Buffalo River Services, Inc.

06/19/2026

At Buffalo River Services, we've spent the last several years expanding our use of enabling technology and exploring new ways to support people in achieving greater independence.

One area of growing interest is remote supports.

Remote supports use technology to connect people with assistance, coaching, reminders, wellness checks, and other forms of support without requiring staff to be physically present at all times. When used appropriately and with the person's consent, remote supports can help increase independence, build confidence, and provide peace of mind for individuals and their families.

As a Tech First-accredited organization, we've worked to lay the groundwork for these options by routinely assessing technology needs, introducing enabling technology solutions, and helping people discover tools that support their goals.

Remote supports aren't about replacing relationships or human connection. They're about using technology thoughtfully to remove barriers, create opportunities, and help people live the lives they choose.

We believe the future of disability services will include a blend of person-centered support, innovative technology, and individualized solutions that put people in control of their own lives—and we're excited to continue exploring those possibilities.

06/18/2026

Today we celebrated a very special milestone at Buffalo River Services.

Kimberly Reeves, Program Director for Lewis County, is celebrating 10 years with BRS!

Kimberly has been a steady and dependable leader for her team, an advocate for the people we support, and an important part of our organization for the past decade. Her commitment to serving others and helping her team succeed has made a lasting impact in Lewis County.

To recognize this achievement, we gathered with members of her Lewis County team and presented Kimberly with a commemorative plaque and anniversary award in appreciation of her years of service.

Ten years of dedication is something worth celebrating, and we are grateful for everything Kimberly has contributed to Buffalo River Services over the years.

Please join us in congratulating Kimberly on this incredible milestone!

06/18/2026

Many of the opportunities people with disabilities enjoy today—living independently, pursuing employment, attending college, and participating fully in their communities—didn't happen by accident.

They happened because of advocates like Ed Roberts.

After contracting polio as a teenager, Roberts was told he was "too disabled" to attend college. Instead of accepting those limitations, he challenged them. He went on to become known as the Father of the Independent Living Movement, helping transform the way our society views disability and advocating for the idea that people with disabilities should have the same opportunities, choices, and freedoms as everyone else.

His story is a reminder that progress often begins with one person refusing to accept that something cannot be done.

Today, the principles Ed Roberts championed continue to influence disability services across the country, including the work we do every day at Buffalo River Services. Independence, self-determination, community inclusion, and meaningful choice remain at the heart of quality supports.

Sometimes it's worth taking a moment to remember the people who helped pave the way.

06/17/2026

Every day, Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) make a difference in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

They are teachers, advocates, mentors, caregivers, and problem-solvers. DSPs help individuals build skills, reach personal goals, participate in their communities, maintain their health and safety, find employment, develop relationships, and live as independently as possible.

At Buffalo River Services, our DSPs don't just provide support—they help create opportunities. Whether it's assisting someone with daily living skills, supporting community involvement, helping someone succeed at work, or simply being a trusted and dependable presence, DSPs are often the people who make meaningful progress possible.

The work can be challenging, but it is also incredibly rewarding. Every day brings opportunities to build relationships, celebrate achievements, and make a lasting impact in someone's life.

If you're looking for a career where compassion, patience, and dedication truly matter, we would love to hear from you.

Interested in becoming a Direct Support Professional?

Apply online today at www.brstn.org/apply-on-line and learn how you can help us continue Building Relationships, Reaching Goals, and Supporting Individuals.

06/16/2026

At Buffalo River Services, we often use Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a simple teaching tool when onboarding new employees.

The idea is straightforward: before a person can focus on growth, independence, learning new skills, employment, or achieving personal goals, their more basic needs must first be met.

We teach it as five building blocks:

🏠 Basic Human Needs – Food, water, shelter, healthcare, and other essentials.

🛡️ Safety & Security – Feeling safe at home, in relationships, financially, and within the community.

❤️ Healthy Relationships – Having friends, family, trusted supports, and a sense of belonging.

🏆 Personal Achievement – Building skills, gaining confidence, making choices, and experiencing success.

