Cape Abilities Board of Directors has announced that Rosalie Edes, its President/Executive Director since November 2014, will be leaving Cape Abilities effective Monday, July 10, 2018 to pursue other opportunities to advance services for individuals with disabilities. As a parent of a young man with Down Syndrome, Ms. Edes has a strong personal mission that has driven her professional choices throughout her career.
Larry R. Thayer, former President/Executive Director of Cape Abilities for 25 years, has been named interim President/Executive Director.
“Under Rosalie’s leadership, Cape Abilities has experienced significant growth in its services and supports for over 420 individuals with disabilities on Cape Cod,” stated Marion Broidrick, Chairperson, Cape Abilities Board of Directors. “We are very grateful for the influence that she has had on the agency. Her commitment to providing the highest quality, community-based, innovative programming has driven the successful development of our clinical services, improved our social enterprises, increased staff supports and made significant changes in our physical plants while developing plans for even more capital improvements within the next year.”
“This is the perfect time for Cape Abilities to transition to new leadership,” states Edes. “Over the past four years, we have made great strides in all facets of the organization and as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, there is a need for a new leader who can commit to years of service to our important, life-changing mission. We are so fortunate that Larry Thayer will return to support the Board in this important search.”
Founded in 1968, Cape Abilities is a 501 (c) (3) Massachusetts nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve individuals with disabilities by educating, counseling, providing residential, social, therapeutic and employment supports so as to empower them to achieve meaningful and valued roles in society. The organization serves all of Cape Cod and has program centers in Hyannis, Eastham, and Falmouth. The agency recently purchased a building in Orleans and it will be renovating this property to develop a new lower Cape program center within the next year.
“Cape Abilities’ 50th anniversary provides a powerful opportunity to celebrate our organization’s history, our extraordinary accomplishments, our positive impact on the Cape Cod community, and our exciting plans for the future,” stated Larry Thayer. “We are indebted to Rosalie for her leadership and we will continue to provide exceptional, life-changing services that people with disabilities deserve.”
