Autism Support Center at Vinfen

03/20/2026

Thank you Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism for supporting the Autism Support Center at Vinfen! We consider ourselves so lucky to be a part of the Autism Community in the Greater Boston metro region and beyond, and we are looking forward to developing additional social, recreational and enrichment programs for our community. This grant will allow us to increase our footprint in the autism community, while bringing people together and promoting networking, socialization, and structure.

Here’s a photo of Madeline Raphael. Nikayla Jackson and Oluwatoni Omidiji, our Autism Broker Supervisor and two of our autism brokers that work at the Autism Support Center, celebrating this generous grant.

01/27/2026

Check it out!!

Direct Support Youth StipendsCoordinated Pandemic-Related Transition Services (CPRTS)With Direct Support Youth Stipends from FCSN, you choose the best way to use CP-RTS funds to meet your young adult’s needs.The Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) is collaborating with FCSN to pr...

12/10/2025

Check it out friends! Love on the Spectrum is looking for some new singles! We would love for it to be someone we know!

10/30/2025

Hello everyone,

During this time of food insecurities and worry surrounding SNAP benefits, we wanted to share some resources for food banks in the Greater Boston area.
If you find yourself in need and need assistance beyond this list, please contact your DDS coordinator who will connect you with resources. It is times like this where our community rallies to meet the challenge, please know that we are all rallying at your sides.

Allston-Brighton
• Allston-Brighton APAC Food Pantry (406 Cambridge St.)
• West End House Boys & Girls Club (105 Allston St.)
• Allston-Brighton Food Pantry (404 Washington St.)
• Tifereth Raphael kosher food pantry (77 Englewood Ave.)
Back Bay
• Church of the Covenant Food Pantry (67 Newbury St.)
• Rice Sticks and Tea Asian Food Pantry (351 Boylston St.)
• Friday Night Supper Program (351 Boylston St.)
• Women’s Lunch Place (67 Newbury St.)
• Victory Programs Boston Living Center Meals Program (29 Stanhope St.)
Brookline
• Brookline Food Pantry (226 High St., Community Room; 210 Harvard St. United Parish; 55A Egmont St. – for Boston Housing Authority residents)
Cambridge
• Cambridge Economic Opportunity Commission (11 Inman St.)
• East End House Pantry (105 Spring St.)
• Cambridge Community Center (5 Callender St.)
• Harvard Square Churches Meal Program (0 Garden St.)
• Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House Food Pantry (71 Cherry St.)
• Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church Project Manna Food Pantry (146 Hampshire St.)
• Salvation Army Cambridge Corps Food Pantry (402 Massachusetts Ave.)
• St. Paul’s AME Church Pantry (85 Bishop Allen Dr.)
• St. James Episcopal/ Helping Hand Food Pantry (1991 Massachusetts Ave.)
Charlestown
• CWS/Charlestown Adult Education (76 Monument St.)
• DISH Food Pantry at Bunker Hill Community College (250 Rutherford Ave.)
• Harvest on Vine (49 Vine St.)
Chelsea
• Chelsea Jewish Foundation Food Pantry (165 Captains Row)
• La Colaborativa (63 Sixth St.); Revival International Center of Chelsea (278 Broadway)
• Salvation Army Chelsea Food Pantry (258 Chestnut St.)
• St. Luke’s-San Lucas Food Pantry & Soup Kitchen (201 Washington Ave.)
• Selah Day Resource Center (738 Broadway St. Unit B)
Dorchester
• Bethel Tabernacle Pentecostal Church (12 Bicknell St.)
• Berea Church Pantry (108 Seaver St.)
• Cape Verdean Association of Boston (242 Bowdoin St.)
• BCYF Perkins Community Center (155 Talbot Ave.)
• Catholic Charities Boston Yawkey Center (185 Columbia Rd.)
• Codman Square Health Center (450 Washington St.)
• Dorchester House (1353 Dorchester Ave.)
• Eglise Baptiste Haitienne (1 Dix St.)
• Faith Christian Church (301 Harvard St.)
• Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center (895 Blue Hill Ave.)
• Holy Tabernacle Church (70 Washington St.)
• Greater Anointing Church Pantry (20 Charlotte St.)
• Pilgrim Church Food Pantry and Community Lunch (540 Columbia Rd.)
• St. Mary’s Food Pantry (14 Cushing Ave.)
• UMASS Boston U-ACCESS Food Pantry (100 William T Morrissey Blvd, Campus Center Suite 2300)
• YMCA of Greater Boston Mobile Market (multiple locations)
Downtown Boston
• The Paulist Center Emergency Food Pantry (5 Park Street Place)
• The Franciscan Food Center (100 Arch St.)
• St. Francis House Meals (39 Boylston St.)
East Boston
• East Boston Community Soup Kitchen (28 Paris St.)
• BCYF Paris Street (112 Paris St.)
Everett
• The Family Church (1691 Revere Beach Pkwy)
• Everett Mobile Market (117 Edith St.)
• Grace Food Pantry (50 Church St.)
Jamaica Plain
• Boston Children’s Hospital Family Food Connections (30 Bickford St.)
• First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain Food Pantry (3702 Washington St.)
Malden
• Emmanuel Baptist Church (20 Hillside Ave.)
• Bread of Life Food Pantry (54 Eastern Ave.)
• Freedom Hill Community Church Pantry (77 Kennedy Dr.)
• Malden YMCA Food Market (99 Dartmouth St.)
Mattapan
• Glad Tidings Food Pantry (573 Norfolk St.)
• Shirley’s Food Pantry (213 River St.)
Mission Hill
• ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway Neighborhood Service Center (714 Parker St.)
North End
• ABCD North End/West End Neighborhood Services (1 Michelangelo St.)
Revere
• Revere City Hall (281 Broadway)
• First Congregational Church Pantry (230 Beach St.)
Roslindale
• Fair Foods at BCYF Roslindale (6 Cummins Highway)
Roxbury
• People’s Baptist Church Food Pantry (134 Camden St.)
• Grant A.M.E. Church (1906 Washington St.)
• ICNA Relief Halal Food Pantry (1234 Columbus Ave.)
• Islamic Multi Service Organization (722 Shawmut Ave.)
• Rosie’s Place (889 Harrison Ave.)
• United Emmanuel Holiness Church (65 Windsor St.)
• Whittier Street Health Center (1290 Tremont St.)
Salem
• The Salvation Army North Shore (93 North St.)
• The Market by Salem Pantry (47 Leavitt St.)
Somerville
• Elizabeth Peabody House Food Pantry (277 Broadway)
• Somerville YMCA Free Little Pantries (101 Highland Ave.)
• Mission Church Shepherd’s Kitchen (130 Highland Ave.)
• Somerville Hispanic Association for Community Development (59 Cross St.)
• Somerville Homeless Coalition/Project SOUP (165 Broadway)
South Boston
• Fourth Presbyterian Church of South Boston Food Pantry (340 Dorchester St.)
• St. Monica’s Parish Food Pantry (331 Old Colony Ave.)
• South Boston Community Health Center (409 West Broadway)
South End
• ABCD South End Neighborhood Action Program (554 Columbus Ave.)
• Boston Medical Center Food Pantry (850 Harrison Ave. Yawkey Building Basement)
• Haley House Food Pantry & Soup Kitchen (23 Dartmouth St.)
• Salvation Army South End (1500 Washington St.)
• Union United Methodist Church Food Pantry (485 Columbus Ave.)
West End
ABCD West End (151 Cambridge St.)

