Community Partnership Award Winners Announced!

BOSTON -- The Federation for Children with Special Needs will present Weymouth’s Lisa Jennings and Scituate's Jamey Breen with 2017 Community Partnership Awards for their exemplary advocacy on behalf of children with special needs. The awards, meant to honor individuals who have made significant impact in their communities, will be presented during the Federation’s 2017 Visions of Community conference on March 4, 2017 at the Seaport World Trade Center.

Jennings is a parent and special needs advocate whose child, Monica, requires complex medical care. Although Lisa has a professional background in data processing and compliance, her work on behalf of individuals with special needs began in 2004. She has utilized many of the Federation’s programs to increase her knowledge about special needs law and process, including Family TIES of MA, Mass Family Voices, and the Parent Consultant Training Institute. Lisa is also an active, longtime member of the Weymouth Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). She also enjoys consulting on boards and committees and lending her perspective to community programs and policies.

While Jennings’ work supports all types of disabilities, her most passionate advocacy is to strengthen supports and treatment options for individuals with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. 22q, a genetic disorder with signs and symptoms that vary widely from person to person, is not well-known to a large population of educators or support organizations. This lack of general awareness about the disorder makes it difficult for families to find the help they need. It is Jennings’ hope that her work in education, health care, and community building connects people with valuable information about this diagnosis.

Jennings lovingly describes her daughter as her “most important client” and reports that Monica is currently looking at colleges, applying for the summer Youth Leadership Forum, and preparing to manage her health and learning needs as a college student.

Breen is a wheelchair user living with cerebral palsy, but refuses to allow that to limit or define him. In his words: “I’m a wheelchair basketball player and I’m learning to drive a car. I’m launching a career as a motivational speaker and searching for full time employment in the human services field. Therefore, don’t call me different, handicapped or disabled.”

A proud Graduate of Stonehill College (2014) with a degree in Health Care and Communications, Breen is also the author of “Keep it Rollin”, a book about turning challenges into opportunities. In his speaking presentations, he speaks honestly about the challenges in his own life and shares how he countered them with positivity, encouraging others to do the same. These opportunities have led many people to see him as a resource, role model, or mentor, positions he accepts happily. He feels blessed to be in a position to positively impact the lives of so many individuals, and could not have imagined the effect his words would have when he began his path of advocacy. “I work every day to see the positive in everyone’s life. I am on a journey guided by faith and it gives me the strength to serve others. I will continue to work every day to move forward and stay motivated. I encourage my audiences to face life's every day challenges with a positive attitude and a full heart. “KEEP IT ROLLIN!!!”

The Visions of Community conference provides a comprehensive day of education, workshops and networking opportunities for Massachusetts families of children with special needs. Session offerings feature topics ranging from Early Childhood Special Education to Transition Planning for young adults.

About the Federation for Children with Special Needs

The Federation for Children with Special Needs is a nonprofit organization that advocates for quality education, strong parent participation, and access to quality healthcare services for all children, especially those with disabilities. Since its inception in 1974, the Federation for Children with Special Needs has grown from a grassroots parent group into a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that annually serves more than 40,000 families across Massachusetts. The Federation works each day to inform, educate and empower parents, providing them with the tools, resources, and opportunities that will enrich their children’s lives. The Federation ensures that Massachusetts families with the greatest needs, due not only to disabilities, but also to educational and economic disadvantages, are able to participate in their communities and that they are involved in the education and healthcare of their children. The Federation is headquartered in Boston and has offices in western Massachusetts.