It's a Suite Life

This year marks the 25th year that Lifehouse will be hosting our annual Awards Banquet at the Embassy Suites in San Rafael. As we celebrate yet another year of our incredible community members, Embassy Suites has a celebration of their own coming in 2020— the completion of a full hotel renovation.

This exciting relaunch of the hotel aims to bring an artsy, cool, and intellectual west coast vibe to life. It will boast thoughtful, clean and modern design elements throughout, including an enhanced pool, fire pits, a culinary garden, and an exciting new food and beverage program lead by Chef Brian Whitmer.

Stay: 101 McInnis Pkwy, San Rafael, CA 94903. Rates range from $200-$329 and includes complimentary hot breakfast and 2 hour managers happy hour.

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Gather: There will be 15,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including, two new outdoor options and flexible floor plan choices, all equipped with new Audio Visual and Wi-Fi. Seasonal food and beverage tastings will also be made available to create a high-end experience for any event.

Catering and Conference Services, including Lifehouse’s Awards Banquet, is lead by Heather Liencres. Heather brings expertise in both non-profit values and high-end hospitality. She has provided guidance and flexibility to plan for the Awards Banquet, continuing this legendary San Rafael partnership.

Eat & Drink: Chef Whitmer’s vision for the new food and beverage program is a beautiful blend of his expertise in creating first class culinary experiences by bringing together communities and sustainable food practices. “Named after the trees native to the area, the Red Oak Pacific Rotisserie & Bar will include a locally sourced menu complimented by our very own culinary garden, Red Oak honey bees, and handcrafted beverages for any age,” says Chef Whitmer. The innovative new menu will also be available in the Private Dining Room, Outdoor Terrace or the Red Oak Farm - Culinary Garden event space.

In the spirit of practicing sustainability, the culinary garden will support a fresh produce stand each Sunday across the foot bridge at the Marin County Farmers market. Donations of produce will also be made to the Marin Food Bank.

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Through this highly anticipated transformation, Embassy Suites aims to be on the cutting edge to bring our community together. It will be the perfect place to host family from out of town, commune friends after work, or hold your next big event.

Congratulations to Embassy Suites on a wonderful new chapter!

Looking for the perfect space to host your next event?

Email Heather Liencres, Director of Catering & Conference Services

 

Let’s Celebrate

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Each year at our Annual Awards Banquet we celebrate the dedicated staff and community members that support our mission of ensuring that individuals with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to live a full life. PLEASE follow along this month as we honor the big-hearts that make it all possible.

When: October 25, 2019

Where: Embassy Suites, San Rafael

Tickets: $60

To purchase tickets please call 415.526.5300 or email: [email protected]

Outstanding Community Members

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OUTSTANDING STAFF RECOGNITION

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A Full Life

Meet Sallie

Sallie has called Lifehouse home for eight years and is in the Supported Living Program (SLP). This program is perfect for her since it gives her the tools and life skills she needs to be as independent as possible.  

Sallie is full of life and loves goofing around and making people laugh. Her favorite person to get a smile out of is her boyfriend Mark. They have been together for eight years. Some of her hobbies include hiking, going to the beach, and playing table tennis. She is a total shark on the court, and she was in the winner’s circle at her most recent tournament!

When Sallie isn’t palling around with friends, she is hard at work. With the support of the local non-profit, People with Disabilities Succeeding (PDS), Sallie works two jobs. The PDS Integrated Work and Community Inclusion Program helps her maintain her job at Woodlands Market for the past 11 years, as well as a position as a crossing guard during the school year for the past seven years. She takes great pride in her work, and loves the opportunity to be out and about in her community.

Sallie has lots of goals for her life, including to live more independently and be less reliant on others by practicing the life skills she has learned from Lifehouse. She also wants people to see that she has a warm heart and a good mind. Her message to the community is that people should accept individuals with developmental disabilities and welcome them into their lives.

In Memoriam

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We are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of our beloved Board Chair, Jacquie Gribens. The Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, the 350 people who receive services from Lifehouse, and the whole community mourn her loss. We extend our deepest sympathies to her husband Bruce, sons Josh & Nick, daughter Allie, and all of her family.

Jacquie was a beloved figure in the community and a great friend and colleague to so many of us. Jacquie began volunteering at Lifehouse 10 years ago opening wine in the kitchen for Great Chefs & Wineries and remained involved ever since. She served on the Great Chefs & Wineries Steering Committee and was an honorary member of the Wine Committee. Jacquie stepped up to serve on the Lifehouse Board of Directors in 2014 and was invited to take a leadership role as Board Chair in 2018 which she enthusiastically accepted.

