Community Corner

Worcester Nonprofit Hosts Prom For Adults With Disabilities At Polar Park

A local advocacy group held its fifth annual prom at Polar Park for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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A Prom For All Ages was held on May 14. The event, hosted by Thrive Support & Advocacy, welcomed more than 200 adults with IDD, ages 22 to 90, along with their caregivers, at the DCU Club at Polar Park on Madison Street.
A Prom For All Ages was held on May 14. The event, hosted by Thrive Support & Advocacy, welcomed more than 200 adults with IDD, ages 22 to 90, along with their caregivers, at the DCU Club at Polar Park on Madison Street. (Photo courtesy of Thrive Support & Advocacy)

WORCESTER, MA — A local advocacy group held its fifth annual prom event, bringing adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to Polar Park for a formal evening built around celebration and inclusion.

A Prom For All Ages was held on May 14. The event, hosted by Thrive Support & Advocacy, welcomed more than 200 adults with IDD, ages 22 to 90, along with their caregivers, at the DCU Club at Polar Park on Madison Street.

Guests were admitted at no cost and took part in dinner, dancing, music, caricatures and other activities. Red carpet arrivals were scheduled from 5 to 6:30 p.m., with attendees arriving in formalwear and entering the venue after stepping out of limos.

A group of friends arrive at A Prom For All Ages, a unique and beloved event, reframing the high school dance that many of the attending individuals with IDD are experiencing for the first time. (Photo courtesy of Thrive Support & Advocacy)
Promgoers took their walk on the red carpet and posed for photos upon arriving at A Prom For All Ages. An individual served by Thrive hit his favorite move in front of the balloon arch before heading to the dance floor. (Photo courtesy of Thrive Support & Advocacy)
Attendees went all out for the Prom’s royalty theme, sporting gloves, jewels, gowns, and suits. Through the generosity of sponsors, participants enjoyed A Prom For All Ages at no cost to them. The signature event is also a fundraiser to support Thrive Support & Advocacy’s social and recreational programs for over 1,500 individuals with IDD in Central Massachusetts and MetroWest. (Photo courtesy of Thrive Support & Advocacy)
The fifth annual A Prom For All Ages gathered adults with IDD ages 22 to 90 and their caregivers for a glamorous, inclusive evening of caricatures, dinner, dancing, music, and connection. (Photo courtesy of Thrive Support & Advocacy)

Thrive Support & Advocacy is a nonprofit that provides support and services for youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization's programs are aimed at helping people with IDD build independence, community connections and access to social and recreational opportunities.

Thrive first launched the prom in 2022 to give adults with IDD the experience of a traditional rite-of-passage event in a comfortable setting, according to the organization. The prom has since become one of the nonprofit's signature community events.

The event also served as a fundraiser for Thrive's social and recreational programs, which support more than 1,500 individuals with IDD across Central Massachusetts and MetroWest, according to the organization.

Sean M. Rose, president and CEO of Thrive Support & Advocacy, and Worcester Red Sox President Dr. Charles Steinberg were among those tied to the event, along with individuals served by Thrive and other local schools and nonprofits.

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