Liberty Mutual Fdn. supports Brockton youth & adults with disabilities

JVS Boston (Jewish Vocational Service), House of Possibilities (HOPe), and the Old Colony YMCA (OCY) are proud to announce that they have been awarded a three-year, $1.5 million shared grant from the Liberty Mutual Foundation through its Impact-Driven Collaboration initiative.

The grant supports the Brockton Career and Community Initiative (BCCI), a cross-sector partnership designed to expand inclusive career development and community access opportunities for people with disabilities and their families throughout Greater Brockton.

Since 2021, JVS and HOPe have partnered to deliver supports for transition-age youth and adults with disabilities, equipping participants to pursue meaningful employment, strengthen independent living skills, and thrive as active members of their communities. In 2023, leadership from JVS and HOPe sought opportunities to bring these services into Brockton, acting on a shared commitment to serve individuals with disabilities whose families face significant economic challenges. This led to expansions of both Transitions to Work and Career and Community Access Program from Greater Boston into Brockton and Randolph.

In early 2024, when the Liberty Mutual Foundation announced the Impact-Driven Collaboration initiative, JVS and HOPe identified the Old Colony YMCA as a critical partner to expand services for young people with disabilities in Greater Brockton. Old Colony YMCA is one of the South Shore’s largest employers and a long-standing leader in inclusion through its Diverse Abilities Committee and participation in the Arc of Massachusetts’s Pathways to Friendship program.

Together, the three organizations partnered to design the Brockton Career and Community Initiative (BCCI), serving people with disabilities ages 14 and up through

integrated employment pathways, community engagement, and family-centered supports. In fall 2024, Liberty Mutual awarded BCCI an eight-month planning grant to support program development, community engagement, and pilot initiatives—including a Transitions to Work program hosted at Old Colony YMCA.

“Whether partnering with Brockton Public Schools or working alongside employers like Brockton Hospital, we have been deeply encouraged by the welcome we’ve received in Brockton,” said Kira Khazatsky, CEO of JVS Boston. “This funding allows us to support career seekers with disabilities across their lifespan as they pursue the careers they’ve dreamed of.” JVS plans to leverage BCCI funding to expand Transition to Work services in the area beginning as early as age fourteen.

In November 2025, House of Possibilities deepened its investment in Brockton by leasing a fully accessible location on Crescent Street in downtown Brockton. “HOPe is thrilled to expand our partnership with JVS and now OCY, right in the heart of the city,” said Katie Terino, CEO of House of Possibilities. “We have worked with Brockton residents with disabilities and their families for years, and it is incredibly meaningful to now serve the

community right where they live.” The new location will house the programs and services offered by BCCI.

Old Colony YMCA has already demonstrated its commitment to BCCI by hosting a successful Transitions to Work session and hosting employer inclusivity training for employers across the region. OCY branches across Brockton, Easton, and Stoughton continue to welcome participants for skill-building experiences through employment, volunteering, fitness, and wellness programming. “At Old Colony YMCA, we’re proud to help continue this work right here in Brockton, where we know the difference that access and inclusion can make for families,” said Charles Clifford, OCY President & CEO.

“Partnering with JVS Boston and House of Possibilities will create pathways for young people to gain skills, confidence, and real work experience. But this is about more than jobs - it’s about creating a future where every family in our community sees their child’s potential fully realized.”

The partners plan to celebrate the opening of the new Brockton location for JVS and HOPe in early spring, where BCCI services will be housed, inviting the community to learn more about BCCI and meet the organizations driving this collaborative effort.