Walker Commemorates 60 Years Serving Youth and Families in Massachusetts
A name ‘known and respected’ by those served
NEEDHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#WalkerCares–Walker, a leading nonprofit organization delivering special education and clinical programming to youth and families in Massachusetts, is marking its 60th anniversary with a new name, a new website, and a deeper connection to its mission of supporting youth facing complex emotional, behavioral, and learning challenges. The organization, whose roots trace back to 1891, is now officially called Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs.
In the late 19th century, George Walker, cofounder of the Walker-Gordon Laboratory in Boston, helped establish the nation’s first medical milk commission, which set new milk certification standards for safety and purity. The company built the Walker-Gordon Dairy on seven-and-a-half acres of land along the Charles River in Needham. Families flocked to the dairy farm, drawn by its reputation for pure and pasteurized milk that could improve the health of chronically ill children. When George Walker died in 1927, a trust ensured that the Needham Dairy would be converted into a convalescent home for children once his wife Irene passed away. In 1961, the bucolic property was converted into the state’s first convalescent home for children suffering from long-term illnesses such as polio and rheumatic fever.
“For the past 60 years, the name ‘Walker’ has been known and respected among families who have received our specialized services, as well as by other providers, and state agencies. We thought it was time to adopt a name change to better communicate the scope of what we do. When people across the state hear Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs, they will recognize that we have a continuum of services, some of which may meet their unique clinical needs,” said Walker President and CEO Gene Takahashi.
Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs continues to be well known for its residential school on the Needham campus and therapeutic middle and high school in Watertown. The organization’s community-based programs include a mental health clinic offering both outpatient and in-home services, and an acute treatment program for children who would otherwise be cared for in a hospital setting. Walker also shares its expertise through partnerships with various community organizations and with school districts across the area, offering consultation and professional development.
Walker’s newly designed website features expanded content about the organization’s service offerings and highlights the many ways Walker’s staff make an impact on the lives of children and families. People who are interested in joining the team can apply directly at the site, www.walkercares.org.
“We are excited to have a new site with more robust content. We hope that visitors to our site can easily find the information they are looking for – whether it is a parent looking for a particular service for their child, or a prospective employee exploring our job opportunities and benefits package,” said Takahashi.
About Walker: Founded in 1961, Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs is a leading non-profit organization providing intensive, highly therapeutic academic and behavioral health services for children, youth and families living in 150 communities across the Commonwealth.
Walker’s service offerings are divided across eight different educational, residential and community-based programs.
Contacts
Matt Ellis
Ellis Strategies, Inc.
[email protected] | 617-278-6560
