“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot. Together we can do great things.” These are the words of Mother Teresa.  

As we approach Founder’s Day on September 22, which is the celebration of Dr. Gertrude Barber’s life of service and profound impact, I think about how she possessed a very similar approach to Mother Teresa.   

Dr. Barber saw the challenges faced by people with disabilities and their families. While she knew she could help bring hope and opportunity to these children and adults, she also knew that collaboration was key to ensure that her vision came to life. She could not do it alone. 

She worked with families, schoolteachers, politicians, church leaders, and partners across the Commonwealth, country, and world to mobilize her vision of making dreams come true for countless people who were denied access to an education, fair employment, and a high quality of life. 

Today, in honor of Dr. Barber’s legacy, we too continue to collaborate with members of our community both near and far to create greater independence for those we serve.  

Collaborations continue in the form of ongoing partnerships with well over 20 school districts, artists and musicians who offer their talents in the form of art and music therapy for our students, a wide variety of corporate partners and government agencies who partner with us to provide grant opportunities that allow us to expand technology and programming, as well as countless families, friends, and remarkable supporters we’ve been so fortunate to gain over the years.  

Our challenge today is to continue Dr. Barber’s vision and be change agents as we work to expand opportunities for children and adults with disabilities not only in our community but throughout the world.