Matthew joined The Arc’s Adult Family Care (AFC) program in October 2014. He is an energetic young man that likes playing his game cube. He has a warm personality and smiles all the time.
Matthew currently attends the Gateway Program where he loves participating in all its activities such as hiking and sometimes going out and watching movies at AMC movie theatre. Gateway helps him develop functional academic skills such as using emails, initiating requests for help, shopping, managing money and balancing checkbooks. Matthew also helps in operating the school’s coffee and muffin sales cart.
While Gateway helps Matthew develop social and functional skills, The Arc of Opportunity through the Adult Family Care (AFC) program provides services that allow Mathew to enjoy being with his family and be taken care of in his home. Matthew always feel delighted by the regular visits of The Arc’s AFC case manager and nurse who provide him and his caregivers information that maybe significant and useful. His case manager provides information regarding resources outside the home and his AFC nurse monitors his health and provides healthcare information when necessary and within the scope of the program.
In some days you’ll find Matthew working at Donelan’s- stocking shelves; at Marshall’s- stocking shoes and attaching size tags; or Evan’s on the Commons- vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, sweeping the floors, emptying trashes, etc. All these works, Matthew is happy to do; he takes pride and feels accomplished.
Matthew also participates in the yearly Unified Track and Field held in Fitchburg. He begins training and practice sometime in March and extends through April when they meet once a week. This year will be Matt’s fourth year participating in the said annual event.
Matthew enjoys the little but good things in life- being with the family on a trip or simply dining with them in his favorite places like Ninety-Nine, TGI Fridays, and Lui-Luis.