Thrive Podcast: Thrive Support & Advocacy’s Family Support Center Helps 500+ Worcester County Families

WORCESTER, MA– Hank Stolz speaks with Stacey Forrest, Chief Operating Officer of Thrive Support and Advocacy, focused on the organization’s Family Support Center on Grove Street. Forrest described the center as Thrive’s largest program, serving over 500 families in Worcester County by helping them navigate the challenges of supporting a person with an intellectual or developmental disability. “There’s a lot of research behind the fact that people with disabilities have much better health outcomes, both physically and mentally, if they are involved in their community and can identify that they have friends, which I think is really powerful.” She explained that the center offered free, comprehensive support to the entire family unit, including assistance with accessing community resources and managing the complex application process for state services. “So you’ll have a dedicated family support coordinator, one specific person who will help you both with the application and keep track of it, tell you how it’s going, if anything’s needed, so that you really have a partner the whole way.” says Stacey.