Nonotuck's Neighborhood: April 2026 by Joshua Murray

Nonotuck’s Neighborhood APRIL 2026

Nonotuck Board Member Carrie Bona has been finding a variety of ways to stay active recently, including biking on local trails. Her energy and commitment to wellness reflect the spirit of our May in Motion initiative kicking off this month.

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s we move through pril, we re getting ready to embrace pring by getting active, celebrating accomplishments, and continuing to celebrate March s omen s History Month. e are e cited to launch our May in Motion ellness Challenge, an initiative that invites our entire community to come together through movement, connection, and shared purpose. encourage everyone to oin us on this initiative. e are also proud to share that Nonotuck has earned C ccreditation, an important recognition of the uality, accountability, and integrity that define our work. his achievement reflects not only strong systems and practices, but the deep, values driven relationships at the heart of everything we do. t is a testament to our collective commitment to ensuring that the people we support are loved, cared for, listened to, and valued. n addition, this month we highlight a powerful story from our dult amily Care program, featuring rogram irector amantha Chhrech. Her work and the relationships she helps foster illustrate what it means to build a life grounded in care, love, trust, respect, and shared e perience. hese are the everyday moments where our mission truly comes to life. am was also one of the voices highlighted during our omen s History Month event, which brought together voices from across Nonotuck to honor the women who have shaped our lives and our work. he themes of resilience, mentorship, and the importance of being seen and heard resonate deeply with our values and our ongoing commitment to belonging. ogether, these stories remind us that our work is not defined solely by programs or outcomes, but by the relationships we build, the voices we uplift, and the communities we nurture. e remain committed to walking alongside the people we support and one another for as long as that connection is meaningful. hank you for being part of this work, and for helping to bring our values to life each day. ith gratitude, eorge H. leischner resident C Nonotuck esource ssociates

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t Nonotuck esource ssociates, our dult amily Care C program supports people in living at home with the care and stability that make a meaningful life possible. or rogram irector amantha Chhrech, that mission is deeply personal shaped by years of e perience and a commitment to helping people and families feel supported, connected, and empowered. he shared the below reflection on her life as a Nonotuck

C Caregiver for her father.

My name is amantha Chhrech, and for nearly a decade had the honor of caring for my father in our home in owell through the dult oster Care C program. rom until his passing in at the age of , served as his alternative caregiver. But to me, it was never ust a role or a program it was simply being his daughter. Caring for him was my responsibility and my privilege as he grew older and needed more support. My father was a survivor of the brutal regime of ol ot. He carried with him a lifetime of resilience, wisdom, and uiet dignity. s he aged, he lived with several health conditions including osteoporosis, kidney disease, gout, anemia, and hypertension. hrough the dult oster Care program, was able to provide the daily care he needed while keeping him in the place he loved most his home, surrounded by family. typical day for us was simple but meaningful. n the mornings, would help my father get dressed and prepare breakfast. e would sit together and talk before left for work. hile was away, my sister and nephew helped care for him so that he was never alone. n the evenings, we spent uiet time together. He often shared Buddhist teachings and life lessons that had guided him through so many hardships. hen the weather was nice, we would go for walks together, en oying fresh air and the small moments that meant so much to both of us. Caregiving was not always easy. here were difficult days, and it re uired patience, strength, and commitment. But with the support of the C program and the care team behind it, was able to care for my father safely and with dignity. he program made it possible for me to balance work, family, and caregiving while ensuring that my father received the support he needed every day.

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or families like mine, these services are essential supports. he care my father received was not fraud it was legitimate, necessary assistance that allowed him to remain at home rather than in an institution. rograms like C are part of Medicaid home and community based services that help older adults and people with disabilities live with dignity. fforts to prevent fraud are important, but they should focus on individuals who misuse the system without creating barriers for families and providers who rely on these services every day. ithout these supports, my father likely would not have been able to remain at home with his family during his final years. he emotional, physical, and financial challenges would have been overwhelming. he C program allowed us to honor him, care for him, and keep our family together during that time. ven now, as reflect on those nine years, do not see them as a sacrifice. see them as a gift. was able to give back love to the man who gave me everything. hose years allowed me to build a deeper relationship with my father as an adult, to hear his stories, and to learn from his wisdom. ask policymakers and leaders to protect access to Home and Community Based ervice providers so families like mine can continue caring for their loved ones. rograms like C are not ust services they are lifelines that allow families to provide compassionate, dignified care at home. My story is not uni ue. cross our communities, families are doing the same thing every day caring for their parents, grandparents, and loved ones. hese programs make that possible. hope my story shows why protecting them matters not ust for providers, but for families like mine who simply want to care for the people we love.

