AGAWAM – The executive director of a large nonprofit organization has officially announced his retirement.

Robert MacDonald, who is the “CEO-equivalent” of Work Opportunity Center in Agawam, has decided to explore another chapter in his life after 40 years of service with the organization.

As part of the Work Opportunity Center, MacDonald advanced the nonprofit’s broader message, which is to “assist individuals with developmental disabilities obtain employment in the community which promotes social inclusion,” according to the organization’s site.

“Community membership is a big thing with us and all of our programs,” said MacDonald. “We would like to have people integrated into the community as much as possible, throughout all of our programs.”

One of their programs is called “Supportage Employment,” according to MacDonald. Through this program, the Work Opportunity Center provides job development by matching up the developmentally disabled person with a corporation or job, and providing training for the individual to do the job.

According to MacDonald, the organization will also provide re-training for individuals who, for whatever reason, may not be doing the job the way they were initially taught.

“We’ll also go in and do new training if an individual gets a promotion, or their job duties change,” said MacDonald. “So that situation, it is one individual working with one employer, on one employer’s payroll.”

Another program that the Work Opportunity Center offers is called Group-Supported Employment.

According to MacDonald, the organization would take a production team to a business or industry and provide ongoing assembly work at that specific plant.

“That corporation would pay us by the piece,” said MacDonald. “So if we produced 1,000 pieces that day, they would pay us in accordance with the amount of pieces that got produced. We would in turn pay the individuals who were working there, based on their productivity.”

For all of these programs, the Work Opportunity Center will work with individuals if they have any transportation obstacles.

“We bring them to our facilities, and then we would bring them out to their job in the community in that group-supported employment situation,” said MacDonald.

These facilities, which are called Community Based Day Services, are located in Agawam, West Springfield, and Springfield, according to MacDonald.

“We also have a volunteer program so people can begin to understand what it is like to be in the community … what it’s like to be involved in business,” said MacDonald. “So there are a number of volunteer options.”

These volunteer opportunities could lead to a full-time job for the individual, according to MacDonald.

It is a way for people with developmental disabilities to work their way into the supported employment activity.  

“Then of course, we have the Community Based State Services program,” said MacDonald. “Individuals come in for the day, and we provide a variety of activities for them to learn different skills.”

Community exploration is a major component within this program as well, according to MacDonald. For example, if they were going to go exercise at the gym or senior center, they would participate in a class there.

“Typically individuals are referred to work opportunity centers through the Department of Developmental Services,” said MacDonald. “Typically, individuals with developmental disabilities stay in their local public school system until their 21, or until they graduate.”

Once they turn 22, the state has to provide to these individuals, and refers them to programs like the one in Agawam. People in Longmeadow, Holyoke, Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Hampden, Springfield, Westfield, West Springfield, and the hill towns can participate in the programs at the Agawam Work Opportunity Center.

According to MacDonald, the state of Massachusetts forced the Work Opportunity Center to shut down due to COVID-19, but they were allowed to reopen in August. When they did reopen, the organization was only allowed to serve 30 percent of the individuals they usually work with.

“Some individuals have chosen not to come back to the program yet until there is a vaccine,” said MacDonald. “Some individuals are nervous about being in a setting with other individuals because of mask requirements. Some can’t wear a mask all day long.”

They also provide Zoom activities for all of the individuals who are a part of these programs. As of right now, the organization is mostly up and running.

“I thrive on the diversity of what needs to get done,” said MacDonald, with regards to what his favorite part of the job has been. “When you are dealing with 106 developmentally disabled individuals, you are dealing with 106 different individuals, personalities, likes and dislikes. You’re changing people’s lives.”

Despite retirement on the horizon, MacDonald said that he will continue to stay busy.

Outside of boating, skiing, and scuba diving, he is also on a number of different boards that will keep him preoccupied.

“Once upon a time, people thought that developmentally disabled people would not be able work in the community,” said MacDonald. “Well, I’ve seen changes in people.”