Jacquie was an effervescent and generous person. She had tremendous energy and commitment to public service. We will forever be grateful for her contributions to Lifehouse and the people we serve.



Our Legacy Through the Lens

Every year, students of San Rafael High School’s Media Academy participate in a project called CAP (Community Action Project).  CAP is an opportunity for students to work with local non-profit organizations and collaborate with these community members to produce high quality promotional videos. Lifehouse worked with SRHS students Caitlin Chow, Jessa Josephson, Nick Besson, Kayla Wright, Jessica Hernandez, and Drew Cavaney to produce a video centered around the celebration of Lifehouse’s 65th Anniversay, focusing on the legacy of the organization and the ways Lifehouse has transformed the individuals we serve. The result - an impactful video that illustrates how Lifehouse is an intricate community full of joy, compassion, acceptance and empowerment. Through this project, the Media Academy students demonstrated that they are committed to becoming creative and contributing members of the world with an exceptional level of professionalism.

Mighty Expectations

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“We are all the same, regardless of our challenges because we all have them.”

– Lidia Que-Macedo, Parent

In August of 2018, after 65 years of service Lifehouse has come full circle by opening Great Expectations Inclusive Preschool. The preschool is a collaboration between Lifehouse, the Marin County Office of Education and Dominican University and is the first of its kind in Marin.

Here in a short film; filmmaker Chikara Motomura captures the young minds of Great Expectations students playing and learning together regardless of their differences. The benefits of this inclusive program can be seen through the compassion, creativity, and a healthy sense of curiosity that these young children of all abilities are developing. 

To learn more about Great Expectations Inclusive Preschool please visit www.greatexpectationsmarin.org .

Hiking with Team Lifehouse

The New Year is in full swing and Team Lifehouse is ready for the next big challenge- Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Well, at least virtually for now. Lifehouse employees and the people we support will track their steps and share them so that they can be added up every week and converted into miles that will “hike” the Pacific Crest Trail. To show our progress we have a big, beautiful map of the West Coast here at our office, kindly provided by Filice Insurance.

When do we start? January 14th.

Who can participate? All Lifehouse employees and all of the people we support.

What’s the PCT? The Pacific Crest Trail runs from the Mexican border all the way through California, Oregon, and Washignton to the Canadian border. It is 2,650 miles total and it’s beautiful.

How long will it take us? That depends on how many of us are participating. We will keep hiking until we reach 2,650 miles combined. It takes a single hiker about 5 months to hike the actual trail. We will keep you updated along the way.

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We hope that you will follow along and support #teamlifehouse as we accomplish something amazing together!

A Season of Gratitude

 

Dear friends of Lifehouse,

Three hundred people with developmental disabilities call Lifehouse home. Many benefit from day services from other agencies throughout the Bay Area.

In the spirit of the holiday, we want to show our gratitude by acknowledging those agencies for the fine programs they provide to Lifehouse residents. Thank you for your collaboration in providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities in our community.

With Gratitude,

Nancy Dow Moody

President & CEO

 
#GIVINGTUESDAY :: At Lifehouse we believe that living a full, enriched life with dignity is not only possible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), but also a human right that speaks d,irectly to the values that we hold
Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate 70 years of excellence in support of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are so grateful to this remarkable community that lifts us up! @marinmagazine shares all the details of th
#THANKFUL for HOME :: A place where your feet may leave but your heart will always be. #bestnonprofit #marinnonprofit #lifehouse #afulllifelived
#THANKFUL for FAMILY :: The link to our past, and the bridge to our future. #bestnonprofit #marinnonprofit #lifehouse #afulllifelived
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! Wishing you all a wonderful holiday filled with joy and love from all of us here at Lifehouse. #thanksgiving2024 #bestnonprofit #marinnonprofit #lifehouse #afulllifelived
#THANKFUL for FRIENDS :: There’s only one this more precious than our time and that’s who we spend it on. #bestnonprofit #marinnonprofit #lifehouse #afulllifelived
#THANKFUL for HEALTH :: There is no greater form of wealth then our health. #bestnonprofit #marinnonprofit #lifehouse #afulllifelived
#THANKFUL :: There is so much to be Thankful for so, please join us for ‘A Week of Thanks’. Today we are thankful for INDEPENDENCE :: The opportunity to live a full life on your own terms. #bestnonprofit #marinnonprofit #lifehouse #aful