Building Communities of Care 13
CHAPTER 3
Expanding Programs,
Staff, and Footprint
In 2001, Seven Hills shook up the industry when it
acquired New England Residential Services in a $30 million
transaction. Mergers were unheard of at the time, but
this initial acquisition launched Seven Hill's growth and
represented a cultural shift. is marked the beginning of
Jordan's "affiliation movement" that helped reshape human
services in Massachusetts. anks to the organization's lead
and success, other agencies acquired companies and diversified.
"We just took off with mergers and acquisitions, and the
people that we served became much more diverse. All of our
programs began to take on personalities of their own," said
When David Jordan became President &
CEO, he planned to enlarge Seven Hills'
footprint even more so the organization
could, over time, assist smaller agencies in
continuing their designated work in the
local communities. "We had to create a
structure that was more of a management
company, strategically diversifying our
programming through assimilation of
companies that had a niche but needed a
path to sustainability," he said.
Children's Aid & Family Service Child Enrichment Center grand opening