09/24/2025

Families - don't miss your chance to express interest!
The Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services is now accepting OPEN REQUEST forms for the 2025 Children's Autism Waiver Program. This program offers intensive in-home and community-based supports for eligible children with autism under the age of 10. Learn more and submit your interest form here. https://www.mass.gov/dds-childrens-autism-waiver-service... Applying does not guarantee eligibility or services.

08/25/2025

What an absolute BLAST we had on Friday!! Our rock stars Patty Middlemann, Autism Broker Supervisor and Maddie Raphael, Autism Broker hosted a sensory block making party that was so much fun we can’t wait to do it again!!! Just look at those happy faces!!!

08/12/2025

We’re excited to bring you our 18th Annual Family Celebration! Join Vinfen staff, supporters, individuals we serve, and their families to recognize the power of partnerships that make the work we do possible.

Don’t miss out on your chance to be part of this special and unforgettable evening! Find more details and register (for free!) to attend: https://vinfen.org/family-celebration/

07/01/2025

This month, we recommit ourselves to advancing inclusion, promoting self-determination, and challenging stigma wherever it exists. We embrace disabilities as natural parts of human diversity. We will always recognize and uplift the voices, rights, and experiences of people of all abilities. 🌈🫶

06/10/2025

Some additional information form our friends at The Arc of Massachusetts

So now that we've explained what Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) are, you might be wondering: how do HCBS work in Massachusetts?

Medicaid, known as MassHealth here, is the foundation of HCBS. Here's what that means.

Check back tomorrow at noon for more on HCBS in Massachusetts.

06/10/2025

Some great information form our friends at The Arc of Massachusetts

Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) are programs that help people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities.

Over the next week, we're going to give you a deep dive into what HCBS are, what's at stake, and what you can do to help.

Check back tomorrow at noon for more.

05/14/2025

Wouldn’t want to miss this very important presentation!!

NR SEPAC is excited to announce this collaborative event with the NR Commission on Disabilities and NRPD! Hope to see you there!

05/01/2025

Please join us!!

🎼Get your tickets: https://vinfen.org/lso/

Today marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month, where we will come together under this year’s theme of “Turn Awareness into Action.” We know that recognizing mental health is important, but actively working to make positive changes in our communities holds even more impact for ourselves, loved ones, and neighbors.

We are proud to be in partnership with the Longwood Symphony Orchestra this month, where a portion of ticket sales on May 10 will directly benefit Vinfen programs supporting the mental health and overall wellness of the people we serve.

This special event is an uplifting way to acknowledge, and take action, during Mental Health Awareness Month. Come for the music, stay for the mission. 💚