✨ Self-Actualization – Becoming the best version of yourself and pursuing the life that is meaningful to you.

For those of us who support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, this framework is a helpful reminder that quality support is about more than simply providing services. It’s about helping people build a strong foundation that allows them to pursue their own goals, dreams, and definition of a good life.

While everyone’s journey looks different, the principle remains the same: people thrive when their basic needs are met, they feel safe, they have meaningful relationships, and they are given opportunities to grow.

That’s what person-centered support is all about.

06/15/2026

In 1887, a young teacher named Anne Sullivan sat beside a water pump with a little girl named Helen Keller.

Helen had lost both her sight and hearing as a toddler. She was intelligent, curious, and determined, but isolated from the world around her because she had no reliable way to communicate.

As water flowed over Helen's hand, Anne repeatedly spelled the word "water" into her palm. Suddenly, something clicked. Helen realized that the movements in her hand represented the thing she was feeling. In her own writings, she described it as the moment language came alive. From there, an entire world opened to her. Helen Keller would go on to become an author, advocate, and one of the most influential disability rights figures in history.

Why does that story still matter?

Because stories help us see possibilities that facts alone often cannot.

At Buffalo River Services, we have the privilege of hearing and sharing stories every day. Stories of people finding employment, learning new skills, moving into homes of their own, building friendships, overcoming obstacles, and reaching goals that once seemed out of reach.

Those stories do more than celebrate accomplishments. They build confidence. They teach. They inspire. They help families, communities, and future generations see what is possible.

Every person has a story worth telling.

And sometimes, sharing that story can change how someone sees themselves—or how the world sees them.

06/12/2026

06/12/2026

Self-determination is at the heart of person-centered support.

At Buffalo River Services, we believe every person should have the opportunity to make choices about their own life, pursue their own goals, and define what success looks like for them. Our role is not to direct someone's path, but to provide the support, information, and opportunities that help them move forward with confidence.

Self-determination can be found in everyday decisions—where someone lives, how they spend their time, the relationships they build, the work they pursue, and the dreams they choose to follow. When people are empowered to make meaningful choices, they often discover new strengths, greater confidence, and a stronger sense of purpose.

We are proud to support individuals as they advocate for themselves, exercise their rights, take informed risks, and create lives that reflect their own values and aspirations. Because the best outcomes happen when people are truly in the driver's seat of their own journey.

Learn more about Buffalo River Services at www.brstn.org.

06/11/2026

Civil rights are human rights.

For people with disabilities, civil rights are about more than laws and regulations—they are about dignity, respect, opportunity, choice, and full participation in community life. Every person deserves the freedom to make decisions, pursue their goals, access their communities, and be treated fairly and with respect.

Over the years, important legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has helped remove barriers and create greater opportunities for inclusion. Yet true inclusion requires more than compliance. It requires communities, employers, organizations, and individuals who believe that people with disabilities belong in every aspect of society.

At Buffalo River Services, we believe that every person has the right to be heard, to make choices about their own life, to pursue meaningful relationships, to contribute to their community, and to be supported in achieving their goals. Protecting and promoting these rights is not just a responsibility—it is a commitment.

When rights are respected, opportunities grow. When barriers are removed, communities become stronger. And when everyone is included, everyone benefits.

Learn more about Buffalo River Services at www.brstn.org

06/10/2026

The work of supporting people with disabilities, older adults, and families often means walking alongside them through seasons of uncertainty. New goals, changing circumstances, unexpected challenges, and important life decisions can all bring questions that don't have immediate answers.

As an organization, we've learned that growth doesn't come from having every answer in advance. It comes from remaining steady, listening carefully, adapting when needed, and continuing to move forward with purpose. The individuals we support demonstrate this kind of resilience every day as they pursue independence, build relationships, learn new skills, and navigate life's changes.

At Buffalo River Services, we believe progress is often found not in certainty, but in the courage to keep going despite uncertainty. That's where growth happens, confidence develops, and meaningful achievements begin.