Across Western Mass, Stavros Breaks Barriers for People with Disabilities
By Melissa Karen Sances
Published in Northampton Living | July 2026
Community Corner
Sponsored by Greenfield Savings Bank
For more than 50 years, the Stavros Center for Independent Living has empowered people with disabilities to live their best lives. Established in 1974, the Amherst nonprofit serves more than 8,000 consumers per month through personal care management and independent living services, while advocating for barrier-free communities in central and western Massachusetts.
“People with disabilities are people first and we want to enjoy the community like everybody else,” said CEO Angelina Ramirez, who joined the organization shortly after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990. She joked that she has done almost every job available at the nonprofit, starting out as a secretary and named CEO in 2019. In 2022 Stavros was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts by the Boston Globe, and she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement A+ Award from the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce.
Numerous Free Services
Ramirez noted that all services at Stavros are free to the public, and that some have been requested by people with disabilities, like the Wheelchair Operations Program, which offers repairs and loaners. “Wheelchairs cost $50,000; it’s like having a car,” she said. While the service eases expenses for MassHealth-eligible residents, even those without disabilities can access some equipment, like temporary crutches needed after an accident.
Another popular service, the Take Charge Program, provides people with five free therapy sessions to help manage stress and develop coping skills. And Home Sweet Home builds wheelchair access ramps across western Mass — more than a thousand have been constructed free of charge thanks to donors.
Rock, Roll and Stroll: July 25
“A long time ago, before the pandemic, we would do a celebration of the [ADA] at the Amherst Town Commons,” said Ramirez. Since then, the event has morphed into a celebratory community event at Look Park in Northampton. On Saturday, July 25 from 2 to 6 p.m., the organization will host its annual Rock, Roll and Stroll at the park. The event features a craft fair, local bands and food trucks; and this year, speakers will address voting rights for people with disabilities ahead of the November midterms. Sponsors include the Disability Law Center, Easterseals Massachusetts, Molina Healthcare, Eastern Savings Bank, All Out Adventures, Advanced Wheels and Greenfield Savings Bank.
“It’s always great spending the day at the park, and joining with the community makes it even more meaningful,” said Ramirez.
Access Awards: October 28
Save the date for the Access Awards, Stavros’s annual fundraiser, planned for Wednesday, Oct. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Garden House at Look Park. During the casual luncheon, Stavros honors local businesses and individuals whom, Ramirez said, “make life more livable for people with disabilities.”
The ceremony began because businesses were intimidated by the ADA and feared they would get sued for not understanding how to provide reasonable accommodations. “Instead of hitting people over the head,” said Ramirez, “we celebrate people for making accommodation adjustments, doing the best they can with the resources they have.”
Seemingly small things like more tables in a restaurant, because people with wheelchairs can’t transfer into a booth; wider aisles in garden stores for easier wheelchair access; and staff who can help blind customers read labels are “not so little” for people with disabilities, she said.
The nonprofit is currently accepting nominations, and is always looking for volunteers and opportunities to spread the word about Stavros’s work. To learn more, visit stavros.org.
At the organization’s most recent Education Day at the State House, Stavros advocated for barrier-free communities. Courtesy of Stavros.
Stavros volunteers build a ramp as part of the nonprofit’s Home Sweet Home program. Courtesy of Stavros.
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