The Guild for Human Services

Founded in 1945 and incorporated in 1952, The Guild for Human Services serves individuals diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, and behavioral/mental health challenges. The Guild operates a private, special-education school in Concord that serves up to 90 students ages 6-22; nine group homes for 72 youth in neighboring communities; and 15 residential homes for 75 adults throughout Eastern Massachusetts. The mission of The Guild is to educate, encourage and empower individuals with intellectual disabilities so they may achieve their full potential to lead high-quality lives and participate meaningfully in society. The Guild has been led by Chief Executive Officer Amy C. Sousa, PhD, since September of 2017. Based on her leadership of The Guild, Dr. Sousa was named one of five finalists for the 2019 Nonprofit Excellence Leadership Award by the MA Nonprofit Network. In 2020, CARF International announced that The Guild’s adult and youth programs have been accredited for three years, the highest level of accreditation given to an organization. A second three year accreditation was awarded in 2023. In 2022, Bob Renois, a Residential Assistant with The Guild’s Walnut House, was honored with an Award of Excellence at the Providers’ Council’s annual convention. In 2022, The Guild was recognized with two awards, The Communicator Award and The Telly Award, for its short documentary, The World Got Smaller: The Spirit of The Guild During COVID-19. In 2023, Isaac Mukwaya, Residential Assistant with The Guild’s Sudbury House, was honored with the Direct Support Professional of the Year Award for Massachusetts by the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR). In 2023, The Guild was named one of five finalists for the Nonprofit Excellence Innovation Award by the by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network.