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8 Road to Responsibility (RTR) is a full-service nonprofit that provides homes, jobs, therapeutic day supports and a community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). RTR also provides peace of mind to families and caregivers who have a genuine interest in how their loved ones will fare when they are no longer in their care. For RTR, "Making Lives Better" is not just a phrase, but an action that is put into practice every day by their dedicated leaders, employees and Board of Directors—as well as by the people they serve. RTR supports over 1,300 individuals from more than 100 different cities and towns in Massachusetts, through 49 residences and nine days services that focus on education, employment and community enrichment. RTR believes strongly in "never turning anyone away" and works to serve everyone who seeks support. Its clinical approach and wrap around services meet the individual where they are in their lives. Many times, the individuals served by RTR had been turned away, or their disabilities were too significant for other organizations to manage. "We serve people who are very challenging and they are the people we love the best," says President and CEO Christopher White, Ed.D. White became President and CEO in 2008, a time of recession and serious financial strain. Under White's leadership, RTR has doubled in growth and is one of the largest major employers in the state. In September, White was honored for his extraordinary work by being named Marshfield Business Leader of the Year. White has a long history with Road to Responsibility, starting with his job as a case manager in the 80's. He quickly realized that working with I/DD individuals was his calling. "After about a week into my job, I realized I love these people," he says. "These are my people; I totally fell in love." In addition to having a doctorate in Leadership: Counseling Psychology, White is also a licensed Psychologist and Health Services Provider. Both his passion and his humility are evident to everyone who meets him. "We are so fortunate to have Chris," says Chairman of RTR's Board of Directors, George Ford. "We are thriving and vibrant thanks to Chris' leadership; he has taken RTR to a whole new level." Chairman George Ford has served on the Board of Directors since Road to Responsibility's creation in 1988, and has been working with nonprofits that benefit I/DD individuals for almost half a century. "It's a true labor of love," says Ford, whose daughter, Tammy Ford, has developmental disabilities. "I have an individual interest in helping my daughter and making sure that entities who serve her are doing the right thing; I also have a broader interest in raising the awareness level about what we can all do to make things better for the I/DD community." The devotion and altruism of his fellow board members never ceases to amaze Ford: "Of our thirteen board members, three of them have siblings or children in the RTR community. The others are serving because of their own goodwill and selfless desire to make RTR—and society—a better place. It's a great feeling to leave a board meeting where no one was there to make a profit or self-aggrandize, but to give their time, energy and resources for the benefit of others." Ford is thankful for the ways in which RTR has enriched his own daughter's life. At age 22, Tammy graduated from Saint Coletta School in Braintree and joined RTR's residential and work programs. Many schools, as well as residential programs, provide services to individuals only until age 22, which leaves many parents, families or caregivers searching for the next step in care for their loved one. RTR provides services for people from 21 to 101. It has 49 group homes that provide individuals with wrap- around services, 24-hour staffing and a supportive environment where individuals can thrive and build relationships throughout adulthood and the rest of their lives. by Erica Ford MAKING LIVES BETTER: The Exceptional People Behind Road to Responsibility's Tremendous Impact RTR believes that everyone deserves a full and dignified life and provides support so that people with disabilities can take their place as productive members of their community.