About Us

A Message from our Chief Executive Officer, Mary Hodgson

Dear Friends and Supporters,

I have been thinking a lot lately about acceptance and belonging. Belonging is something that most of us take for granted – luckily most, but sadly not all of us. Several months ago I watched in pain as one of our middle school students faced the disappointment
of not being accepted, a disappointment that I am sure is not new to him.

He was excited to be in a public setting with others his age. He is a very extroverted boy, despite his physical limitations, and like all young teens he wanted so much to interact with the other kids. Yet his smile and anticipation quickly turned to pain. His disappointment was palpable. This perfectly mannered and kind group of young teens didn’t know what to do with someone who they perceived was very “different” from them. So they did what we so often do when we are uncomfortable, they looked awkwardly for a few seconds, then quickly turned their heads and walked away. In that moment, I was struck by that physical and emotional pain of not belonging.

Because of this experience I became acutely aware of how often we human beings use belonging as both reward and punishment, consciously and unconsciously. On a positive note, when we like someone we invite them into our social circles … the more we like them, the more we open our closest circles. When we fear someone because they are different or maybe have hurt us, we exclude them. And, when we are on the receiving end of non-acceptance, it cuts to our core.

Knowing that the desire to belong is at the center of who we are, we do our best to protect those we love from feeling that pain. Madison was one of our pre-school students during the past school year. She was a really cute 3-year-old girl who loved the color purple, butterflies, her friends, her family and so many of life’s little things. We lost Madison unexpectedly early one morning this summer. Everyone here is deeply pained by the void left by Madison’s passing. At Madison’s graveside, Jess, Madison’s mom, said to me: “Mary, all that all I ever wanted for my children (Madison’s brother Michael is also a student here) was for them to have others in their lives to love them as much as my husband and I do.” I thought to myself, isn’t thatultimately what each of us really wants for our children? Of course we want them to have a good education, a great job,
supportive spouse, and so on. But ultimately, isn’t it all about being loved … about belonging?

Madison’s mom went onto say that at the Schwartz Center she found what she wanted for her children, lots of other folks who love her children … a place where they experienced that love, a place where they belong, and are part of a community.

So while I am very pleased that we have created this warm, safe, loving place for our children to make friends, receive a good education, top of the line therapies, and medical care, I am left wondering how can we influence our community and our world
to be more accepting of our children’s differences … to create a better world where they are accepted, where they belong.

Our goal is to approach this change through education. To help others to learn to accept – and celebrate – differences, to learn how to open – instead of close – their hearts to someone who is different than them. As a result of two grants that we are expecting to receive, we will start a formalized Community Inclusion Initiative. Inclusion in this use is defined by what it does: “Inclusion supports the rights of all children regardless of their diverse abilities to participate actively in natural settings within their communities.” Our strong belief is that inclusion is an attitude that nurtures everyone. We see our initiative as a way to not only create more positive interactions for our children and teens but to change the way the world sees a disability … to see it as just an individual trait, like the many that make up each of us. The initiatives will involve a range of models including a formalized volunteer program within the center, a peer buddy program and also
programs with community preschool and school programs to participate in social and recreational activities with our children.

As you know this has been a difficult year for us financially as it has for so many non-profits. However it has also been a year of investment for us. Investment in the infrastructure that is required to carry us forward to meet the ever changing needs of
our children and families. We thank each of you, for your generous gifts of time and financial support that have allowed us to continue with the very important work that we do.With heartfelt thanks for all that you do,

Mary

Board of Directors

Dr. Jonathan Schwartz - President

Jeanne Eagle - Vice President

Paul Hamel - Secretary

Jeffrey Martin - Treasurer

Directors

Lynn Ciminello

Dr. Charles Gormley

Karen Kahrl

Elizabeth Duffy

Debra Pickup

Ava Lambert

Paul Mello

Deborah McLaughlin

Kim O'Hara

Michele Roberts

Thomas Sbordone

 

 

The Schwartz Center for Children is a partner agency of the United Way of Greater New Bedford