“Marrakech has always had the reputation of being the agency that takes people that no one else will take,” says Jennifer Falzone, Vice President of Community Support Services at Marrakech. “We’ve always had the philosophy that we don’t say no, we don’t give up, we don’t accept failure. We keep fighting for our consumers. We are committed to the person.”
This commitment is grounded in Marrakech’s mission to assist people in exercising their human rights as citizens and contributing members of society. It also means that the agency often serves the clients who are most vulnerable, including people with behavioral health issues; families with complex needs; individuals struggling with unemployment, homelessness, substance abuse, or challenging behaviors; and at-risk youth and students. “Our leadership meetings give us a chance to brainstorm with each other and to consider other ideas or solutions,” says Falzone. We try to look at issues with fresh eyes.”
Support at Home and in the Community
That approach led to the development of Community Support Services (CSS), one of the newest program divisions at Marrakech. “About eight years ago we started a children’s program with DDS and DCF, offering services for kids afterschool and on weekends,” explains Jennifer. “Now, we’re transforming that program to include any person, no matter their age, who needs individual home support services.”
Consumers in CSS live more independently, either on their own or with their families. There are no age restrictions to participate, and the services can be paid for by state funding from the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), the Department of Children and Families (DCF), or through private pay arrangements. Each consumer receives a different number of hours of support per week, depending on funding sources and personal goals. “We offer life skills and try to teach people to be more independent. We get consumers involved in their own community, whether it’s visiting local restaurants or movie theaters, and we get together for big group activities,” says Jennifer. “We carry out educational goals, find volunteer opportunities, and help consumers with job applications and interviews. We also offer respite services so that parents and caregivers can get a break.”
By focusing on each person’s needs, Marrakech has been able to make a positive difference for many consumers and families. “We have one consumer who we took in after another agency dropped him off at the hospital and said ‘we’re not taking him back,’ Jennifer shares. “We gave him a more tailored program where he could control his day and the activities he did. We made sure he had enough staffing, and we fought for funding so that he could have his own apartment. He just graduated from high school, and he’s doing really well now. Because of the individualization of his program, we saw very few of the negative behaviors reported by the other agency.”
Take Nothing for Granted
That individual attention reaches beyond standard program goals and objectives. “We do anything we can to help people, even if it’s not within the scope of services,” says Jennifer. “We host a prom for our consumers and it’s a great event. The ticket prices only cover part of the event—Marrakech pays the rest. There’s a Thanksgiving feast, and it’s wonderful. There’s nothing else to call it but a feast. More than 100 people attend each year. Our staff volunteer their time and their cooking. We have a winter social party. We wrap more than 100 gifts for the consumers! Those are my favorite memories, when our consumers get to do something that most of us take for granted. I wish we could create time lapse videos to show everyone these successes.”
Please consider helping Marrakech offer individualized services to people in need:
A $10 donation to Marrakech helps buy gifts for consumers at our winter social.
A $25 donation buys a consumer an interview outfit from a consignment store.
A $40 donation pays for a consumer’s monthly club card to attend our quality of life programs
A $55 donation pays for a consumer’s ticket to attend our annual prom.
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