By Mark Wheeler
Director of Marketing & Communications
At NILP (Northeast Independent Living Program), we were very excited to have a Grand Opening Celebration/Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at our new second office location based in Lowell, MA, on June 21, 2018.
With our new office location in Lowell and our Lawrence office location, we are better positioned to serve our consumers out the two largest population centers in the Merrimack Valley region and Northeast Massachusetts.
NILP is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that is non-residential and provides advocacy and services to all people with disabilities who wish to live independently in the community. NILP offers five basic core services: information & referral, peer support, skills training, advocacy, and transition services.
Independent Living philosophy states that individuals with disabilities are the best determinants of their own needs and service choices. Through role modeling and peer counseling with other people with disabilities, they become empowered to make changes in their lives and become more self-sufficient and self-reliant.
For the past 38 years, NILP has been providing advocacy and services to people with disabilities in the greater Merrimack Valley including Lowell from our main office in Lawrence.
Over one-third of the people we currently serve are from the greater Lowell area. Although our staff does travel to people’s homes, transportation has been and still remains a major barrier for people with disabilities making it difficult for our consumers to get to Lawrence.
Opening a second office in Lowell will make it easier for people to access our services and allow us to reach out to more people with disabilities in the area who may not know about our services.
We had an amazing turn out with approximately 100 people in attendance! The newly elected Mayor William Samaras officiated and presented NILP CEO June Sauvageau with a proclamation welcoming us to the City. NILP Board members and consumers attended as well as representatives from local and state agencies such as the Lowell Chamber of Commerce, June Black from the Office of Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Community Teamwork, Executive Office of Elder Affairs, Fallon Healthcare, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, Career Resources Corporation, and many others.
