he shares feedback about training and their approach skills. Robert continues to work on his coping skills, advocating for reduced medication and using alternative methods of coping such as taking a walk or writing poetry. He is currently working on obtaining his First Aid/CPR certification and volunteers once or more a month at My Brother’s Table in Lynn.

“Rob goes above and beyond to ensure he accomplishes all of his endeavors,” said Director of Quality Assurance and Special Olympics Coordinator Kelli Hyland. “One of the most important aspects of being a coach is having the respect of your athletes and fellow coaches. This Rob has 100%.”

More about Dan:

Dan brings to the table a propensity for listening carefully to individuals and acting on their concerns through initiatives and programs. Dan is a respectful, resourceful advocate who consistently approaches his work while keeping with best practice. He works closely with the individuals who need it, such as starting a walking group and weight loss challenge for individuals who had expressed a desire to lose weight. His ability to identify problems early and resolve them in a timely and productive manner has improved the quality of life significantly for the individuals at Lewis Street. Dan continues to approach his work in a compassionate and human rights-focused way, causing him to standout in the Bridgewell organization.

“Dan is an exemplar in this area. It is hard to identify a staff person more cognizant of respecting individuals’ dignity, need for independence and rights,” said Residential Supervisor Melissa Bridges. “He is held in high regard by all individuals at Lewis Street and is well-known at Bridgewell for his approach which is human rights-focused.”

The Framingham-based ADDP is committed to ensuring, strengthening and promoting the viability of community-based organizations that support people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Congratulations to Rob and Dan!