Facilitating Community Supports for Students with Significant Disabilities

Mass Families Organizing for Change (Mass Families or MFOFC) is a grassroots, statewide network of people with disabilities and their families, and has a 30-year history of responding to the needs of families. We partner closely with four different human services providers who contract with the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to provide leadership training and to support the skill acquisition of families whose loved ones are eligible for services. This case study describes our work in partnership with educator Emma Fialka-Feldman to create MatchUS, a community-driven effort to connect educators, related service providers and families to support students with disabilities during the pandemic.