Before enrolling in any program, every family asks the same question: What does this actually look like? The real day-to-day.
Here’s what a morning at Families Matter Inc looks like. And what makes it powerful isn’t the activities—it’s the choice, independence, and community woven through every hour.
8:15 AM: Arrival
Marcus arrives at the Gardiner location. Erica, the Assistant Director, greets him. Before the day begins, the group gathers around a calendar to review today’s options.
“Marcus, we have three things happening today,” Erica says. “We’re going to help at the Cohen Center this morning preparing Meals on Wheels. We can go to Dunkin Donuts for lunch. And this afternoon, we’re voting on either bowling or a trip to the library. What sounds good to you?”
This isn’t a rhetorical question. Marcus actually gets to choose. On some days, he prefers the food bank. Other days, he wants to stay closer to familiar activities. Today, he’s excited about bowling.
The calendar on the wall shows the month’s standing commitments—weekly bowling, regular volunteering, monthly outings to Strand Cinema, seasonal swimming trips. But within that structure, there’s flexibility. There’s choice. There’s autonomy.
This is person-centered planning in action. The program adapts to Marcus, not the other way around.
8:30 AM–11:00 AM: The Morning
Marcus and two other members head to the Cohen Center with two staff members. That’s the 3:1 ratio at work—enough staff that individuals get genuine support without hovering supervision.
At the Cohen Center, they’re preparing Meals on Wheels. This is real work. Meaningful work. The staff at Cohen Center know Marcus and his peers by name. They understand the members’ strengths. One task is delegated to Marcus because he’s careful and reliable with detailed work.
That matters. Marcus isn’t just participating in an activity. He’s valued. He’s part of a community. He has a role.
Meanwhile, at the Skowhegan location, volunteers are at Somerset Humane Society making cat toys and cleaning litter boxes. At Hallowell, the group is preparing the weekly grocery shopping list for tonight’s cooking activity. At Waterville, members are at a community partner location they chose during this week’s voting.
Each location looks different. Each person’s day looks different. That’s intentional.
11:00 AM–12:00 PM: Lunch and Connection
The morning wraps up. It’s time for lunch. Marcus’s group heads to Dunkin Donuts in Gardiner—a place where they’re regulars. The staff recognize them. Some call members by name. One barista always asks about Marcus’s week.
This isn’t incidental. Community relationships matter. Being recognized matters. Belonging matters.
Marcus orders his usual: a medium iced coffee and a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. He pays with his own money. He makes the transaction himself. A staff member is nearby, but Marcus doesn’t need help. This is independence in practice.
Meanwhile, in Hallowell, the group is at home, cooking together. They’ve shopped at familiar stores—places where staff and members are known faces. They’re preparing dinner, which they’ll eat together, talking about the day, making plans for tomorrow.
In Skowhegan, after volunteering, members are at Joe’s Flat Iron Cafe, a community partner that’s become a genuine part of their lives. The owner knows them. He’s displayed one member’s artwork on his bookshelf. That’s community, not just programming.
12:00 PM–1:30/2:00 PM: The Afternoon
Back at Gardiner, Marcus heads to Sparetime Recreation for bowling. This is a weekly commitment. He’s on a first-name basis with the owner. He has a routine. He has skill. He’s good at this.
Bowling might sound like just an activity. But it’s independence. It’s community. It’s purpose. Marcus isn’t being managed through an activity. He’s participating in real community life.
Across the four locations, the afternoons look different based on individual and group preferences:
- Gardiner members might go shopping at Goggins IGA or Hannaford, practicing meal planning and independent purchasing
- Skowhegan members might be at Woodlawn Rehabilitation playing bingo with nursing home residents, or hiking local trails, or at the library or Barnes & Noble
- Hallowell members might be at Interstate Bowling (weekly) or the Augusta Food Bank (monthly), or completing other standing commitments
- Waterville members engage in activities chosen during their democratic voting process
What’s consistent: individuals have choice. Activities are community-based, not facility-based. Staff support independence, not dependence. People are known in their community.
The Bigger Picture: Beyond One Day
This one day is part of a larger rhythm.
Weekly commitments anchor each location’s programming. Bowling, volunteering, cooking, community outings. These aren’t random. They’re chosen by individuals and groups because they matter.
Monthly outings add variety: Strand Cinema visits with popcorn and beverages included. Coffee socials. Extended day trips. Holiday parties. Birthday celebrations with cupcakes and gift cards.
Some members work. Employment is supported as part of community life—visiting worksites, normalizing that members contribute through paid employment like anyone else. The program supports that genuine work commitment.
Volunteering is woven throughout. At Somerset Humane Society, making cat toys and litter boxes, visiting animals. At Woodlawn Rehabilitation, playing bingo with residents. At Cohen Center, preparing Meals on Wheels. At Augusta Food Bank. These aren’t service projects where people with disabilities “help.” They’re genuine volunteering—participation in community contribution.
Annual events create tradition: Funtown Splashtown trip every summer. A talent show for families, case managers, and program members. Birthday celebrations. Seasonal activities—swimming at beaches in summer, indoor bowling and movies in winter.
And throughout it all: choice. At Gardiner, members vote on activities. At Hallowell, the group reviews options at the start of each day. At Skowhegan, preferences drive the calendar. Individual autonomy isn’t a special accommodation. It’s how the program works.
How We Make This Possible
This day—Marcus’s day, or any member’s day—only works because of the 3:1 staff-to-individual ratio. It’s why staff know people deeply. Why they can support independence instead of controlling activities. Why relationships matter.
It works because staff stay. The Assistant Directors across our four locations have been here for years. They know their communities. They’ve built genuine partnerships. They understand that consistency breeds trust and makes real change possible.
It works because the program is person-centered. Not program-centered. Not convenience-centered. The day is built around what matters to Marcus and other members—their interests, their strengths, their goals.
It works because it’s genuinely community-based. Not a disability-specific day program where only people receiving services participate. Real community: bowling alleys where members are regulars, cafes where staff know their names, volunteer sites where they’re valued contributors, employment where they work alongside people without disabilities.
This is what the HCBS Settings Rule protects: real community lives, driven by individual choice and autonomy, supported by committed staff who have time to know people deeply.
A Day Like This is Possible for Your Loved One
If you’re considering services for you or your loved one, this is what to expect at Families Matter Inc: genuine choice, supported independence, and authentic community. Not a program that manages behavior. Not a facility disguised as a community program. Real community life.
Want to see a day for yourself? Schedule a complimentary visit. Spend a few hours with us. See what person-centered support actually looks like in practice.
Reach Out Anytime:
- Hallowell: Jane Lerette – 207-621-1023
- Gardiner: Erica Poulin – 207-203-0004
- Skowhegan: Melinda King – 207-612-2992
- Waterville: Debra Wells – 207-616-3284
A day in the life isn’t just activities. It’s belonging—to a community, to a workplace, to relationships that matter. That’s what real support looks like.