Fello has partnered with Annapolis Mall to open a new location designed to bring services for people with disabilities directly to the families who need them.
The nonprofit, founded in 1961, supports more than 4,000 people throughout Maryland. The new mall location opened in January and gives people with disabilities access to entertainment, community events, fitness opportunities and a sense of inclusion.
Fello opens new space at Annapolis Mall
Jodie Colombo, Director of Day Services at Fello, said the space is helping build a more inclusive community.
"Its just been really great in that were building a more inclusive community where traditionally some people have had to go to like sheltered workshops to participate in day service activities, they're able to have the best of both worlds," Colombo said.
Sara Pease, Assistant Director of Children, Youth and Their Families at Fello, described the location as a place designed to connect people to services and opportunities that would otherwise be more of a challenge to access.
"A lot of people are not used to having that in-person kind of connection they are having to do a lot of things online or over the phone and having our staff here in real time builds a strong relationship with families and they can trust that were going to provide great services to them and their children," Pease said.
Annapolis Mall has been finding new ways to connect with the community, becoming more than just a place to shop.
Mackenzie Fontaine, General Manager of Annapolis Mall, said the partnership is meaningful to her personally.
"As someone with a special needs son to have someone like Fello here is incredible I know that my son can come to the mall and there is a quiet space for him if he needs it and it is a safe space for him if he gets overwhelmed so for me, even personally having spaces like that for everyone in our community is so important," Fontaine said.
Fello has also connected with other businesses inside the mall. Rachel Meyers, Branch Manager of Discoveries the Library, said her organization has partnered with Fello and is excited to see more services like this in a mall setting.
"Seeing all of the new partners and ways that the mall is trying to bring experiential opportunities to people where they can learn new things, create community, building stronger communities is something that the library works hard to do and the mall has created a space where we can do that along with our partners in a place where people already are familiar," Meyers said.
Fello will host a Rhythm and Games event open to all families in the community on June 23 and June 27.
Click Here to register for the event.
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