For many adults with disabilities, independence can be within reach with the right support. Most clients of JF&CS Supported Housing live in their own apartments, hold jobs, and pursue their daily activities largely on their own. For some, Supported Housing is a steppingstone on the path to fully independent living; for others, it may be a long-term arrangement. Staff support these individuals by teaching life skills, setting and encouraging progress toward goals, looking out for clients' safety, and helping them enjoy the benefits of a larger community.

Joss, a longtime client with a knack for maps and a love of old-fashioned cars and good meals, has defied expectations, according to all who know him. “He would be seen ordinarily as a person who is very difficult to serve,” says his mother, Ruth, a pioneer in advocacy for people with disabilities in the Jewish community. Joss, now in his late 60s, is nonverbal, deaf, and on the autism spectrum. “Most people would be concerned about these particular disabilities and this combination of disabilities,” said Ruth. “But CHAI agreed to take him into their care.”

As a resident of JF&CS Supported Housing since 2009, Joss has expanded his communication skills by improving his sign language and different forms of writing, and he’s acquired practical skills like scanning his own groceries in the supermarket self-checkout. He’s meticulous in managing his finances, according to Jodi, the assistant director of supported housing, who sees Joss a few times a week and has watched him integrate into the world around him: “He's made a sense of community: the grocery knows him, the bank knows him, he walks to the dentist. He lives in a nice place, and people check on him.”

Recently retired from his job at Fenway Park, Joss now attends the CHAI Works day program, where he enjoys a rich array of social events while continuing to develop his abilities to relate to new people. Ongoing relationships with JF&CS staff who understand the nature of Joss’s disabilities have been key to his success, according to Ruth. “I want to emphasize how responsive the staff is and how flexible the staff is. This is a wonderful staff. They are very open; they are seeking education for themselves. The staff advocates for him. They're not only serving him, but they are also very good at working together.”

The admiration is mutual. In the words of Jodi, “Joss is absolutely amazing.”