The Magic of Living Life to Its Fullest — A Giving Tuesday Story for the James L. Maher Center

More than seventy years ago, the James L. Maher Center began with a simple but powerful belief:
every person deserves the chance to live life to its fullest.

In the early 1950s, when opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were scarce, a group of local families and advocates came together with a dream — to build a place where ability was celebrated, not limited. Their vision became the Maher Center: a home for inclusion, growth, and opportunity.

From those humble beginnings, the Maher Center has grown into a cornerstone of support for people with IDD across Newport County and beyond — offering residential homes, vocational training, community employment, recreation, and the chance to contribute meaningfully to the world around them.

Every day, we see magic moments happen.

It’s in the smile of a participant who earns their first paycheck through one of our vocational programs.
It’s in the pride of someone learning to cook a meal independently for the first time in one of our residential homes.
It’s in the laughter shared during a community outing, or the joy of planting flowers in our Garden Center — knowing they helped something beautiful grow.

These moments may seem small, but for our participants, they are life-changing.
They represent confidence, independence, and belonging — the very heart of what the Maher Center stands for.

And this Giving Tuesday, you can help make those moments possible.

Your gift to the James L. Maher Center helps us provide:
Training and opportunity — job coaching, vocational skills, and community employment.
Safe and supportive homes where individuals with IDD can thrive with dignity and independence.
Meaningful experiences — recreation, social connection, and creative expression.
A lifetime of hope — ensuring every person we support has the opportunity to live, learn, and love life to its fullest.

When you give, you’re not just making a donation.
You’re giving someone the chance to discover what’s possible — to find their own independence, purpose, and joy.
You’re helping create those everyday miracles — the magic moments — that define a life well lived.

This Giving Tuesday, join us in celebrating the spirit of inclusion and hope.
Together, let’s continue the legacy that began decades ago — and ensure every person we serve has the opportunity to shine.

Give hope. Give opportunity. Give Maher!

#GivingTuesday #MaherLivesFullest #GiveLocalRI #Inclusion #Hope #FullLife

Giving Tuesday 2025

By JAMES L MAHER CENTER

Giving Tuesday 2025

Give Hope. Give Opportunity. Give Maher!