Open Sky to open Family Support Center in Whitinsville

Open Sky Community Services, a Worcester human services nonprofit, will open a family support center in Whitinsville in February to serve children and adults with intellectual disabilities or autism and their families.

Open Sky, which announced the plans Thursday, said it was chosen to operate the program in the Blackstone Valley by the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services. The center is expected to serve 300 to 450 families once fully operational, with a plan of providing a wide range of services including helping people learn, work, play and develop relationships. Staff will help clients apply for DDS services and other benefits, and navigate community resources and other programs.

The center will be located at 70 Douglas Road, next to where Open Sky already has services at the landmark Whitin Mill complex. Those uses already include administrative offices, an employment program for clients, a performance center, artist space and a public plaza on the Mumford River.

“This site has long been a place where the community gathers for plays, concerts, gallery exhibits, and so much more,” Donna MacLeod-Prior, vice president of developmental services at Open Sky, said in a statement. “While these events are currently virtual, we look forward to welcoming our new DDS families and individuals to in-person events in the near future.”

For more information email familysupportcenter@openskycs.org