“Offering personalized flexible support to families and individuals with disabilities to live, work and develop relationships within our communities”

Dear Members of the Nemasket Family,

You may have known that our Executive Director, Louis Nisenbaum, had been fighting a courageous battle with cancer for more than a year. I am sorry to inform you that Lou passed away peacefully at his home on 10/25/2011surrounded by his family.

Lou had a lifetime of helping people. He worked for a variety of organizations over the years including the Paul A Dever State School, Beta Community Services in Attleboro, Independence Associates in Bridgewater and the Southeast Massachusetts Educational Collaborative in Fairhaven . Lou helped establish Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change, a statewide group that advocates for families who support children and adults with disabilities. In 1984 Lou became the founding Executive Director of The Nemasket Group. Lou loved people and he loved Nemasket.

From Larry Tummino, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Developmental Services, "Lou was a pioneer in the provision of services to people with developmental disabilities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts . For over 40 years, he helped lead the charge to have individuals be fully included in the lives of their communities. In both his professional and personal life, he represented deeply held values that called for society to see individuals with disabilities for the gifts they have and not their deficits."

Lou's spirit is all around us. His passion, drive and love of people have been an inspiration to the many people who knew him. His legacy will continue to live on through the vision he has given us. We have all been blessed by knowing him.

Sincerely,

Don Fredette, President of the Board of Directors