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Nonotuck rns ccredit tion Nonotuck esource ssociates is proud to announce it has been awarded a hree ear ccreditation for its Host amily hared iving ervices by C A CA I , the highest level of accreditation from the organi ation. his designation indicates that an organi ation has demonstrated substantial conformance to C s rigorous, internationally recogni ed standards for uality, safety, and service, reflecting a strong commitment to continuous improvement and person centered care. rom anuary , representatives from C conducted an in person review of Nonotuck s services across the state, reviewing service delivery, nursing and clinical supports, health and safety practices, and information technology systems. Marketing and iversity, uity, nclusion, and Belonging B were also reviewed. C representatives met across the state at Nonotuck s rogram ervice locations, as well as virtually with stakeholders, providers, and people supported. Nonotuck demonstrated strong overall performance and dedication to uality and personali ed services. he report highlights Nonotuck s positive reputation, dedicated staff culture, personali ed shared living model, and continued growth without sacrificing service uality, with stakeholders describing the organi ation as a model provider. he surveyors recogni ed our deep commitment to personali ed, person centered services, said Nonotuck resident and C eorge H. leischner. hey heard directly about the high level of satisfaction e pressed by the people we support and their families, and they observed the respect we have earned among stakeholders across Massachusetts. hat recognition belongs to all of Nonotuck s employees. verall, Nonotuck is recogni ed as a high performing organi ation, well positioned for continued success and improvement. his accreditation ensures that people supported by Nonotuck receive safe, high uality, and personali ed support in their homes and communities.

Nonotuck rns ccredit tion ontinued he C accreditation process applies sets of standards to service areas and business practices during an on site survey. ccreditation is an ongoing process, signaling to the public that a service provider is committed to continuously improving services, encouraging feedback, and serving the community. ccreditation also demonstrates a provider s commitment to enhance its performance, manage its risk, and distinguish its service delivery. Nonotuck is mandated by H and A C A C programs to maintain accreditation through an e ternal accrediting body. hile the epartment of evelopmental ervices conducts its own audits of hared iving services, it accepts C accreditation as part of its review process. Most importantly, maintaining C accreditation ensures Nonotuck remains licensed to provide A C , reinforcing its commitment to accountability and high uality care.

CA I , a group of companies that includes C Canada and C is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services.

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hrough accreditation, C assists service providers in improving the uality of their services, demonstrating value, and meeting internationally recogni ed organi ational and program standards.

A Nonotuck esource ssociates offers hared iving, dult amily Care, and personali ed day services for people with disabilities. e provide support and services at locations across Massachusetts and are the largest shared living organi ation in the state.

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Beginning May , Nonotuck esource ssociates is inviting its staff, caregivers, and the people it supports to get moving together through May in Motion, a month long initiative encouraging participants to track and celebrate time spent in intentional movement of all kinds. he program is designed to promote wellness, connection, and energy across the organi ation s statewide community. articipants will log minutes spent on a wide range of activities from walking and yoga to high intensity workouts or even dancing at home. very minute of movement counts, with the goal of making wellness accessible and engaging for all. ach office will designate a team leader to collect weekly activity totals, with progress reported every Monday. Minutes will be tracked on a unday through aturday schedule throughout the month. he initiative e tends beyond the office, inviting the broader Nonotuck community including caregivers and the people supported to take part in ways that feel meaningful to them. pportunities like May in Motion reflect what we value most at Nonotuck community, connection, and the well being of everyone who is part of our organi ation, said C and resident eorge H. leischner. hen we take care of ourselves and each other, we strengthen the relationships that are at the heart of everything we do. he initiative builds on Nonotuck s broader ellness efforts, which emphasi e balance, health, and sustainability for both staff and the people they support, aligning with the organi ation s commitment to fostering authentic lives and meaningful relationships. articipants are encouraged to share their activities with Nonotuck s Marketing epartment for possible inclusion on social media and internal channels.

e rning esi ience nd oice Nonotuck e ebr tes o en’s istor onth Nonotuck recently marked omen s History Month with a staff led event organi ed by its iversity, uity, nclusion and Belonging B Committee, bringing people together to reflect on the impact of women in their lives and the importance of amplifying women s voices in the workplace and beyond. he event, held virtually, featured a video highlighting the stories of several Nonotuck staff members including of esidential ervices aimie oucette, rogram irector amantha Chhrech, and board member Carrie Bona who shared personal reflections on the women who shaped them and the values that guide their work today. hemes of resilience, lifelong learning, mentorship, and advocacy emerged throughout the discussion that followed. articipants spoke about mothers, grandmothers, mentors, and colleagues whose strength and perseverance inspired their own paths. Many emphasi ed the importance of creating environments where women feel seen, heard, and supported not ust during omen s History Month, but year round. he conversation also highlighted the role of mentorship and education, with several participants noting that learning whether through formal education or lived e perience remains a powerful tool for growth and empowerment. n addition to discussion, the event included an interactive trivia activity spotlighting the contributions of women inventors throughout history. Nonotuck C resident eorge H. leischner underscored the importance of continuing these conversations across the organi ation. omen s History Month is an opportunity not only to celebrate the achievements of women, but to listen, learn, and ensure that the voices of women across Nonotuck are valued and elevated every day, leischner said. e continue this work by creating space for people to share their e periences, supporting one another, and ensuring that these conversations remain part of our everyday culture.

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