KFI

04/29/2026

Speaking Up For Us annual conference

Registration is open for our fall conference. To register or find out more information go to: [https://www.sufumaine.org/sufu-conference/

04/29/2026

Last week, three members of the KFI Senior Leadership Team were joined by Bangor admin Cynthia and DSP Taylor Dodd for the National ANCOR conference in Boston. They spent 3 days participating in workshops and listening to leaders in our field, focusing on 'Navigating the Now'. They returned home refreshed, with new ideas to make KFI stronger as a provider of service and as an employer.
They also got to connect with ANCOR CEO Barbara Merrill and thank her for her decades of service to this field.

04/28/2026

We recently had the privilege of celebrating Jade Hayden's graduation from Maine Development Foundation's Institute for Civic Leadership as part of the 2025-2026 Goose Eye class. Jade is a Support Coordinator in our Lincoln office. They committed to days away from the office each month, taking a deep dive into the journey to becoming a stronger leader, including 3 days on Hurricane Island with Outward Bound!
Congratulations Jade!

03/16/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1A1CSJPpfv/?mibextid=wwXIfr

A support worker is paid. A friend is not. A support worker writes reports, follows policies, and leaves when the shift ends or the job changes. A friend stays because they choose to. When we blur those lines, we risk asking people with intellectual disabilities to pretend that something paid for is the same as something freely given.

Real support should make friendship possible, not replace it. The goal of support is not to become someone’s social world, it is to help them build one. When staff step back from trying to be the friend, space opens to help people to build friendships with neighbours, coworkers, classmates, and community members. The measure of good support is not how close the staff relationship feels. It is whether the person’s life is bigger, richer, and filled with people who are there because they want to be.
..

ID: Fionn holds a cardboard sign above his head that reads "I don't want support staff as friends" - a person walking by has stopped to read the sign.

12/31/2025

Our DSPs make a difference every single day.
Thank you. 💙💙

12/27/2025

Russell started a new volunteer gig at a local food pantry. We believe that volunteering is a great way to give back to the community and Russell agrees! He is really enjoying getting to know people and helping others.

12/22/2025

No power? No problem! Some of our Millinocket crew got together at the Stewart Professional Learning Center / CoWork / Escape Room last Friday to celebrate the holidays by candlelight. Fun and games when the power came back on!

12/20/2025

Some members of our Leadership team gathered together with our Board of Directors to celebrate the work of KFI and the holidays! Thank you River Drivers Restaurant for a lovely evening!

12/18/2025

Holiday Celebration for KFI staff in Lincoln! Fun and games and gifts and laughter! We know how to have a good time! Thank you to the Stewart Professional Learning Center / CoWork / Escape Room for making things so festive and for the yummy food!

12/15/2025

A little bit of fun for your Monday!

12/13/2025

Yesterday we joined many of our colleagues with MACSP to celebrate the work of exceptional Direct Support Staff. KFI nominated Taylor Dodd for DSP of the Year and he was chosen as the winner for our region!
"Taylor is a very versatile and valued team member who adjusts himself to the unique needs of each person he supports. His optimistic attitude is infectious and he shares his can do attitude with everyone he meets.
Taylor lives and breathes Active Support. His ability to engage the person he supports in everyday tasks at the level that is exactly right for that person on that day is amazing. He demonstrates the concepts of Active Support throughout his interactions with everyone. This approach has allowed Taylor to support people to try new things, increasing their confidence and helping others to see them as more capable.
Taylor's gentle approach and commitment to building trust helps the people he supprts feel safe to express their wants and needs and to engage in the world in more positive ways.
Taylor is very willing to help out with covering open shifts when needed, and has filled in with many people across the agency.
Taylor’s skill at writing clear, accurate, non-judgmental and thorough documentation for every shift is phenomenal. He always provides an accurate description of how each day went, and makes the reader feel that they were there with him for the entire day. His writing is objective without bias or opinion. He is committed to including accurate documentation before leaving the shift, and understands the responsibility of his work. He has been instrumental in training new staff on how to properly document for their shifts, which has resulted in a noticeable improvement in quality across the agency."
We are proud of the work Taylor does every day and we are delighted that MACSP recognizes and celebrates these accomplishments! Congratulations Taylor!

11/03/2025

We strive to make planning truly person-centered.

For many people with intellectual disabilities, goals are less about growth and more about funding. The system demands measurable progress, so year after year, professionals dutifully write down the same old objectives. “Teeth Brushing.” “Shoe Tying.” “Money Management.”

And year after year, those same goals are reviewed, repeated, and reapproved. Progress notes are written. Boxes are ticked. Lives stand still.

What’s worse is how quietly cruel this can become. Being told, for decades, that the big work of your life is brushing your teeth, as if being human begins and ends with basic hygiene.

It’s not that professionals don’t care, they do. Deeply. But they’re caught in the same loop. Funders want measurable goals, and measurable goals rarely measure what matters.

Real goals are about becoming, not repeating. They’re about joy, connection, contribution, risk, and choice. Those don’t fit neatly into data sheets, but they fit beautifully into a life.
..

ID: Image shows man smiling saying: You want to keep my goals the same for another year - oh yay