Charles River Center
59 East Militia Heights Dr.
Needham, MA 02492
781-972-1000
info@charlesrivercenter.org
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Our Services
Deinilsa Dos Santos
Case Coordinator
Time to meet Deinilsa
Let’s get to know Deinilsa, or “Nilsa,” as she is affectionately called by the individuals she works with. Deinilsa has been working at Charles River for six years. She started working at the Grugan Center, spent some time at Strathmore Road in Natick, and now serves as a Case Coordinator at one of our Day Program, which operates out of a residential home in Sharon, MA.
Moving between programs has had both its rewards and challenges, according to Deinilsa. “When you move from one program to another, the individuals do not know you, and you have to work hard to get them be comfortable with you…but once they are comfortable with you, it is great.” Clearly, Deinilsa has built wonderful relationships with the individuals she works with. One individual sits by the window each day, eagerly anticipating her arrival. Every morning, she asks, “Nilsa, today?” And then, there are the many individuals at Grugan Center, whom she worked with when she was pregnant, who ask about her three-year-old daughter (and demand to see photos!) whenever she visits. It is these relationships, she notes, that make her job so rewarding.
When she is not working at Charles River, she enjoys spending as much time as possible with her family, especially her young daughter. Thank you, Deinilsa, for your years of service and all you do for the individuals you work with. You have made such a difference in their lives.
Goretti Poulard
Life Skills Coach
Say hello to Goretti
Goretti serves as a Life Skills Coach at the Grugan Center. As a Life Skills Coach, she works with individuals to achieve goals and to acquire skills that help build self-confidence and independence. Most rewarding part of her job? “The excitement I feel when I see the individuals’ faces in the morning. They each have their own unique way of greeting me and connecting with me.” Although she had never worked professionally with individuals with disabilities before she accepted the job at the Charles River Center, she spent a lot of time advocating for her disabled nephew, back in her native country of Haiti. She feels like that experience helped prepare her for the job she has been at for the past seven years.
For Goretti, it is immensely satisfying to help our persons served in any way she can, and she has made it a point to keep expanding her knowledge and to acquire new skills. She took a CNA course and completed all the coursework for MAP certification. This training has served her well – she was recently recognized for her response to a choking incident in one of our Day Programs. She acted quickly and professionally, performing the Heimlich Maneuver, thereby averting a potentially more serious medical situation.
Outside work, Goretti enjoys going out with her two children, aged 9 and 4. She is an avid reader and an accomplished seamstress. She especially enjoys doing sewing projects with her young daughter.
Thank you, Goretti, for your energy and enthusiasm. You bring so much to Charles River, and we appreciate your passion for improving the lives of the individuals we serve.
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