WORCESTER, Mass. – Open Sky Community Services celebrated their 50^th anniversary Wednesday at Polar Park in Worcester.

The nonprofit human services provider offers programs across central Massachusetts for people living with mental health challenges, developmental disabilities, brain injury and substance use disorders.

Open Sky officials said while always important, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how critical it is to make services accessible to local families.

"We're hiring people with lived experience, and those folks are really on the front lines helping draw more people out into the community and providing those supports,” said president & CEO Ken Bates. “So, people with lived experience are one of the keys to success at Open Sky."

"Open Sky has been a foundation to human services for the central Mass. community,” said Kola Akindele, a member of the board of directors. “So, I'm glad that we're celebrating 50 years. And I’m hopeful that we continue to celebrate more years with Open Sky."

Many of the families Open Sky serves joined the celebration Wednesday alongside the nonprofit’s roughly 1,300 employees.