Work Inc. broadens reach to families, community

By Cara Bayles, Town Correspondent

For more than 45 years, Work Inc. has been providing services, vocational training, and jobs to people with disabilities. Now, the organization is helping families -- including those in Dorchester -- navigate the bureaucracy of social services.

More than 250 individuals pass through the Beach Street headquarters every day, many of them working in its light manufacturing center, boxing nails, making lanyards for military personnel, packaging dried goods, or assembling IV bags that are sold to local veteran's administrations. The facility is also home to arts classes, physical therapy, and case workers.

Last July, Work Inc. received a five-year federal grant to create a family-support center. The vast majority of the individuals the organization serves fall below the federal poverty line, which means that their families qualify for such services as Social Security, food stamps, public housing, and public health insurance.

"Many times, you find these folks are overwhelmed," says Tuan Le, one of the center's family advocates, who connects guardians with the services they're eligible for. "They have too much on their plate, with taking care of this individual, going to doctor's appointments. They need a little extra support."

Since it opened in September, the family center has also hosted events like its Mother's Day brunch, bowling outings and movie nights. These connect family members, creating a support group that also rallies around advocacy issues.

"The ones who are more experienced help guide the others," said Le, who added that 25 families are involved in the program, but that the staff is in contact with more than 100 families.

Unlike many other services at Work Inc, people can access the family center without a referral from another organization or government department, so workshops for families—like a recent one on how to create a budget—which also open to nearby Dorchester residents.

James Cawley, Work Inc.'s development coordinator, plans to meet with nearby civic associations like Clam Point to let them know about programming like a cardiovascular screening the center is hosting in partnership with Brigham and Women's Hospital on June 2.

The organization has existed for decades, but it moved from its Quincy headquarters to a new 134,000 square-foot buildng on Beach Street in 2009.

"When we opened the new facility, our CEO, James Cassetta, wanted this to be an integral part of the community," said Cawley. "We want our neighbors to know we're here, and to know what we do."

E-mail Cara Bayles at carabayles@gmail.com.