Waltham Resident Honored for their Excellence in Direct Care

MAB Community Services, a leading social service agency supporting over 1,500 individuals with visual impairment, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and acquired brain injuries across Massachusetts, has honored Waltham resident Choice Omorotionmwan as a recipient of the 2023 Maxo Joseph Excellence in Direct Care Awards. All honorees were formally recognized at a ceremony and luncheon at MAB’s headquarters in Brookline on Thursday, July 13.

Established in 2021, these awards honor direct care staff in MAB’s Adult Disability Services division who go above and beyond in their commitment to the participants they support. Their dedication reflects the legacy of Maxo Joseph, an exceptional caregiver and colleague who passed away in 2020. Totaling $50,000 annually, the Maxo Joseph Awards provide individual recipients with awards ranging from $2,000 to $10,000.

Choice is recognized for her dedicated and energetic approach to caring for participants as a residential counselor in MAB's group home in Belmont. She invests in building relationships with the participants to make them feel more comfortable in their homes. Participants particularly love the African dishes she often prepares for them for dinner. Choice is always curious and asking questions, working to build her own knowledge and to improve her skills. She loves working weekend shifts to help participants experience activities they most enjoy, such as going to church or the mall. She received a $2,000 Maxo Joseph Award.

“I am so pleased Choice has been honored with a Maxo Joseph Award this year,” said Stephen Morella, Program Support Director at MAB, and Omorotionmwan’s nominator. “She is an invaluable team member who I have come to rely on over the years as an expert in the house.”

“We’re very grateful for the opportunity to celebrate our hardworking direct care staff with much deserved recognition through these awards,” said Barbara Salisbury, CEO of MAB Community Services. “Many of this year’s honorees were nominated by multiple people – colleagues, managers, and families of participants – which is a true testament to the impact they have on the individuals they support. It has been incredibly heartwarming to read their stories describing how they work to ensure that our participants are able to live full and satisfying lives."

Out of 28 nominees, 12 direct care staff received awards this year, representing MAB group homes across Greater Boston and Central Massachusetts. The length of service these individuals have dedicated to MAB ranges from two years to 18 years, with an average of six years. Honorees are chosen by a committee consisting of MAB staff, community supporters, and family members of the residents the nominees serve.

The awards are named for Maxo Joseph, a dedicated caregiver who served MAB participants for nearly 20 years. Nominees reflect Maxo’s life and legacy. Jay Lupica, in his role as Trustee of the Patricia W. and Alfred E. Farah Charitable Trust, has matched $100,000 in donations twice since the awards’ establishment, enabling MAB to secure $400,000 to fund eight annual awards cycles.

In addition to recognizing direct care staff for their service to MAB participants, the Maxo Joseph Awards help to create a culture of recognition which improves recruitment and retention. While the direct care industry experiences an annual turnover rate between 40 and 60 percent, MAB's turnover in direct care was less than 17 percent during the past year.

Those who wish to support MAB’s initiative to reward high-performing staff may do so here, designating their gift to the Maxo Joseph Awards.

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ABOUT MAB COMMUNITY SERVICES

MAB Community Services has been creating opportunities for people with disabilities since 1903. Formerly known as the Massachusetts Association for the Blind, MAB is one of the oldest social service agencies in the nation assisting individuals with blindness or visual impairment. Over time, MAB has grown to serve people with a wider range of disabilities. MAB’s three divisions are the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which offers a variety of services statewide; the Ivy Street School, which serves a neurodiverse population of students, including those on the autism spectrum, with behavioral health challenges, and with brain injuries; and Adult Disability Services, which serves individuals with intellectual disabilities and brain injuries.

Founded in 1973, MAB’s Adult Disability Services division offers 29 community-based group homes with 24/7 support. Through each division and program, MAB’s goal is to provide the support needed for each person to actively participate in their community and to live a full and satisfying life.