On Friday, Sept. 6, Autumn Glen celebrated the 20th anniversary of their parent company, Northbridge Community, with a large Portuguese feast.

Many of the residents and associates who live and work at Autumn Glen are Portuguese, and many of the events put on at the assisted living center have a Portuguese theme.

“It’s just a very popular type of event and celebration for our community,” said Erin Fowler, the Executive Director at Autumn Glen.

Many of the residents and associates were “committed” and “engaged” in the theme, according to Fowler.

“Everybody had the ability to help in any way they wanted to, whether that was cooking or decorating, setting up or helping with invitations,” she said.

Since many of the residents and associates are Portuguese, they also had a part to play in the event’s set-up.

“They would contribute their concepts and experiences and memories of how they would enjoy the feast,” said Jennifer Gelinas, Autumn Glen’s resident engagement director. “And then we brought them in when it came time to get everything ready for the week of the party.”

Residents helped set the tables, created centerpieces, decorated wine bottles and created homemade labels and also added garnishes around the centerpieces, according to Gelinas.

The event was not just a celebration of Northbridge’s 20th anniversary, but it was also an opportunity to raise money for the organization’s Compassionate Caregivers Fund.

Northbridge Community created the Compassionate Caregivers Fund to help provide emergency aid to associates in need, Fowler said.

“If an associate is going through a rough time or if they’re hit with some kind of financial burden, we can help that associate through that time through monetary donations,” she said.

Gelinas and the other event planners drew inspiration from the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, an annual four-day Portuguese cultural festival held in New Bedford every August.

The dance group Rancho Folclórico Recordações de Portugal, which performed at the New Bedford festival, also performed at Autumn Glen’s celebration, sharing their Portuguese music and dance.

Jordan Paipa, a DJ who was born in Portugal, also performed.

“His knowledge of the culture was perfect to be the entertainer for our event,” Gelinas said.

Autumn Glen’s culinary department catered the event, putting together an authentic Portuguese menu, including caldo verdo, piri piri and shrimp Mozambique.

Some residents in the memory care unit weren’t able to be part of the main celebration because the event would have been a little too “overstimulating” for them, Fowler said.

Instead, Rancho Folclórico Recordações de Portuga and Jordan Paipa brought the party to them, dancing and playing their music for the residents on a smaller scale.

“They were able to dance and participate in the music and dancing as well,” Fowler said.

“Live well, love life” is the Northbridge Community slogan, and goes behind the planning for all of the events Autumn Glen holds, according to Gelinas.

“It was just nice that everyone was able to come together and really pull off such a great event,” she said.