Jo Ann Simons, President and CEO of Northeast Arc, and Joan McGrath, Executive Director of PLAN of MA & RI.
Danvers and Needham, MA and Providence, RI — Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Inc. (PLAN of MA & RI), a nonprofit organization proudly serving people with disabilities — helping them to preserve their assets, protect their benefits, and to live well — announced today that it will serve as the preferred special needs planning partner of Northeast Arc, a nonprofit that annually serves 15,000 people with disabilities across Massachusetts. This partnership is meant to assist people with disabilities in securing their financial freedom so they can live independent and inclusive lives while choosing for themselves how to live, learn, work, socialize, and play.
In support of this partnership, PLAN of MA & RI committed $75,000 to support Northeast Arc programs and services. This gift was formalized at a check presentation held at Northeast Arc’s Center for Linking Lives on July 19, 2021. A $35,000 portion of this gift will support Northeast Arc’s Campaign for Linking Lives and the ongoing Linking Lives Challenge.
Part of this partnership includes PLAN of MA & RI’s sponsorship of various events and programming throughout 2021 and 2022, as well as several co-presented webinars to educate Northeast Arc individuals and families about special needs trusts as part of their estate planning.
“This financial support from PLAN of MA & RI will help support critical Northeast Arc programs and services that enable people with disabilities to live as full participants in their communities,” said Jo Ann Simons, President and CEO of Northeast Arc. “We are excited to be able to provide our community with a valuable resource to help them smoothly navigate financial planning.”
“We live by our mission to proudly serve people with disabilities, life-long or related to illness, injury or age and help them to preserve their assets, protect their public benefits and live their best lives,” said Joan McGrath, Executive Director of PLAN of MA & RI. “We are delighted to support the mission of Northeast Arc, and to partner with them, as both organizations work daily to help people experience the highest quality of life possible as part of their community.”
About The Northeast Arc
Northeast Arc (NeArc) changes lives for people with disabilities — and children at risk of developing them — and their families. The agency, which opened the Center for Linking Lives at Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers in 2020, serves more than 15,000 people in 190 Massachusetts cities and towns each year. NeArc is the largest Arc in the state of Massachusetts and the 2nd largest (of 700) in the country. Services include: Adult Family Care, the ArcWorks Community Art Center, Autism Services, Black Box Theater, Breaking Grounds Café, Continuous Care Nursing Services, Day Habilitation, Deaf Services, Early Intervention, Employment Services, Family Support, First Steps Childcare & Preschool, Fiscal Intermediary, Personal Care Assistance, Recreation, Residential, Shared Living and Transition, and Skilled Intermittent Home Health Care. Learn more at www.ne-arc.org.
About Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of Massachusetts and Rhode Island (PLAN of MA & RI)
PLAN of MA & RI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with origins dating back to the 1960s, when a group of parents of children with various physical, mental and behavioral challenges assembled to plan for the future. Incorporated in 1971, PLAN of MA & RI is recognized today as an expert in operating Special Needs Trusts.
PLAN of MA & RI proudly serves people with disabilities – lifelong or related to illness, injury, or age. PLAN is a professional trustee providing quality trustee/fiduciary services to individuals and their families through sound and thoughtful trust administration and compassionate, caring social service support. Licensed social workers assess the beneficiary’s living situation, needs and current benefits and make recommendations and referrals to services that improve the person’s quality of life helping them preserve assets, protect access to public benefits, and live well.
PLAN of MA & RI has offices at 50 Cabot Street, Suite 206, Needham, MA 02494 and at 331 Waterman Street, Suite 158E, Providence, RI 02906. For more information, please call (888) 890-7526 or visit www.planofma-ri.org.