Article published by Jacob Posner - The Enterprise - May 21, 2026

BROCKTON — The young man, who has a developmental disability, has made great strides toward independence since joining the Career and Community Access Program in Boston.

Valery Danger, program director, said the program member has now worked for years in the kitchen of a school cafeteria in Boston and regularly uses the bus and ride share services on his own. He's become friends with his colleagues and goes to cookouts at their houses, Danger said.

Danger has noticed how much the young man's confidence has increased. A few years ago, when Danger sat in on his meetings with the Department of Developmental Services, the man would often look at Danger while answering a question.

"But now, he answers it without looking for that validation or confirmation," Danger said.

Career and community access now has a downtown Brockton location, in a building at 142 Crescent St., which Danger also runs. The goal, Danger said, is to serve 45 young adults, mostly between 22 and 29 years of age, at one time. Activities include volunteering and learning independent living skills.

The Brockton Career and Community Initiative came out of a partnership between the House of Possibilities, JVS (Jewish Vocational Services) Boston and Old Colony YMCA. All three groups will provide services for the people at the Brockton location.

"We have a lot of opportunities and great projects that happen in Brockton, but I believe, a lot of times, it's siloed," Nelson Fernandes, the mayor's deputy chief of staff, said during a packed ribbon-cutting event on Thursday, May 21. "We have various organizations working and kind of doing their own thing. ... [These groups] coming together to make this center come to fruition is a testament to what we want to see in Brockton."

'Help people find the dignity of work'

The workforce participation rate for adults with disabilities in the United States is just 24%, compared to 68% of the non-disabled population, House of Possibilities President and CEO Katie Terino said during the ribbon cutting. In Massachusetts, over 1,000 people are on waiting lists for adult services, she said.

Last year, around 60% of the members of Career and Community Access Program Boston (which is run by House of Possibilities and JVS Boston) participated in the workforce, according to Terino.

"Our goal is to replicate the success of CCAP Boston right here in downtown Brockton," she said.

The goal of JVS Boston's founder, who started the organization during the Great Depression, was "to help people find the dignity of work," President and CEO Kira Khazatsky said during the event.

What will happen here day-to-day?

Danger said career and community access expanded to Brockton both because of demand for services in the city, and the proximity to the commuter rail, BAT bus, nearby colleges and other places where members can participate in programs, volunteer and work.

Independent living is a key topic area at career and community access. That means learning skills like budgeting, going to the grocery store, cooking and looking for a job, Danger said.