More than 1,000 advocates representing over 100 organizations flooded the State House steps yesterday, spilling onto Beacon Street to stop proposed cuts to programs that help people with developmental disabilities.
If the cuts are approved, more than 23,000 adults and children with disabilities could lose services pending potential cuts in the fiscal 2010 state budget, according to the Arc of Massachusetts. That includes 8,000 people receiving services that assist the developmentally disabled with daily living, 2,600 adults receiving jobs and 11,000 families receiving family support and respite services, among other cuts.
"We were trying to show these cuts were devastating," said Leo Sarkissian, executive director of The Arc of Massachusetts, and one of the event's organizers. "We also wanted to make sure the larger public knew about this, not just the Senate."
Holding signs that read "Day-hab programs are our lifeline" and "Please don't close our programs," protesters ranging from human service employees to individuals with developmental and sensory disabilities, chanted "Save our services."
At one point, Gary Blumenthal, executive director of the Waltham-based Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers, addressed the crowd.
"I want to thank you all for coming out. You shut down Beacon Street," Blumenthal shouted. "You shut down the capital."
Nancy Silver Hargreaves, president and chief executive of the Waltham-based organization WCI (Work, Community, Independence) brought a group of close to 30 staff members and clients at risk of losing several day programs for the deaf and developmentally disabled.
"We're here today at the State House to make it known that the cuts the Senate put in the budget is really devastating to people with developmental disabilities," she said. "They will be losing day programs and transportation and there is no place for these people to go during the day."
Hargreaves said her organization provides employment opportunities, housing and support services for clients with a variety of disabilities. They serve about 60 people in three locations in Waltham, she said.
Latricia Brown, a Waltham resident who is deaf, is employed through the program, handling a variety of tasks including landscaping and delivering pay checks. Speaking through an sign language interpreter, Brown said she is concerned she will lose her job.
"I don't want my work to be cut. I want to have more money. I don't want to be poor," Brown said. "I want to have a healthy work environment. I need money for my house and for my health. I don't want to stay home all day. It's boring and it's not healthy."
Meredith Clemons, a supervisor for the Greater Waltham Arc who works with adults with developmental disabilities, attended the rally yesterday with several Arc clients.
"We're here just to support the people we support and hopefully make an impression in order to restore funding for disability services," she said. "(The cuts) will affect our programming, and I think especially, our day programs and transportation."
In an e-mail, Roslynn Rubin, chief executive of the Greater Waltham Arc, said she is most concerned about the agency's programs that offer clients employment in places such as mail rooms and local colleges.
"The agency has already had a 25 percent cut in (Department of Developmental Services) funding for the coming fiscal year," Rubin stated. "(This) is causing us to make hard decisions about necessary services we have always provided."
Agency clients Kristina Smith, who wore a hand-colored T-shirt adorned with the words "Save our Programs" and Barbara Gionis held signs and chanted in the shadow the State House's golden dome.
Gionis is employed through one of the agency's employment programs, recently working at a cafeteria at Brandeis University.
"I'm happy to be here today," she said. "They are trying to save our services."
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or jgilbrid@cnc.com.
