Kennedy-Donovan Center, Inc.

Kennedy-Donovan Center (KDC), a 501(c)3 organization, was founded in 1969 on the principle that all children and individuals have the right to participate and thrive in their community. From our beginning, serving four young children in borrowed space, KDC has grown to serve 5,000 infants, children, adults and families annually throughout eastern and south central Massachusetts, serving 38% of the Commonwealth as well as the north east corner of Connecticut. With a diverse and dedicated staff of 425 employees and 300 respite, home care providers and foster parents, KDC operates a range of program models from 8 community-based offices and offers in-home services to thousands of families in 160 communities.

Kennedy-Donovan Center supports individuals and families with developmental disabilities and similar needs to reach their maximum potential and quality of life through advocacy and individualized services. Kennedy-Donovan Center grew out of the close relationship between Luella Hennessey Donovan and the family of Joseph Patrick and Rose Kennedy. Luella Hennessey joined the Kennedy family in 1936 as a private duty nurse and traveled with them when Joseph Kennedy was appointed ambassador to Great Britain in 1937. Luella tended to the needs of the Kennedy children, including Rosemary, the eldest daughter, who had developmental delays and was institutionalized in 1941. Rose Kennedy confided with Luella that she wished her daughter could have lived a typical family life and have attended a local school. This inspired Luella to embark on a new career at the age of 59. After earning her degree from Boston College, Luella fulfilled her dream in 1969 by opening one of the first community-based educational and therapeutic programs for young children with a three-year grant from the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation. In gratitude, Luella named her program the Kennedy Center for Handicapped Children. The program began with Luella as teacher and a physical therapist serving four children in borrowed space. Over the next twenty years, the Center grew into a multi-program agency serving thousands of children and adults throughout southeastern and south central Massachusetts. In recognition of Mrs. Donovan?s contributions, the agency was re-named Kennedy-Donovan Center in 1987.