Connie and David

It was the late 1990s, and David couldn’t shake the feeling that something essential was missing.

As the Executive Director of the Chelmsford Housing Authority, he saw far too many residents spending their final days in long-term care, isolated, or without the support they truly needed. State funding, strictly earmarked for housing, couldn’t cover the human connection, the care, or the quality of life he knew residents deserved.

So he found a modest pool of funds and launched a role called the “Hold A Hand” Coordinator — someone to help connect services, someone to care. And that’s when Connie entered the picture.

From the first meeting, it was clear: Connie was wildly overqualified. She had opened multiple adult day health centers, led teams in home care agencies, and had a heart that simply didn’t know how to say no. David knew instantly that she was exactly the person who could breathe heart and soul into the bricks and mortar.

She said yes — not for the title or the pay, but because that’s who she is. And before long, the role evolved beyond anything they imagined. “Hold A Hand” became a philosophy, not a position. And it needed a bigger home.

“I think we should start a nonprofit,” Connie declared one day — as naturally as someone might say they’re making a cup of tea. Without missing a beat, she also named it: C.H.O.I.C.E. — Chelmsford Housing Opportunities for Intergenerational and Community Endeavors.

Because for Connie, it was never just about seniors. It was about families, about children, about community — and about building something that served every generation, together.

Soon, she had a board in place, community leaders at the table, and a vision everyone could rally around. Fundraisers followed — not just events, but joyful gatherings of music, art, and purpose. Connie’s own family of artists and musicians joined in, helping raise over $20,000 to launch supportive services. And that was just the beginning.

“Why not open an adult day health center on our campus?”
“Why not create a program that brings people out of nursing homes and into their own apartments?”
“Why not start a meals program to fight isolation and hunger?”

With Connie, there was never a “why not” that didn’t lead to a better life for residents.

Over the decades, CHOICE grew because Connie was its most passionate champion. Where David brought the structure, Connie brought the heartbeat. She turned buildings into homes, programs into promises, and neighbors into family.